The mayor of Paradise, the site of the deadliest wildfire in California history, toured the Eaton Fire burn scar Monday afternoon. After the Camp Fire destroyed his community nearly seven years ago, he offered advice on the rebuilding and recovery process.
Paradise Mayor Steve Crowder wants people in Altadena to know they will be able to rebuild their community to come back even stronger than before.
Crowder, along with local and state leaders, was given an hour-long tour of the widespread devastation in Altadena.
“This fire really hit me hard, watching it unfold. It looked exactly like the Camp Fire,” Crowder said. “No rain, too much wind, couldn’t get air support up, and it was just unfolding just like Paradise.”
In 2018, the Camp Fire ripped through Crowder’s town of Paradise. It killed 85 people and destroyed more than 18,000 structures. The night of the Eaton Fire, Crowder reached out to members of the Altadena City Council to let them know he understood what they were going through.
“It has been my honor and privilege to help in any way I can. And, walking through here and seeing it today, I know what they can do and what they will do, and they will be back and we’ll be here for him every step of the way,” said Crowder.
The deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California’s history was caused by a poorly maintained PG&E electrical transmission line. The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.
Members of the Altadena City Council recently toured Paradise to discuss the recovery with Crowder who advised them on his experience.
An update is expected on Friday regarding the cleanup and rebuilding efforts in the area affected by the Eaton Fire. Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on March 28, 2024.
“We’re building, I think, you know, a safer community. Our building buildings are all going to be hardened. We’re going to have new streets, underground utilities. Our schools are redone. So there’s a lot of reasons to stay and a lot of hope for a real bright future. And that could be the same thing here,” said Crowder.
Nearly seven years later, about one-third of the town of Paradise has been rebuilt. Assembly Republican leader James Gallagher represents California’s Third Assembly District, which includes Paradise. He’s hoping to see everyone work together to prevent these catastrophic wildfires.
“We all really agree is that we need to do a whole lot more on the prevention side, clearing dangerous fuels on our wildlands, making sure that that is safe and that we don’t leave our communities vulnerable, that we improve our emergency response systems,” said Gallagher.
Paradise is in the process of undergrounding all their utilities and expects the work to be completed by the end of this year. A safety enhancement Crowder recommends Altadena to follow.
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