Near misses, tragedy as fire destroys town
CHICO: Casey Peck had never prayed so hard.
His fire engine was trapped with dozens of cars and panicked people as an inferno roared through the Northern California town of Paradise on Thursday, hot enough to peel the fire truck’s paint and melt its hoses, blowing relief valves designed to withstand 480degC and immolating nearby vehicles.
Four people fleeing their flaming cars pounded on the firetruck’s doors and were pulled inside, including a nurse from a nearby hospital whose trousers were on fire.
The firefighters pressed fireresistant blankets against the truck’s windows to provide insulation against the searing heat, and waited out the firestorm.
The fire that levelled the town of 27,000 people and claimed at least 23 lives roared in so fast that for the first 24 hours there was virtually no firefight at all — just rescues.
The California fires death toll stood at 31 yesterday — 29 in Northern California’s Camp fire and two in Southern California’s Woolsey blaze. There were still 228 people missing in the Camp fire.
‘‘It’s not an understatement to say that you got your butts kicked’’ [by the fire], Cal Fire Butte County unit chief Darren Read told assembled firefighters on Sunday.
‘‘We had very little time to evacuate our communities, the people were trapped in their homes and their cars, their houses,’’ said Read, who doubles as Paradise fire chief. ‘‘And you guys saved the lives of thousands of people in our communities. Truly heroic efforts.’’
Cal Fire safety officer Jack Piccinini warned firefighters on Saturday to watch out for ‘‘emotional fatigue’’ and said many who lost homes themselves in the series of devastating wildfires ‘‘were just kind of stunned’’.
At least 36 firefighters lost their own homes, most in the Paradise area. — AP