Siege in American State, California gutted by fire.

 


On Thursday 8 November, 2018, a town of more than 25,000 people in California was almost completely wiped off the map.

 

At around 6am, a fire started in a canyon 10 miles outside the town of Paradise. An overhead power line came loose amid high winds, creating sparks that ignited the parched landscape. The flames turned into a wildfire – labelled the Camp Fire - and rapidly started heading towards the town. Tens of thousands of people hurriedly evacuated their homes and businesses, amid flaming trees, falling debris and broken-down vehicles.

 

By the time the blaze was brought under control, at least 85 people were thought to have lost their lives, making the fire the deadliest in California’s history. Thousands of homes and businesses in Paradise were destroyed, along with most of the town’s vital infrastructure.

 


In the years that have followed, some of the town’s former residents have returned, determined to rebuild their lives, homes and community. But having the will to rebuild isn’t the same as having the means to do so, as several others have discovered.

 

Alex Last heads to California to meet the people looking to resurrect their town from the ashes. He hears stories of community, resilience and trauma, as residents old and new set about rebuilding Paradise. What does it take to recover from such a devastating tragedy – and can it be prevented from happening again?

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