Paradise, California | |
---|---|
Nickname: the Ridge [1] | |
Coordinates: 39°45′35″N121°37′19″W / 39.75972°N 121.62194°W [2] | |
Country | United States |
State | California |
County | Butte |
Incorporated | November 27, 1979 [3] |
Government | |
• Mayor | Ron Lassonde [4] |
Area | |
• Total | 18.33 sq mi (47.47 km2) |
• Land | 18.32 sq mi (47.44 km2) |
• Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) 0.08% |
Elevation | 1,778 ft (542 m) |
Population | |
• Total | 4,764 |
• Density | 244.38/sq mi (94.35/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
ZIP codes | 95967, 95969 |
Area code | 530 |
FIPS code | 06-55520 [2] |
GNIS ID | 277573 [2] |
Website | townofparadise |
Paradise is a town in Butte County, California, United States, in the Sierra Nevada foothills above the northeastern Sacramento Valley. [2] As of the 2020 census, the town population was 4,764, a decline of over 80% from the 26,218 residents recorded in the 2010 census. [7]
On November 8, 2018, a major wildfire, the Camp Fire, destroyed most of Paradise and much of the adjacent communities of Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon, and Concow. [8] [9] In November 2023, it was reported that there were a little over 9,000 residents living in Paradise. Over 2,500 new structures have also been built, with more construction ongoing. [10]
The first post office was established at Paradise in 1877. It closed for a time in 1911, but was re-established later that year, when the post office at Orloff was closed. [11] Paradise incorporated in 1979. [11] For many years, the Butte County Railroad operated trains along the ridge, serving mines and sawmills.
According to GNIS, the community has been known in the past by four different names or spellings: Leonards Mill, Poverty Ridge, Pair-O-Dice, and Paradice. [2]
A legend persists that the town was named because it was the home of the Pair o' Dice Saloon, an idea supported by a 1900 railroad map referring to the town as Paradice. However, no documentation has been found to prove the establishment existed, nor an explanation of the spelling of the town's name on the map. [12]
Gene Sylva, a former mayor of the nearby town of Oroville, has stated that the saloon story is false, and that the true etymology of the town's name can be traced to his great-great-grandfather, William Pierce Leonard, who named the town on a summer day in 1864, after a hot and dusty ride from the Sacramento Valley; arriving at his sawmill while the staff were on break, Leonard "took a deep breath of the cool, clean air, and exclaimed, 'boys, this is paradise.'" [12] According to Snopes, Sylva's explanation may be "pleasingly inventive historical fiction", and it is more likely that the town was named for it being a pleasant place to live. [12]
In June 2008, a wildfire, named the "Humboldt Fire" for its point of origin, swept over 22,800 acres (9,200 ha) of land between Chico and Paradise. As many as 9,300 people were forced to evacuate southwestern Paradise until the fire could be brought under control. [13]
A month later, a fire burned on the northern side of Paradise in the canyon where the Feather River is located. Again, thousands were evacuated from their homes, but the fire failed to cross the river. [14] It was part of a larger complex of fires called the Butte Lightning Complex or BTU Complex, [15] which also included the Belden and Pit fires. [16] (This was a different fire from the 2018 fire of the same name.)
On November 8, 2018, a wildfire named the "Camp Fire" was reported at 6:33 a.m. PST, close to Camp Creek Road near Pulga. [17] Shortly after the fire erupted, the Butte County Sheriff's Office ordered the evacuation of the eastern quarter of Paradise, and the remaining portions one hour later. [18] However, many residents never received an evacuation warning, while others chose not to leave because the warnings did not convey the urgency of the situation. [19] Other locations were also issued evacuation orders or warnings, and emergency shelters were established. [20]
On the same day, much of the town of Paradise and the communities of Concow and Magalia were destroyed by this fire. [21] Scott McLean, a Cal Fire Deputy Chief, said, "We're talking devastated... . The town center is completely on the ground. The south side as well as the north side has been hit very hard, as well." [22] [23]
A total of 85 [24] people died in the Camp Fire, tens of thousands were displaced, and 18,804 buildings were destroyed. Only 5% of buildings in the town remained without serious damage after the fire. [8] [9] It was the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history. [25] Negligence on the part of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) was found to be the cause of the fire. [26]
The first two building permits were reissued for Paradise, after almost five months, on March 28, 2019. Local public policymakers aimed to promote rebuilding with higher standards for fire-resistant construction, upgraded infrastructure, and using the recommended 2009 redesigns for enhanced fire safety, which include expanded road capacity to increase evacuation capacity and to provide better access for emergency equipment. [27] Two weeks of rain in early March 2019 slowed removal of debris; it was prohibited to dump waterlogged waste in landfills. Some 1,000 truckloads of material are expected to be removed daily from properties in Paradise, Concow, and Magalia. Cleanup, anticipated to take a year, involves 11,000 properties. [28]
In 2010 the U.S. Census reported a population of 26,800. After the Camp Fire, the population declined by more than 90%. [29] In January 2019, the state of California reported 4,600 residents, and a door-to-door count in April 2019 found 2,034. [30] In the ensuing years, however, more residents have slowly returned to the town. By November 2023, it was reported that there were a little over 9,000 residents living in Paradise. Over 2,500 new structures had also been built, with more construction ongoing. [10]
By 2024, the town had experienced a substantial influx of newcomers who had moved from the Bay Area and Southern California. Building codes had changed, so displaced residents could not rebuild under codes that had formerly allowed homes smaller than 750 square feet (70 m2). Insurance costs had exploded, with annual premiums of $12,000 becoming commonplace. [31]
One year after the fires, the town united behind the Paradise High School football team, which achieved an undefeated season. One team member commented, "You look at the stands, the whole town of Paradise is here, so it's really our only event right now, so it means everything." [32] Paradise Mayor Jody Jones said, "The football team has come to represent all of us.” [33] Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke was inspired to write a book about the team and the town, Paradise Found: A High School Football Team's Rise from the Ashes (2021). [34]
After the 2018 Camp Fire caused near complete destruction of Paradise, the town and residents agreed on a Long-Term Community Recovery Plan with five main goals to make the town Safer, Welcoming, Stronger, Better, and Greener. [35] Paradise Recreation and Parks District (PRPD) and the Nature Conservancy teamed up to develop the idea of a Greenbelt defensible buffer zone which would make the town into a better fire-adapted community by preventing future wildfires from reaching the town center. [36] The greenbelt would be made up of managed parks and vegetation to allow firefighters to do controlled burns and create a barrier of land without fuel around the town (a firebreak) so future wildfires have no path inwards. This borderland would serve as a source of recreation and greenspace for the community. During the wildfire season, the buffer would protect the town. [36]
The Greenbelt hopes to accomplish a number of projects outlined in the plan, including improvements to parks and walking paths, a stronger fuel management plan, and better transportation access for residents and firefighters. The Nature Conservancy hired an independent nonprofit, the Conservation Biology Institute, to conduct a scientific report on the efficacy of such a barrier. According to their models, such greening of the eastern border of Paradise could reduce combustion risks in the town by as much as 64%. [36] [37]
The most pressing challenges moving forward included obtaining rights to the mostly private land the Conservation Biology Institute identified as the most ideal location for a greenbelt, and funding the purchase of these properties. [36] With local fires worsening every year, PRDP is hoping residents will respond to their fire risk reduction models and sell their outskirt properties to the district. With the successful purchase of several properties so far, Dan Efseaff, district manager for PRDP, "hopes at least to create pockets or sections of that full vision." [36] If this becomes a successful model, the Nature Conservancy hopes to scale up lessons learned from Paradise and inspire other fire-threatened communities to implement their own buffers. [36]
The North Complex Fire, also known as the "Bear Fire," to the east of Concow, and Pulga endangered Paradise and surrounding communities that had been affected by the 2018 Camp Fire, and evacuations were ordered. Remaining burn scars that had reduced combustible materials contained the westward progress of the 2020 fire, though almost 320,000 acres (130,000 ha) were consumed before it was contained. [38]
Paradise is located 10 miles (16 km) east of Chico and 85 miles (137 km) north of Sacramento.
The town is spread out on a wide ridge between deep canyons formed by the west branch of the Feather River to the east and Butte Creek to the west. The Paradise area extends northward to include the unincorporated town of Magalia, as well as Stirling City, eleven miles (18 km) north. Elevation of the area where the town is located is 1,778 feet (542 m). [2] The town itself is approximately eight miles (13 km) east of the city of Chico, and ten miles (16 km) north of the Oroville area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 18.3 square miles (47 km2); over 99% of it is land.
Soils are mostly well-drained reddish-brown loam, gravelly in some cases and often grading to clay loam or clay with increasing depth. They have developed on volcanic material. Paradiso is by far the most common soil series in town. [39]
The area encompassing Paradise has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa) according to the Köppen climate classification system. This area is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.
Climate data for Paradise, California (1991-2020 normals, 1957-2012 extremes) | |||||||||||||
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Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 81 (27) | 83 (28) | 90 (32) | 101 (38) | 106 (41) | 108 (42) | 113 (45) | 108 (42) | 100 (38) | 90 (32) | 79 (26) | 113 (45) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 54.3 (12.4) | 56.3 (13.5) | 60.5 (15.8) | 66.0 (18.9) | 74.9 (23.8) | 84.2 (29.0) | 91.3 (32.9) | 90.2 (32.3) | 85.5 (29.7) | 74.4 (23.6) | 60.8 (16.0) | 53.6 (12.0) | 71.0 (21.7) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 47.4 (8.6) | 49.1 (9.5) | 52.5 (11.4) | 56.8 (13.8) | 64.3 (17.9) | 72.5 (22.5) | 79.2 (26.2) | 77.8 (25.4) | 73.7 (23.2) | 64.4 (18.0) | 53.0 (11.7) | 46.7 (8.2) | 61.5 (16.4) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 40.5 (4.7) | 42.0 (5.6) | 44.5 (6.9) | 47.6 (8.7) | 53.6 (12.0) | 60.9 (16.1) | 67.0 (19.4) | 65.5 (18.6) | 61.8 (16.6) | 54.3 (12.4) | 45.3 (7.4) | 39.9 (4.4) | 51.9 (11.1) |
Record low °F (°C) | 18 (−8) | 17 (−8) | 25 (−4) | 23 (−5) | 32 (0) | 40 (4) | 42 (6) | 41 (5) | 38 (3) | 29 (−2) | 26 (−3) | 14 (−10) | 14 (−10) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 10.16 (258) | 10.13 (257) | 8.27 (210) | 4.58 (116) | 2.35 (60) | 0.81 (21) | 0.03 (0.76) | 0.16 (4.1) | 0.41 (10) | 2.77 (70) | 5.48 (139) | 11.19 (284) | 56.34 (1,431) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 12.4 | 11.4 | 11.4 | 8.1 | 5.5 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 4.5 | 8.8 | 11.6 | 78.3 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
Source: NOAA [40] [41] |
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1960 | 8,268 | — | |
1970 | 14,539 | 75.8% | |
1980 | 22,571 | 55.2% | |
1990 | 25,408 | 12.6% | |
2000 | 26,408 | 3.9% | |
2010 | 26,218 | −0.7% | |
2020 | 4,764 | −81.8% | |
2023 (est.) | 8,285 | [42] | 73.9% |
Paradise is statistically classified within the Chico Metropolitan Area.
The 2010 United States census reported that Paradise had a population of 26,218. The population density was 1,430.9 inhabitants per square mile (552.5/km2). The racial makeup of Paradise was 24,129 (92.0%) white, 112 (0.4%) African American, 301 (1.1%) Native American, 330 (1.3%) Asian, 24 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 416 (1.6%) from other races, and 906 (3.5%) from two or more races. There were 1,836 people (7.0%) of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race.
The Census reported that 25,810 people (98.4% of the population) lived in households, 139 (0.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 269 (1.0%) were institutionalized.
There were 11,893 households, out of which 2,574 (21.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,227 (44.0%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,308 (11.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 511 (4.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 742 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 94 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 4,038 households (34.0%) were made up of individuals, and 2,126 (17.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17. There were 7,046 families (59.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.73.
The age distribution was 4,501 people (17.2%) under the age of 18, 1,858 people (7.1%) aged 18 to 24, 4,822 people (18.4%) aged 25 to 44, 8,466 people (32.3%) aged 45 to 64, and 6,571 people (25.1%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
There were 12,981 housing units at an average density of 708.5 units per square mile (273.6 units/km2), of which 11,893 were occupied, of which 7,975 (67.1%) were owner-occupied, and 3,918 (32.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.9%. 17,381 people (66.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 8,429 people (32.1%) lived in rental housing units.
As of the census [44] of 2000, there were 26,408 people, 11,591 households, and 7,244 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,447.1 inhabitants per square mile (558.7/km2). There were 12,374 housing units at an average density of 678.1 units per square mile (261.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 93.73% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 1.07% Native American, 1.04% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 2.64% from two or more races. 4.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 11,591 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.77.
In the town the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $31,863, and the median income for a family was $41,228. Males had a median income of $35,419 versus $25,231 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,267. About 9.7% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
The State of California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development defined Feather River Hospital as a general acute care hospital (GACH) in Paradise with basic emergency care as of August 22, 2006.[ citation needed ] Since the 2018 Camp Fire, the hospital has been permanently closed, with no plans to reopen at this time.
Paradise is served by the Paradise Unified School District, [45] as well as by several independent charter and private schools.
Paradise Unified School District schools include: [46]
Other Paradise schools include:
There are not many options for transportation within Paradise. The Paradise/Magalia area is served by the "B-Line" Butte County Transit. [48] Butte Community College also runs bus service for students. [49]
Paradise's link with Chico, Skyway Road (referred to locally as simply "Skyway"), begins in the Sacramento Valley, at Highway 99 in Chico, and runs up the ridge as a four-lane divided highway until it reaches Paradise. Through the town, it is a four-lane undivided highway, which becomes a two-lane road as it continues up the Sierra's ridge to Magalia and into numerous smaller communities to the north. Paradise is connected to Oroville via Highway 191, otherwise known as Clark Road upon entering the town.
The Paradise Memorial Trail is a paved pedestrian and bicycle path which runs through town on the path of the former railroad tracks leading up the ridge. However, aside from points along this path, the very hilly terrain of the town, coupled with the large spacing of commercial areas and large land area made Paradise difficult to navigate on foot or on a bicycle, in addition to the lack of sidewalks.[ citation needed ]
Paradise Skypark (FAA identifier: CA92) is an airport located parallel to State Route 191 and south of the town.
Eclectic Internet radio station Radio Paradise was founded in Paradise. [50]
The local newspaper is the Paradise Post . [51]
Scenes from Gone with the Wind were filmed in Paradise. [52]
A 1959 Maverick episode, "The Cats of Paradise", is set in Paradise.
A 1988–1991 American Western family television series, Guns of Paradise , is set in Paradise.
Paradise was used in the comic strip Pickles , by Brian Crane, on June 22, 2011. [53]
The 2020 film Rebuilding Paradise , directed by Ron Howard, is about the 2018 Camp Fire. [54]
The PBS show This Old House season 41 included 4 episodes on rebuilding Paradise. [55]
People who were born, grew up, or lived in Paradise for a portion of their lives or careers.
Butte County is a county located in the northern central part of the U.S. state of California. In the 2020 census, its population was 211,632. The county seat is Oroville.
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 census, an increase from 86,187 in the 2010 census. Chico is the cultural and economic center of the northern Sacramento Valley, as well as the most populous city in California north of the capital city of Sacramento. The city is known as a college town, as the home of California State University, Chico, and for Bidwell Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world.
Concow is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in the Sierra Nevada foothills covering eastern Butte County, California. Due to a decline in employment and repeated wildfires, over the past hundred years the population declined from several thousand to several dozen. On November 8, 2018, a wildfire, the Camp Fire, destroyed most of Concow, as well as the adjacent municipality of Paradise.
Gridley is a city in Butte County, California, United States, 29 miles south of Chico, California, and 56 miles north of Sacramento, California. The population as of April 1, 2020, is 7,421. California State Route 99 runs through Gridley and Interstate 5 and California State Route 70 are both nearby.
Magalia is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 11,310 at the 2010 census.
Oroville is the county seat of Butte County, California, United States. Its population was 15,506 at the 2010 census, up from 13,004 in the 2000 census. After the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed much of the town of Paradise, Oroville's population increased as many people who lost their homes moved there. The 2020 census recorded Oroville's population as 20,042.
Hamilton City is a census-designated place (CDP) in Glenn County, California, United States. The population was 1,759 at the 2010 census, down from 1,903 at the 2000 census. Hamilton City is located 9.5 miles (15 km) east of Orland, and 10 miles west of Chico at an elevation of 151 feet. The community is inside area code 530. The default prefix used for wired telephones in the Hamilton City area is 826. The postal ZIP Code is 95951.
Butte Creek is a tributary to the Sacramento River, joining the river in the vicinity of Colusa, California, United States. About 93 miles (150 km) in length, it runs through much of Butte County, California. It travels through a spectacular mini-Grand Canyon as it reaches the Sacramento Valley floor, where it then flows somewhat south and west of the city of Chico towards the southwestern corner of the county.
Stirling City is a census-designated place in Butte County, California, located on Paradise Ridge in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Contrary to its name, Stirling City is not a city. Its ZIP Code is 95978 and area code 530. It lies at an elevation of 3570 feet. Stirling City had a population of 295 at the 2010 census.
The Butte County Railroad was a 31.5-mile (50.7 km) class II railroad that ran from a connection with the Southern Pacific Railroad at Chico, California to the Diamond Match Company lumber mill at Stirling City. The railroad operated from 1903–1915 and then became the Southern Pacific's Stirling City Branch. From 1915 until abandonment in the 1970s the line was operated as the Southern Pacific's Stirling City Branch. The Chico and Northern Railroad was a non-operating subsidiary holding company of the Southern Pacific Railroad that was created to acquire a 32.31 mile line from Chico – Stirling City from the Butte County Railroad. Upon acquiring the line, Chico & Northern immediately leased the line back to the Butte County Railroad. The Chico & Northern was dissolved into Southern Pacific in 1912 and never operated any of the line.
Berry Creek is a census-designated place about 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Oroville, California in hilly terrain at 2,000 feet (610 m) above mean sea level. The community is located along the Oroville-Quincy Highway on the shore of Madrone Lake. The community is home to Berry Creek Elementary School (K-8), 2 small mountain churches, 1 mini mart w/ gas, 1 small community park. Berry Creek is home to the annual Berry Festival which is held during August.
Forest Ranch is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Butte County, California. It includes Forest Ranch Charter School (K-8), its own post office, and a CDF and Volunteer fire stations. The community's ZIP code is 95942, and is shared with the community of Butte Meadows. The area code is 530. Forest Ranch's population was 1,184 at the 2010 census.
Honey Run Covered Bridge was a wooden covered bridge crossing Butte Creek, in Butte County, northern California in the United States. It was located on Honey Run Road at Centerville Road, about halfway in between Chico and Paradise, until it was destroyed in the Camp Fire on November 8, 2018.
Adventist Health Feather River, also known as Feather River Hospital, was a 101-bed acute care hospital located in the town of Paradise, in Butte County, California, with a wide array of outpatient departments and services designed to meet the health care needs of Paradise, Magalia, and neighboring communities. It was severely damaged in the November 2018 Camp Fire and is currently closed.
Poe Dam is a concrete gravity diversion dam on the North Fork Feather River, about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Lake Oroville in Butte County, California in the United States. Completed in 1959, the dam is the lowermost component of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Feather River Canyon Power Project, a system of 10 hydroelectric stations along the North Fork. The dam is 60 ft (18 m) high and 440 ft (130 m) long, with water flows controlled by four 50 ft × 41 ft radial gates.
The 2018 Camp Fire in Northern California's Butte County was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history. The fire began on the morning of Thursday, November 8, 2018, when part of a poorly maintained Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) transmission line in the Feather River Canyon failed during strong katabatic winds. Those winds rapidly drove the Camp Fire through the communities of Concow, Magalia, Butte Creek Canyon, and Paradise, largely destroying them. The fire burned for another two weeks, and was contained on Sunday, November 25, after burning 153,336 acres (62,050 ha). The Camp Fire caused 85 fatalities, displaced more than 50,000 people, and destroyed more than 18,000 structures, causing an estimated $16.5 billion in damage. It was the most expensive natural disaster of 2018.
Paradise High School (PHS) is a public high school in Paradise, California, United States. It is part of the Paradise Unified School District.
Rebuilding Paradise is a 2020 American documentary film directed and produced by Ron Howard. The film follows the rebuild of Paradise, California, following the 2018 California wildfires, specifically the Camp Fire, known as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history, and the most expensive natural disaster in the world in 2018 in terms of insured losses. The film was first announced in January 2019. Lincoln Else was the cinematographer, and Lorne Balfe and Hans Zimmer composed the score.
The North Complex Fire was a massive wildfire complex that burned in the Plumas National Forest in Northern California in the counties of Plumas and Butte. Twenty-one fires were started by lightning on August 17, 2020; by September 5, all the individual fires had been put out with the exception of the Claremont and Bear Fires, which merged on that date, and the Sheep Fire, which was then designated a separate incident. On September 8, strong winds caused the Bear/Claremont Fire to explode in size, rapidly spreading to the southwest. On September 8, 2020, the towns of Berry Creek and Feather Falls were immediately evacuated at 3:15 p.m. PDT with no prior warning. By September 9, 2020, the towns of Berry Creek and Feather Falls had been leveled, with few homes left standing. The fire threatened the city of Oroville, before its westward spread was stopped. The fire killed 16 people and injured more than 100. The complex burned an estimated 318,935 acres (129,068 ha), and was 100% contained on December 3. The fire was managed by the U.S. Forest Service in conjunction with Cal Fire, with the primary incident base in Quincy. The North Complex Fire is the eighth-largest in California's history, and was the deadliest fire in the 2020 California wildfire season.
The 2001 Poe Fire was a destructive wildfire in Butte County, Northern California. After igniting on September 6, the fire burned 8,333 acres and destroyed at least 133 structures in the Big Bend and Yankee Hill areas north of Oroville before it was fully contained on September 12, 2001. The fire was the most destructive incident of California's 2001 wildfire season.