You Rang

It seems when I bring up the Camp Fire in these little articles, the result is a heightened interest from you, the readers. Your communications come pouring in. And I do love receiving the emails, texts, and phone calls.

Last column, I mentioned the Camp Fire stories and personal experiences you have related to me over the last two years. You responded with even more. I heard from you in Paradise, Concow, Butte Valley, and my home territory, Butte Creek Canyon. Many of you are displaced and moved away, many of you are rebuilding or planning on it. 

In that last column I also told you of the reader, RW, who sent me her methods of Fire Preparation and Fire Evacuation, hand-written on yellow lined paper, full of great advice for all of us. A few of you have asked about it. If you want a copy of her handiwork, let me know and I will shoot it your way.

One guy left a message: 

“Hey, good morning, Doug, this is Paul in the Care Center here in Chico. I’m a patient here. I’m dealing with a bad hip, of course. I wanted to let you know I was in Paradise the day the fire started. I was in a Care Home up there and they had to evacuate all of us. I’ll never forget that fire, the memory is always with me. We weren’t sure we were going to make it out. Paradise is a beautiful town and will never die. It will come back again. I guarantee it! Thanks for your time. You have a great day. Bye-bye.” Paul sounds to me like a kindly Uncle, concerned for my stress, never mind his problems.

A guy from Paradise called me. “Joe here,” he said. “I have spent the last two years designing and planning my rebuild. I’m coming back leaner and meaner, and fire-PROOF!” He paused, expecting a reaction, I supposed.

“Wow,” I offered.

“Yeah. Any building material that will burn is off my list. The trees are gone, so I don’t have to worry about them anymore. The view is better now, anyway. Here’s the key: my groundcover will be no-burn. Concrete and asphalt.”

I was pondering that visual, when Joe said, “Don’t get me wrong. It will be Sunset Magazine beautiful. The concrete will be exposed aggregate flatwork with asphalt borders. Shrubbery will be inset in boxes. Benches and tables made of light-weight concrete will be placed here and there. Umbrellas for shade. A couple of trellises with flowery vines. I’m on over an acre, so everything will be spread out and totally defensible. You’ll have to come see it when we’re done!”

“That would be great,” I said. “Thanks for the information.”

“Here’s the other key,” said Joe. “And everybody should consider this. My front fence will be green or grey grid-wire and will be a series of 12-foot rolling gates on wheels. That way, the fire crews can access my place quickly and easily and post up with any size equipment they need.”

“Wow!” I said.

“Yeah,” said Joe, “when I told my CDF buddy that, he said he would pin a medal on me!”

The stories and Fire Tips from you readers keep on coming. Keep it up!

Meanwhile, we have a Town to build. Remember Paul in the Care Center, who says, ‘Paradise is a beautiful town and will never die’.

He guarantees it.