Paradise Lost: Aggressive “Wall Of Fire” Decimates Entire California Town, “God Help Us”

by | Nov 9, 2018 | Headline News | 45 comments

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    This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at Zero Hedge

    One year after the deadliest and costliest wildfire season in California’s history, three wildfires have broken out in Northern California. On Friday, the most aggressive of the three fires destroyed most of the town of Paradise, a community with 27,000 residents, forcing residents to frantically flee for their lives. According to USA Today, as strong winds fanned the flames, they also hindered aircrafts’ ability to drop flame retardant on the fire.

    In a 24 hour period, the Camp Fire surged through the town of Paradise, located in the Sierra foothills, torching some 31 square miles, or 20,000 acres. Panicking residents dropped everything, with some abandoning cars to flee on foot as the fire blocked off escape routs. The state issued a mandatory evacuation order as the smoke from the flames darkened the skyline.

    Two

    Residents described being surrounding by a “wall of fire” which left them only minutes to grab what little precious belongings they could before leaving.

    “We were surrounded by fire, we were driving through fire on each side of the road,” said police officer Mark Bass, who lives in Paradise and works in neighboring Chico.

    Bass evacuated his family and then returned to the fire to help rescue several disabled residents, including a man trying to carry his bedridden wife to safety. “It was just a wall of fire on each side of us, and we could hardly see the road in front of us.”

    Sherri Pritchard said she only had time to grab a few pictures before fleeing with her family and dogs, even leaving clothes behind.

    “It was crazy, because when we were sitting in traffic people were panicking,” she said. “It was chaos. I couldn’t believe what people were doing.”

    One Paradise resident who spoke with the Associated Press described the final harrowing moments before she and her husband fled their mobile home.

    Shari Bernacett said her husband tried to get people to leave the Paradise mobile home park they manage. He “knocked on doors, yelled and screamed” to alert as many residents as possible, Bernacett said.

    “My husband tried his best to get everybody out. The whole hill’s on fire. God help us!” she said before breaking down crying. She and her husband grabbed their dog, jumped in their pickup truck and drove through flames before getting to safety, she said.

    Horrifying videos circulating on social media showed cars driving through what looked like tunnels of fire…

    …While others showed the flames engulfing homes with alarming speed.

    Grass and brush, severely parched from months without rain, along with the extremely dry air, helped accelerate the fire, officials said.

    “Basically, we haven’t had rain since last May or before that,” said Butte County CalFire Chief Darren Read. “Everything is a very receptive fuel bed. It’s a rapid rate of spread.”

    Amid the chaos, the strong winds whipped the flames into a ‘firenado’.

    At one local hospital, more than 60 patients were evacuated to other facilities and some buildings caught fire and were damaged.

    Four

    Some patients had to be airlifted to safety due to the gridlocked traffic. Four hospital employees who were trapped in its basement had to be rescued by CalFire.

    Fire

    While fires have been especially severe in recent years thanks to drought conditions that have persisted across the state, one long-time former volunteer firefighter said he hasn’t seen a fire as aggressive as the Camp Fire in his 40 years of working and living in the region.

    No death toll has been published yet. But several residents are still missing. And it’s possible that a count of fatalities could be available soon.

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      45 Comments

      1. I paid some taxes 🙁 early, at city hall.

        I randomly picked up a free info pamphlet.

        They say that our southern California watertable is recharged from 600mi away, via aqueduct.

        From useful producers of food, to overcrowded housing, where architectural elements are made of styrofoam.

        Fences are made of hollow, white plastic.

        Not just unmaintained. When Maxine’s family is moved in, they tear it apart, proactively — it is broken and gratified — building materials, which would not last 10yrs, in nature.

        You have prioritized this, over food security, permanence, and renewables

        Angry, cultural Marxists say it’s because you Northerners have a “precious” (sic) tree in your yard; they should be subsidized to cut it down, whether you like it or not.

        • Unscrupulous builders made millions building fire trap houses, and they planted lots of trees around those houses.

          The builders are long gone with the homeowners money, the homeowners are dying, and losing everything. Meanwhile local and state government taxed the crap out of worthless death trap houses.

          What is wrong with building houses with inexpensive foamcrete and using stucco or brick for the finish coat. You can do the roof with foamcrete as well as add real steel shutters to cover the windows.

          • A church burned too. How could that be?

            • Human negligence and greed is not an act of God.

            • Its temperature exceeded the flash point of its building materials.

            • Communist, state church or the illegal underground?

              I bet, it was a 501c3, secular, financial conveyance — regurgitating humanist pablum.

      2. (graffiti-ed)

      3. Really? Do people really think this was not planned? This was NOT a natural fire. It was more than likely and can be speculated as arson concerning Calexit. Notice the fire took place and now the shooting in Thousands Oaks. All part of the plan. Remember Paradise was a gold rush town. Wonder what the PTB discovered and want now.

        • Sam:

          There are high tech ways of getting gold from dirt. Them there hills are loaded with gold.

          Rothschild owns Pacific Gas and Electric in California.

          2+2=4

          Will Smith says 2+2=whatever he says it equals.

          _

          • “Gott ist mit uns”

        • They are burning out the conservative areas. The newly elected mayor of sodom (San Fran) will have his way with the new homeless as he readies himself for the govenorship. As I write tbis the sun is a brite red and the air is thick with smoke.
          It looks like a war is taking place somewbere…

          • I don’t believe Miley Cyrus and Neil Young are conservatives.

      4. tree huggers were opposed to controlled burns for years, now they have uncontrolled burns.

        decisions have consequences

        • Tree huggers don’t live in Mobile home parks in rural areas, they live in asphalt jungles called cities.
          One of the biggest problems with our system is how city people control rural areas. City people think a city park is what a forest is like.
          They don’t have a clue.

          • Rellik, the family and I just ignore whatever city people say about our area. They don’t pay our bills or anything else so they can go f#$% themselves.

        • There were reportedly 6 serviceable structures for every one homeless. Assuming that every last person is valuable, so entitled to a house (a very generous assumption, around here) treehugggers could just gentrify urban sprawl.

        • gooberplease, are you saying that this could not have happened in Montana or Wyoming?

          • It doesn’t happen in NC because we have good forest management. Of course there are forest fires, but none that go on for miles and burn up entire towns. We need fires occasionally in pine forests to keep hardwoods from coming in. So there are occasional controlled burns.

            If you read history, you will find that the Cherokee Indians in the eastern TN area kept the forests cleared and almost like parks to make hunting easier.

        • Coordinates are for Lassen.

      5. For the thousandth time, I fail to understand why anyone with any sense lives in California.

        • People move to California because? Beautiful women.
          The women (who are not lesbians) are also sluts. These women are beautiful, dress sexy, great in bed, but most are very promiscuious with “whoever”. It is all about them. The women’s world view: “Me me me. Then they “Me Too”. They use the legal system for financial gain.

          The legal system in California robs and steals men blind.
          The state is set up to extract-steal-rob, money from men. Women in California use their sexuality to maximum effect. They also use the legal system, lawyers, and courts.

          Alimony and child support destroys many mens lives. The women marry 3 and 4 times doing the same thing to EACH man that was foolish enough to get caught in the womans sexual web.

          Yes the women are beautiful and sexual. Are you willing to take the risk? STD, HIV, Hepatitus, having your income stolen? (How about Charlie Sheen? Was it worth it?)

          Being kept away from your children? These women ALWAYS use the children as pawns for economic gain. Alimony and child support is the California woman’s profession.

          That is why I went with a Catholic, midwest good girl. She loves her momma, loves Jesus, loves America, keeps a clean house, and bears strong children. I’ve also never seen a dude running out the back door as I pull up in driveway. She has also slapped one friend, one uncle, and two neighbors that I know of. She doesn’t “me too” she slaps anyone that tries to get too hands on. Slaps them and made a hell of a fuss. Everyone knew. “That’s my girl.”

          My 6 Brothers, Employees, co workers married California women, beautiful sexy women. The above I stated was thier experience. ALL OF THEM DIVORCED. ALL of them lived the nightmare of California divorce. Some of these men didn’t learn. Married other California women with same result. FINANCIAL RUIN.

          Other reason people like California.
          Weather is wonderful. Nearly every day.
          Beautiful scenery. The coast is great. Lots of natural parks with postcard scenery. Surfing is great.

          Final reason. Money. You can make lots of money in California. Millions and more millions. But, can you keep the state government out of it. NO. Impossible. State will screw with you on every aspect of your business and your life. It is terrible burden to be dogged by state officials. Constant compliance letters and fees, taxes.

          I was stationed in California and built several businesses there. I mostly avoided the loose women. Very difficult because the women are beautiful, made up well, sexually agressive, and throw themselves at you. Lots of temptation for any man, especially far from home.

          If you are in uniform the women know they can get that money from you. Suck you in. Marry you. Have child. Divorce you. Have half your pay taken out for them by the state. Same reason money lenders like military men.
          I can not tell you how many times I saw the above play out with those around me. With women and money lenders. These guys were always broke.

          Why California you asked?
          Weather. Wonderful. Ocean. Wonderful surfing.
          Women. Beautiful, sexual. Making piles of money.
          Party lifestyle. For those that do drugs and like loose easy sex. It is common for drug use and one night hook ups in California.

          Lucky for me I had a good Catholic girl to help keep me mostly out of trouble. I learned from others pain around me. So I avoided problems.

          The old man that kicked me and my brothers ass growing up had warned me about California women/loose women. 4 of my Brothers didn’t listen. I did. The old man was a real ass kicker, but he was also a hell of a lot smarter and wiser than me. I knew that too.

          Long winded. But there it is. Why California appeal?
          Beautiful sexual Women. Ocean. Surfing. National Parks. Weather. Make Money, Opportunity. And partying if that is your thing.

          My opinion is to visit for vacation. Then leave ASAP. If you mess with the women. Helmet that soldier. Don’t give her your real phone number. Better yet, get yourself a mid west Catholic girl that loves her family and America. Fewer problems.

        • If they all moved out youll wish you never made that comment.

      6. Government wants to build highways.
        But they don’t want to pay market price for the property.
        So are they behind this?

        UN Agenda 21 wants to depopulate.
        Are they behind this?

        Are Direct Energy Weapons in use?

        Or is it just a part of the natural cycle.
        Fire is used by nature. Clearing out the underbrush is natural process. When the government bans logging, culling dead timber, controlled burns, etc. Due to “environmental” policies. Then nature takes care of it.

        My understanding is that control burns were always used until recent environmental policies banned controled burns.

        You decide.
        Caused by God. Caused by nature. Caused by leftist environmental laws, with no common sense.

        Or did Trump get payback on Hollywood pukes by having a DEW clear out the commies? Thought ANTIFA wanted a war? Maybe their financial supporters found one?

        Who knows? All government does is LIE, Steal, have wars that: kill our very best young people, put the nation in debt, and make the world HATE USA.

        All Media does is LIE, Fabricate, make things up, attack USA. Divide. Stir up the wars.

        And web sites like this say world is ending every other day. Guess they will be right one day? They keep on saying the end is here.

        Every day I wake up. Just another day of idiots doing idiotic activities. Gotta love Florida. Dumbest seem to center on them. How about rental trucks with those election ballots?

      7. Fire, drought, wind storms, mudslides, earthquakes, millions of invaders, outrageous taxes, failing schools, commies, and real nasty politicians. Think I’ll move there.

        • Don’t forget the street poopers, piles of needles, and the other urban problems related to high homelessness.

          • Sounds like the zombie apocalypse.

            • Cali is a “failed state” for all the reasons Him and Yahooie mentioned.

        • … And the angel said, “show me ten righteous men…..” and then God made shit happen. Shrugs… So what? Live among abomination.. Shit happens. Choose wiser next time if you survive. Luck means that you got a second chance…. Spit in the eye…. Well ya gets whatcha gets…

      8. Oh so the California communists in the state government are still busy setting forest fires for their United nations agenda 21 usurpation. working to get everyone out of the rural areas and into the cities so they can establish the United nations buffer zones as per the UN biodiversity assessment map

        • Heather,
          Not sure if the fires set by government.

          But you are ABSOLUTELY correct about the UN plans and Agenda 21. They want population in the cities where they can be easily controlled “managed”, watched. UN also wants your guns so you can not resist. Once people are in the cities like cattle. Once your guns are confiscated. Then the real depopulation begins by the “elite” international banker mafioso, UN.

          Genocide. This is Agenda 21 end GOAL.
          Human population “reduction”.
          Wars. Disease. Famine. Directed energy weapons. Flushots. Weather modification, Vaccines with cancer virus inserted. GMO food that give tumors and cancer.
          5 G control grid, surviellance, KILL grid, that they claim is for cell phones. No, 5 G is a weapon to be used on civillian population. (look up Barry Trower on YouTube)

          All this is from the government to “Help You”.
          To help you die. And to control, track, trace, index, and to bleed you dry, and steal all of your wealth, until you are dead.

          You are facing pure EVIL?
          Murderous Psychopaths are in charge of World governments.
          Not just USA. In most places.

          Don’t mean to be a bummer. But reality is often harsh.

      9. Region around Santa Barbara Oil seep is becoming active. 5AM, local time.

      10. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/will-americas-worst-wildfire-disaster-happen-in-new-jersey-34156/

        One of the best articles I’ve read on Urban Interface Wildfires.

        California has a TERRIBLE case of Not-my-Job-itis.

        After the October 1991, Oakland Hills fire, they said, “Never Again”.

        Same thing after the 2017 NorCal Fires.

        Why didn’t California apply what it learned from the 1991 fire, to urban interface wildfire management ?

        Gov. Brown provided a clue. October 9 or 10, 2017, he proclaimed, “No one could have IMAGINED this terrible situation”.

        Yet Cal State scientists had been warning Brown of impending wildfire danger, since the extremely heavy rains of Jan-Feb 2017 (that ALMOST toppled the Oroville Dam – it was literally failing for about 18 hours, Feb. 6/7, 2017.)

        IOW, Brown didn’t listen to his own state scientists – and didn’t prepare for the 2017 wildfire season.

        IOW, Brown is guilty of Negligent Homicide – as are many of his so-called “Emergency Planners”.

        Yet NO ONE holds them accountable. SR Press Democrat COMPLETELY buried the story, whined about price-gouging but IGNORRED the price-gouging at the hospitals – and got a Pulitzer Prize !

        Not-My-Job-itis is REWARDED in California.

        Urban Interface Wildfires don’t just happen. It takes Years – Decades – for all the pieces to be put in place.

        California is a Clusterfvck, Writ Large.

      11. Does it not seem strange that all of a sudden there are huge fires every where burning out people in rural areas Where are the super tanker fire fighting planes. I think that this fire more than qualified for using such equipment. Follow the money Nothing happens by chance Some one is making money with these huge fires in the long run

      12. Snail Darter Syndrome is alive and well in Commiefornia.

      13. If California would invest in desalination plants along the coasts,there would be plenty of water . However,for DECADES environmental nuts have sued to prevent harm to the seals. No sympathy from me.Also,as mentioned above,they have prevented controlled burns for whatever reasons.Sorrow for the 9 dead,but not the State of California. I left years ago. Best decision I ever made.

        • Keep the seals from getting sucked in, outrightly, and they will lay all over your stuff, gladly.

          I play with small greenhouses and fountains, and, of which I am aware, several stages of distillation can occur with relatively low tech.

      14. I left CA 10 years ago and never looked back. Sadly, lefty environmental laws took hold about 15 yrs ago and the fires got progressively worse. A combination of long stretches without rain plus these environmental fanatics are some of the major causes of these disasters. But Mother Nature is going to correct their mistakes. They did not want to take preventative measures and agree to controlled burns because they claimed it polluted the air, but is this better?

        I heard from an old friend there that Butte County up north would not let firefighters do weed abatement and cut down trees to have a fire wall before this happened, mostly because of the libbies in power. If you don’t allow controlled burns, this is what you get. If you don’t plant, this is what you get. If you have a bark beetle infested tree and you don’t remove the tree and replace it, this is what you get.

        By abstaining from controlled burns year after year, unchecked growth has multiplied, dried out and created a tinderbox, of course exacerbated by the fact that they have limited rainfall. The lack of rain and overgrowth has fueled deadly, out-of-control wildfires all across the state, and from northern to southern.

        Mind you if you intend to address and help solve the problem some lefty organization is ready and waiting to pounce and sue you and tie up your good intentions in the CA courts for years.

        I agree with President Trump’s plan to cut off future federal aid if they don’t correct land management problems and take steps to prevent these tragedies. Instead of doing that they are busy attacking him. Unless things change and they start control burns and clearing, and stop building homes where they don’t belong, the fires will continue and people will die. See how the libbies like it when Trump rightfully-so refuses them federal aid in the future after issuing this long overdue warning today.

        Unfortunately they’re about 20 years behind with no real intention of catching up unless of course the fires continue to grow in intensity and nature takes care of what the libbies tried to prevent. Libs really are a special kind of stupid.

      15. Every time Commiefornia debt payment comes due… A fire happens for emergency funding is requested and paid… It most places, intentional arson is crime… But no in CA… Nope all of them fires are ALWAYS accidental….. Yeah right. Burning down their own house for federal monies.

      16. threatened with feds cutting off funds because they are a sanctuary state, what better way to get fed dollars than starting a few fires. They haven’t built a reservoir in what, fifty years? Guess they needed the money for more illegal voters

      17. Glenn,thank you for a well done post. Lived in California for 18 years before leaving,and lived through the whole spotted owl mess where peopple had their land and homes stolen from them so they wouldn’t bother the owls. Unfreakingly believable.

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