It was frightening, and all too familiar. The family had previously been forced to flee as a wildfire bore down on another mountain town they called home: Paradise.
Now, with their path blocked and a horizon swallowed by flames, Kristy had an eerie feeling they were going to lose all they’d fought to build.
“I kind of knew then, like, we’re never coming home again — again, again,” she said.
The Camp fire, the deadliest in California history, devastated Paradise in 2018, consuming thousands of homes, including the Daneaus’.
They relocated to the town of Cohasset, putting them in the direct path of another wildfire, one that has since become the state’s fifth largest on record. Within just six years, the family again found themselves in jeopardy.
The trio eventually made it to safety, trekking seven hours down an unpaved loggers’ road to Chico. But their home in Cohasset was no match for an inferno’s fury.
“We’re starting completely over, again,” said Michael Daneau, 41. Every property they’ve ever owned has “burned to the ground with no value and nothing to our name.”
Yes, but you cannot pretend that is an easy decision, or even a feasible one for most folks.
Why would they move from Paradise to another town so close by? Is it because they’re idiots?
Doubt it. I’ll bet their livelihood is tied to that area, quite possibly generationally. How feasible do you think it is for members of the Paradise farming community to uproot and move to a new location?
Their entire lives are rooted in that community. Leaving it could be as disastrous as the fire. They’re recovery is likely tacked into that very community, all trying rebuild as best as possible.
That is quite likely a reality here & everyone in this thread wants to treat these poor folks like idiots.
But sure… blame their “decisions”. Blame the entire town for not getting out of the way of climate change.
I really hear you making a lot of excuses. People move across the world by the millions each day at much greater hardship. These people can find a home in some place safer without completely upending their lives–even the next town over might have been a better decision here.
I’m not making excuses, I have first experience with natural disasters wiping out homes & the struggle families face on where to rebuild.
The fact that you can not fathom that someone might have roots, generations worth, put down in a community is absurd. You’re being flat out obtuse.
If you seriously think people have the ability to just relocate after losing everything then I can no longer help you.
You have judged someone who has lost everything twice. The only excuse I’m hearing is your excuse for not caring.
Take care.
I have first experience with natural disasters wiping out homes
There it is. This is why you made it personal. You’re projecting your personal trauma onto others.
