Survivors feel pushed out of rebuilding as more fires threaten
PARADISE » On the ridge, some Camp Fire survivors who cannot afford to rebuild and still live in trailers are feeling pushed out of the town, watching friends face fines and evictions.
Those who haven’t started rebuilding after the Camp Fire are often still waiting for insurance funds to know if they can afford to stay, and some say they were not able to get permits in time before the Town Council suspended those for temporary use camping.
Survivors are now also facing the trauma and fear of devastating fires in their backyard — like the North Complex West Zone that pushed Sept 8 into Butte County and seemed poised to threaten the Pulga area once again Sept. 9.
Despite the fear of a new major fire, “Most people in Concow and Yankee Hill area chose to stay and fight, ” From the Ground Up Executive Director Jennie Lowrey said.
“Some stayed, some walked away with little hope so soon after the Camp Fire. Both agree they have worked harder these last two years than ever before and some refused to leave and chose to defend while others are back in hotels and RVs and cars, waiting to hear if there’s anything to go back to again.
“There are Camp Fire survivors who moved to Berry Creek and Oroville rural areas and some lost again. Once the roads closed, it (was) too late to move RVs out.”
These communities living in temporary housing are often choosing to stay, despite threats of fire and evictions, to wait for funds for a new future.
“Most people are waiting for whatever they get from PG&E to decide whether they’re going to rebuild or not,” former renter Cinda Larimer said, adding she has been unable to move from a friend’s garage since the Camp Fire due to trouble getting permits.
“We were going to move a donated trailer to our property,” she said, and planned to have water and septic lines set up for the process. But by the time her family could afford to, “they stopped us before we could get to our property” by suspending the permits.
And if people can’t get water to their property, they are required to clear the property to avoid paying other fines.
Some remain in trailers because their claim with PG&E is needed to rebuild. Desinty Hamlett said her family was living in Concow before, and after the fire moved to Big Bend Trailer Park.
“We don’t plan on staying in the trailer forever but right now we can’t afford to rebuild. … We do have a PG&E claim just waiting like everyone else,” Hamlett said.
Hamlett also had to evacuate when the Bear Fire threatened the park, and stayed in a friend’s yard in Thermalito.
Evicting properties
Eric Day, of Redding, has been allowing Shari Ring to live on his vacant property in Paradise, and subsequently faced an eviction notice and fines for Ring.
Day said he had emailed Paradise Code Enforcement about the situation, as “I’m really worried that evicting Shari will have a devastating impact on her health.” He expressed his frustration that the town does not approve of people staying in trailers on property for the long term, even if a property owner like himself approves of it.
“The California wildfire situation has created thousands more evacuees looking for places to park their RVs and trailers — further drying up any hope of a safe place to move for Shari and all RV dwellers in Paradise,” Day said. “Those (camping) codes were written before the COVID-19 pandemic, and well before the wildfires that have already consumed over one million acres of California, but neither catastrophe has moved anyone in the Paradise government to consider changing their plan of attack against RV-dwellers.”
Day called the decisions of the town “unresponsive and heavy-handed.”
“It should be allowed to let her live on my lot for the next six months. What’s the worst case scenario if you kick her out now when she’s too sick to move, can’t afford to pay these fines? What kind of considerations have you made for people who are sick, who are unable to move or even unable to afford to move? Or even worse, if they can’t find a place to go?”
Extending the ordinance
In August, Assistant to the Town Manager Colette Curtis said if people are being asked by Code Enforcement to move, “It is likely they either don’t have a permit, or they are not a Camp Fire survivor,” the latter condition requiring proof of prior residency.
Camp Fire victims who cannot afford to join the town’s rebuild effort are being effectively pushed out, Larimer thinks.
“They’re rebuilding the town for a higher tax bracket,” Larimer said.
“It seems they have their own agenda, they’re for themselves and by themselves. They’re trying to gentrify their town, and want low income families like mine to be gone.”
Larimer added she knows “a lot of people” who have emailed Paradise Town Council, and soon the ordinance on RV camping can be revisited.
“Hopefully … it will allow people to still live on their property but be in the rebuild process,” she said. “Now, it’s (that) you must have a rebuild permit to stay there after the end of the year. The amount of work it takes to get that permit; … there’s a lot of hidden costs.”
One day after his statements about Ring’s pending eviction and fines, Day said Paradise Code Enforcement’s manager did get back to him, and extended Ring’s notice of eviction.
The department “has agreed to not fine us and also to push back the eviction for four weeks!” Day said. “I almost cried on the phone.”
Paradise Code Enforcement and former Town Manager Lauren Gill did not respond to requests for comment in time for this article’s publishing.