Remembering the Ridge: Camp Fire Oral History Collection is now Accessible
Submitted by sbaldivia on Wed, 11/03/2021 - 11:39amOn November 8th, 2018, a wildfire was spotted beneath high tension power lines on Camp Creek Road, near a small town called Pulga in Butte County, California. In less than two hours the fire had entered the ridgetop town of Paradise overtaking the population of 26,000. Traffic jammed along Skyway, the only exit route from the ridge, as residents scrambled to flee. The Camp Fire, named for its point of origin, spread at an unbelievable rate consuming 18,000 acres within eight hours, devastating the town of Paradise and the communities of Concow and Magalia. The fire burned for seventeen days, causing 85 deaths, covering an area of 153,336 acres, and destroying over 19,000 structures. It is the deadliest wildfire in California history and was the deadliest fire of the past 100 years in the United States.
This collection is made up of interviews with Camp Fire evacuees and first responders, who have graciously shared their stories.