March 13, 2025

Dozens of county supervisors, CAOs, emergency managers, and staff joined the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) for a two-day Regional Meeting in Butte County to discuss disaster response and recovery. 

The regional meeting began with a tour of the 2018 Camp Fire burn scars in Paradise and Magalia, offering participants a firsthand look at the ongoing recovery efforts. A notable example of successful reconstruction is Ridgeview High School, a continuation school in Paradise that was completely destroyed by the fire. It has since been rebuilt, modernized, and relocated across the street from Paradise High.  

As the tour progressed, participants observed numerous vacant or partially occupied lots, many still hosting temporary mobile homes. These structures serve as interim housing for residents who have not yet secured permanent dwellings. The group also visited the home of Casey Taylor, the first local resident to successfully implement the new wildfire mitigation policies introduced after the Camp Fire. Her home serves as a model of these policies in action, demonstrating enhanced fire safety and resilience in high-risk areas. 

Secretary Kim Johnson of the California Health & Human Services Agency (CalHHS) joined the regional meeting on Day 2 as one of the keynote speakers. Her presentation emphasized the critical importance of collaboration between federal, state, county, and local entities in disaster response and recovery efforts. 

Secretary Johnson also addressed the complexities surrounding disaster relief funding activation thresholds. While the Camp Fire’s unprecedented scale enabled the activation of multiple funding sources, including more than $1 billion in federal contributions, the dialog between Johnson and county supervisors highlighted the significant challenges in securing disaster relief funding for smaller-scale events. 

The Camp Fire devastated Paradise and the surrounding areas, destroying 11,300 housing units, which represented 90% of the town’s residential structures. Since then, rebuilding efforts have made progress, but challenges remain.The loss of over 19,000 structures led to an acute housing shortage, with limited availability and increased costs preventing many former residents from returning. Many survivors continue to rely on temporary housing, set to expire in April 2025. 

Infrastructure recovery has been massive, involving the removal of more than 3.6 million tons of debris and addressing water system contamination from melted plastics. Rebuilding efforts have been hindered by rising costs, stricter building codes, and a shortage of contractors. 

The fire’s impact on the economy and workforce has been significant. The displacement of 50,000 people has hurt local businesses, especially in nearby Chico. 

Despite these obstacles, Paradise has made significant progress in its recovery, implementing innovative solutions like the Building Resiliency Center and focusing on creating a more resilient, fire-resistant community for the future. 

As Butte County continues to rebuild, the lessons learned from this visit will inform future strategies to enhance disaster preparedness and recovery across California.