The town of Paradise, California, was close completely destroyed during the 2018 camp fire – which scorched more than 150,000 hectares and the deadliest wildfire in state history. The once lush landscape covered with pine trees was eaten bare, while 95% of the city burned down.
But from the ashes a new species emerges The American pioneer was born.
Kylie Wrobel and her daughter Ellie were among the first families to return.
“As I watched the city grow and build, my heart needed this,” Kylie Wrobel said. “A lot of people don’t want to come back here anymore. I had to stay here.”
In 2019, six months after the firestorm that destroyed everything and almost claimed their lives, the Wrobels were in tears. Now Ellie Wrobel told CBS News, “Even though we lost everything in the fire, it’s nice to have something new.”
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Kylie Wrobel said: “You’re just healing every day. It’s nice to be back in our hometown because it gives you a fresh start in life.”
Thousands of others have returned for a fresh start. In fact, Paradise was the fastest growing city in California over the past four years, according to the California Department of Finance.
Jennifer Gray Thompson, the founder of the nonprofit After the Fire, which helps people decide whether to rebuild, said, “People who decide to rebuild in a place like Paradise are often even safer than they were before the fire. Because that place has already burned down.”
Fire threatens 40% of California homes. Beginning in the 1990s, well-meaning firefighters were trained to extinguish flames quickly to protect a growing population. But dead vegetation was left behind, which, combined with increasing drought, ultimately created a fuel source that continues to threaten communities today.
In Paradise, efforts are focused on protect against future fires. All power lines will be buried underground and all residents must remove vegetation that is too close to their homes. Federal subsidies are offered to homeowners who use fire-resistant materials to build their homes.
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Kylie Wrobel said she believes the city is more resilient today than it was in 2018.
“The likelihood that we would see another wildfire in Paradise has already destroyed our entire community and cut down the trees. I don’t think another wildfire will hit like this,” she said.
But not everyone agrees enough to return. Although Paradise has seen record growth, its current population is still only a third of what it was before the Camp Fire.
“Paradise is a microcosm of broader issues that our nation will continue to face,” said Ryan Miller of UC Davis, a researcher who monitors growing climate migration in the US and the conflicts it is causing.
“I hope that with some of the work we understand from Paradise, we can get ahead of some of these issues and prevent these disasters from happening later,” he said.
Jonathan Vigliotti
