VIDEOS: Ninety percent of the Northern California community of Paradise was destroyed in 2018 when the Camp Fire tore through the Butte County town. Now more than six years later, Paradise continues to rebuild. Paradise, located 90 miles north of Sacramento, had more than 26,000 people before the fire. By the 2020 census, they dropped to less than 5,000. But they are growing.
โWe estimate our current population is about 12,000,” Paradise Recovery and Economic Development Director Colette Curtis said. โSo we are actually the fastest growing city in the state of California for three years in a row.โ Though it has been a challenging time, people in Paradise say their community stuck together. โThe community spirit is alive and well. The fire didn’t take that,โ Vice Mayor Woody Culleton said. โThat’s why I’m here. That’s why so many people are here.โ
Our series looks at how they rebuilt their small town, the tough decisions families faced, and how the community rallied and stayed strong. As families rebuild, leaders in Paradise are taking many steps to make the town safer. The town installed 21 early warning sirens and divided Paradise into evacuation zones, in case they only need to evacuate a portion of town. But the most noticeable change is the removal of about 200,000 trees that were damaged or destroyed in the Camp Fire. Leaders hope that will help slow the spread if another fire starts.
