Park Fire: The painful reminder for Paradise residents as evacuation warnings are issued
The rapidly spreading Park Fire has forced evacuation orders and warnings in Butte and Tehama counties.
Among the evacuation warnings are parts of Paradise – which is bringing up a lot of painful memories for those who were living in the town during the deadly 2018 Camp Fire.
"It was very impactful, every once in a while we smell smoke or see smoke like that, it does trigger us. It triggers the people here in paradise. When you go through trauma, that's what happens," said Ron Lassonde, the mayor of Paradise.
The mayor was living in another home in 2018 and while it didn't burn down, he moved to another part of town.
On Thursday, Paradise officials decided to issue evacuation warnings in zones 1, 4, and 9 as a thick smoke cloud was seen just north of Paradise.
Several people made stops throughout neighborhoods to take a look and grab some photos and told KCRA 3 that the sight is a stressful and traumatic reminder.
Lauri Schwein lost a home in the 2018 Camp Fire, and while she was not living in Paradise, she isn't used to warnings so close to home.
"I'm getting evacuation alerts and be ready, so I'm packing up; my dog, my cat. All I can do is wait and watch and hopefully get alerts," Schwein told KCRA.
One thing that's changed in Paradise since the Camp Fire is the addition of 21 towers throughout town. They're backed by PG&E, solar-powered, and have batteries, and they're also what Mayor Lassonde calls a "last resort" type of notification. In the event of an emergency, a siren and audio would notify residents which zones would have to evacuate.
"One of the things we learned from the Camp Fire is you cannot overcommunicate about this enough," Lassonde said.
While Paradise residents wait for the next update, some like Rachel Vaughn are finding shelter there.
Vaughn and her two teenage children have been living just outside of Forest Ranch their entire lives. They were forced to evacuate last night and came to find shelter with a family member in Paradise.
"It's been stressful. I had to leave some animals behind and turn them loose. My horse and not having the funds or the means to provide for my family outside my home has been difficult," Vaughn said.
Paradise is home to nearly 11,000 residents. To find out which zone you live in, click here.
| MORE |A 2024 guide for how to prepare for wildfires in California
Here are key websites that are important for all Californians during wildfire season.
- Cal Fire wildfire incidents: Cal Fire tracks its wildfire incidents here. You can sign up to receive text messages for Cal Fire updates on wildfires happening near your ZIP code here.
- Wildfires on federal land: Federal wildfire incidents are tracked here.
- Preparing for power outages: Ready.gov explains how to prepare for a power outage and what to do when returning from one here. Here is how to track and report PG&E power outages.
- Keeping informed when you've lost power and cellphone service: How to find a National Weather Service radio station near you.
- Be prepared for road closures: Download Caltrans' QuickMap app or check the latest QuickMap road conditions here.