Magalia, Concow residents return after Camp Fire

Evacuation orders were lifted for many Magalia residents Sunday, more than three weeks after thousands of people were forced to flee from California’s most destructive and deadly wildfire.

The Camp Fire, which started Nov. 8, charred parts of Magalia and all but leveled the nearby town of Paradise. While traffic is still prohibited in Paradise, much of Magalia was opened to residents beginning Sunday at noon, according to the Butte County Sheriff ’s Office. The general public will be allowed into the town, which had been home to around 11,000 people, beginning Monday at noon.

Evacuation orders in some parts of neighboring Concow also were lifted for that town’s roughly 700 residents Sunday, and the general public Monday.

The Camp Fire was fully contained on Nov. 25. It destroyed hundreds of businesses and ravaged through nearly 14,000 homes in the Sierra foothills towns of Paradise, its neighbor Magalia and several other wooded communities in the area. The destruction was followed by pounding rain and flooding in the burn zone, which forced more evacuations.

Because of the level of destruction, the Sheriff ’s Office advised residents that the communities may have limited services and recommended they bring food, water and fuel for their cars. Fire and utilities personnel are still actively working in the area.

The office said late Saturday that the number of people listed as missing since the wildfire has dropped to 25. The devastating blaze killed 88 people, and authorities are still working to account for survivors.