Wrapping up the thread. . . Probably I will post on this thread again, from time to time, as new information comes to light. The Paradise fire crisis is over.
The housing crisis, and the displaced population crisis, is just now beginning.
As stated earlier, with the coming of the annual rainy season here, the Camp Fire has effectively been extinguished and the 2018 fire season is effectively over. Wildfire - even a fire so terrible as was the Camp Fire - cannot withstand 4 - 5 inches of steady rain.
Clean-up efforts in the area will continue, and be ongoing for the foreseeable future. It is unknown at this point how many evacuees will choose to return to Paradise - or even when those that wish to do so will be allowed to return. As of yesterday, no civilians were yet being allowed to return to the fire area, and (I have heard reported) will not be allowed to return until toxic substances have been cleaned up. Even three foot deep ash where a home once stood is considered toxic, because of the plastics, asphalt roofing - what have you - that burned.
Those that may wish to rebuild have not yet been allowed in to see what is left of their homes, nearly four weeks after the fire broke out. That probably means that the insurance adjusters have not been to these homes, either.
Those whose homes have been saved are in only a little better situation than those who lost their homes. No one has yet been allowed to return to the area - saved homes have been without electricity since the fire began. This means that the contents of refrigerators and freezers have rotted, and liquid from the decomposition seeped out onto the floor. These few homes are surrounded by miles of black and extremely odorous devastation (the smell of a burnt building or a burnt residence permeates everything for an extended area, all around). Most businesses in the area have been destroyed, including things like grocery stores, gas stations, hardware stores, etc.
In addition to the nearly 14,000 homes destroyed in the fire, much of the infrastructure of Paradise has also been destroyed. Where a fire is hot enough to burn a home - and hot enough to melt the aluminum wheels of a car trapped and consumed by a fire - it is certainly hot enough to burn power poles - and to damage so much as to make unuseable - power lines. Including electric and telephone.
Septic systems (many homes here are on wells and septic systems) may have been damaged. Newer septic tanks here are made of plastic. Well pumps and well casings (well casings here is usually plastic) may have been damaged as well.
Many trees in the area were flash-burned to ash where they stood, and are now beginning to fall, making for yet another unsafe condition that must be dealt with before people are allowed to return.
And, of course, the search for the missing still continues.
Snippets:
(this is information that I obtained by speaking directly to those affected. I have not verified the accuracy to this information, but I have little reason to doubt it):
Attending the "get-together" yesterday, mentioned in my last post, many people there who had either been forced out of their homes, or had their homes burn, expressed frustration and a bit of anger at FEMA. All stated that the process to apply for assistance was overwhelming, only to find at the end of the interviews and voluminous paperwork that little or no assistance was actually offered.
For those renters whose homes and contents had been burned - $1,100 for first, last, and security to find a new rental - in an area where just the first month's rent, on average, is well above that - in the unlikely event that a new rental could be found in the housing shortage here.
For those who still had homes, and were insured, but were out of their homes for nearly four weeks living in their cars, at shelters or with friends - nothing: no food assistance, no temporary housing assistance, no clean-up assistance, nothing.
For those whose homes and contents burned, but had insurance (again, people out of their homes for nearly a month, still unable to return, with any potential insurance payouts likely still some few weeks in the future) they were offered "low-interest loans". Nothing more than than - no temporary assistance for housing, food, clean-up - nothing. Generally the homeowner declined the loan - because, as was stated, one's budget has not changed - in many cases not possible to add a new loan payment on top of everything else.
In listening to these stories, I heard no mention of FEMA trailers being offered. FEMA trailers would have seemed logical, once the infrastructure was restored - the burned homes were on lots with power, water and telephone - most of them. When I returned home I did a search to find out where FEMA trailers might be in the mix.
This is what I found:
https://www.thedailybeast.com/in-fire-ravaged-california-where-are-the-fema-trailers
Maybe the FEMA trailers are still coming. Maybe not. California is at present considered by the federal government to be a wealthy state, well able to take care of it's citizens on it's own. FEMA trailers are Federal government, not state government.
Paradise is not, and was not, a wealthy area. It seems, at least for the moment, that people here have no where to go, and no government agency to turn to.
Very sad. Hopefully, that will change.
Please read below for selected links and updates.
Anne
Camp Fire Update, November 26, 2018
Butte County officials offering help get pets adopted, if owner can no longer care for them
https://www.actionnewsnow.com/content/news/Animals-in-Camp-Fire-Shelters-Need-to-Be-Fostered-Soon-or-Will-Be-Offered-for-Adoption-501209111.html
Firefighters reflect on Northern California's deadly Camp Fire after blaze fully contained
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-wildfires-camp-fire-butte-county-fully-contained-firefighters-reflect-on-experience-today-2018-11-25/
Crews prepare for next round of rain in Camp Fire burn area
https://www.kcra.com/article/crews-prepare-for-next-round-of-rain-in-camp-fire-burn-area/25300032
More bodies found as Camp Fire crews close in on full containment
https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Firefighters-close-in-on-full-containment-of-13418233.php
Task Force 3 From Peninsula Returns To Bay Area After Camp Fire
https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/Task-Force-3-From-Peninsula-Returns-To-Bay-Area-13420305.php
From CalFire
No updated CalFire information from yesterday