My home from above, left at the end of the driveway, on Scottwood and Buschmann. The structure at the top, a shop, was built last year. It was the only structure on that corner to survive. On the other hand, the 200 foot redwood outside my back door seems to have sailed through too.
CONCOW, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 6: Concow Ridge is charred and denuded of plant life, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, above the community of Concow, Calif., one month after the deadly Camp Fire roared over the hill from Pulga killing 85 people. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Helicopters carrying important people have been hovering over Paradise. I hear them leave from the Chico Airport and chutter overhead here by the old train tracks. “Important” people these days get free helicopter trips to important places; to Paradises and to Hells. Some important people even have their own personal, paid-for-by-others, helicopters. VERY important people have fleets of helicopters. Importance above VERY rates military helicopters with very different sounds overhead.
I’m not sure who the important people in the free Paradise helicopter rides were but at least one was prescient enough to bring a photographer along. Here’s what Paradise looks like from the air these days.
PARADISE, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Aerial footage shows homes destroyed by the Camp Fire near the Paradise Plaza off Clark Road in Paradise, California, on Thursday, November 15, 2018. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)
PARADISE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 6: Apple Tree Village shows the fickle nature of the Camp Fire’s destructive path in this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 aerial photograph taken in Paradise, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
PARADISE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 6: The parking lot of a destroyed Grocery Outlet in Paradise, Callf, serves as staging ground for a fleet of Badger remediation trucks working to clean up the Camp Fire destruction, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
PARADISE, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 6: The Adventist Health-Feather River Hospital remains closed, Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Paradise, Calif., one month after the deadly Camp Fire raged. Most of the campus did survive, though some outbuildings were destroyed. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
CHICO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 6: A large home consumed by the Camp Fire sits in ashes on Rimrock Drive in Chico, Callf., Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Gerard Van der Leun
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Wow…….just wow.
I can’t even imagine the fire that would do that. Everything is laid bare.
Looks as thought the “special people” have plenty of remediation trucks and staff. What about equipment and “special people” to prevent this horrid disaster. Dead trees and dry brush are actually protected in some areas of Kalifornia. Even so, when this fuel is on private property. Tahoe basin comes to mind here.
These photos make me sick. The entire scenario is an example of government. I have watched homes burn while large, well equipped fire crews watched and waited for orders from some ass sitting at a desk to pull his head out.
I also lost my home and everything to a fire, but nothing like this. The walls and most of the roof were still up. The aluminum siding was still surrounding the ruined contents, at least until thieves came by and stripped it off. Funny that, the guy the insurance company hired to board the place up was the siding thief.
What we’re looking at here is a firestorm; Dresden, Tokyo, Hamburg level of heat and self-generated winds that suck everything into it’s inferno to feed the monster. Anything that can burn will burn. Glass melts and the asphalt flows like a liquid. The foundations of the houses become ashtrays, containing nothing but ash.
It’s amazing that as many people got out as they did.
Gerard, I know you’re still in shock and very, very busy; but my GF and I are serious about diverting the money we were spending this Christmas on gifts to each other, and sending it to help the people of Paradise.
Is this a good group to contribute to?
The Paradise Rotary Foundation
C/O Matthews, Hutton and Warren, CPA’s
2639 Forrest Avenue, Suite 110
Chico, CA 95969
The Salvation Army isn’t (yet) doing a specific collection for the Paradise fire. Otherwise I’d trust them.
Thanks
I don’t know about specific funds to give to. To be honest I haven’t had the time or the energy to check th em out. I too wonder about it and perhaps this week I’ll look into it.
I do know that supermarkets in Chico have a screen when you check out that ask if you want to give to the Camp Fire. I always think, “Well, I’ve given already.”
Where that money goes and how it goes I think I will ask.
200 foot redwood?
Holy gwockamolley, that’s a big’n, must be 600 years old.
Conifers are softwoods so I’m very surprised it survived.
In 600 years that may have not been it’s first fire.
Today Knuckledraggin.com posted a video of someone who is reporting on the Poe dam investigation. The investigators are treating the area as a crime scene so that no one can get in there and destroy/change evidence. But the point of ignition is pretty clearly exactly where it was first reported to be — across from the Poe dam and directly under the high tension wires. It’s a good video with lots of info and pictures and diagrams.
Also, Gerard, I just read at http://www.chicoer.com (your paper) last night that there is additional (free) money available to any homeowner or renter who needs help with their monthly mortgage/rent payments. It’s available first-come, first-serve. I don’t think one has to provide much in the way of proof other than the loss of primary habitat. ~AA
Here is the link to the grant offer, and it covers not just rent/mortgage but also “household items.”
https://www.chicoer.com/2018/12/11/camp-fire-victims-can-apply-for-housing-grants/
~AA
….so maybe you can now afford to buy a pre-assembled book case.
Thank you Abagail,
After a day like today I needed something to reach out to and try to get more financial help.
The Poe dam area is a crime scene as PG&E reports structural damage to the 115kv poles and line insulators and holding hooks caused by bullets.