Paradise Lost?

Wildfires blazed across California

J128, via Creative Commons

The impact on air quality of the 2018 “Camp fire” California wildfire as seen in San Francisco on Nov. 10

Fires in Butte, Solano, and Ventura Counties in California spread across a total of more than 150,000 acres of land and destroyed nearly 13,000 homes. Major news networks last reported that at least 88 people have died as a result of the fires and as of Dec. 1, Reuters reported that the initial list of 200 unaccounted persons had dropped to fewer than 50.

The fire in Butte County, named “Camp Fire,” has taken the lives of dozens of people, with rescuers still searching for the remains of the missing. Nearly the entire town of Paradise, a small town of 27,000 people in Butte County, has been destroyed,  Retirees, with an average age of about 65, mostly populated Paradise. Many residents of Paradise were initially taking shelter in a Walmart parking lot.

A few celebrities lost their homes, including Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, Robin Thicke, and Gerard Butler. On Nov. 12, Miley Cyrus tweeted “My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong.”

Many celebrities, including Sandra Bullock, Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Pink, Ellen DeGeneres, and Aaron Rodgers, have donated to victims of the fires and firefighters. In total, these celebrities have donated a combined amount of $1,700,000. USA Today reported that other celebrities such as Khloe Kardashian, Lady Gaga, and Guy Fieri donated food and water.

The end of Nov. brought rain that helped firefighters seize the fire, but it also raised anxiety over the issue of flooding. With many buildings destroyed, the water has nowhere to go.

Although there has been flooding, according to @Cal_Fire, the official Twitter of Cal Fire, the fires were 100% contained as of Nov. 25 . However, it will take families years to get back to their normal lives.