2018 — Nov 8-11, esp. 8th-9th, Wildfires, esp. Camp Fire (85), Butte Co., Paradise, CA– 88
–88 Camp and Woolsey fires
–85 Camp Fire (two remain unaccounted for).[1]
— 3 Woolsey Fire, Ventura Co. Cal Fire. “Woolsey Fire Incident Update, 11-17-2018,”
–85 Camp Fire, Butte County. CNN. “Death toll in Camp Fire revised down…” 2-8-2019.
Summary of Named Fatalities by Locality (74 of 85)
Chico ( 1)
Concow: ( 8)
Magalia: (11)
Paradise: (54)
Named Fatalities by Locality
Chico ( 1)
- Dise, Gordon, 66. Butte Co. officials, cited in; San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
Concow: ( 8)
- Brown, Richard C., 74. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
- Fernandez, Jesus P., 48. com. “Camp Fire.” 11-16-2018.
- Garrett, Richard Jay, 58. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Godbout, William, 79. Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA. “Butte Sheriff…” 2-13-2019.
- Huff, TK, 71. Butte Co. officials, cited in; San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Walker, Ellen V., 72. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Wehe, Marie L., 78. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
- Young, David James, 69. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
Magalia: (11)
- Caddy, Joanne, 75. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Forsman, Jean L, 83. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Garner, James D., 63. Butte Co. officials, cited in; San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Hastings, Anna, 67. Sacramento Bee. “Names…died in the Camp Fire…” 1-10-2019.
- Hunter, Gary Lee, 67. Butte Co. officials, cited in; San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Lessard, Warren, 67. KRCR 7, Redding, CA. “Two more Camp Fire…” 1-7-2019.
- Schmidt, Berniece, 93. SF Chronicle. “Butte County officials release names…” 2-1-2019.
- Sedwick, John C., 82. Butte County Sheriff. “Camp Fire Update November 28, 2018.”
- Shores, Donald E., 70. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Shores, Kathy Lynn, 65. Sacramento Bee. “Names…died in the Camp Fire…” 1-10-2019.
- Wiley, Carl James, 77. com. “Camp Fire.” 11-16-2018.
Paradise: (54)
- Acheson, Joyce N., 78. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Ammans, Teresa, 70. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
- Anderson, Joyce, 78. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Andrade, Rafaela H., 84. San Francisco Chronicle. “Camp Fire…list…” 12-11-2018.
- Arrington, Carol Ann, 88. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Binstock, Julian, 88. Butte County Sheriff. “Camp Fire Update November 28, 2018.”
- Bradburd, David, 70. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Brown, Cheryl Marie, 75. Sacramento Bee, “Two more Camp Fire victims…” 1-17-2019.
- Brown, Larry Alan, 72. Enterprise-Record/Paradise Post. “A month of remembrance.”
- Burt, Andrew, 36. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Brown, Larry, 72. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Carlson, Barbara J., 72. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018
- Carota, Vincent, 65 KRCR 7, Redding, CA. “Two more Camp Fire…” 1-7-2019.
- Clark, Dennis, 49. Butte Co. officials, cited in; San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Digby, John Arthur, 78. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018
- Dodge, Paula S., 70. com. “Camp Fire.” 11-16-2018.
- Dodge, Randall P., 67. com. “Camp Fire.” 11-16-2018.
- Downer, Andrew J., 54. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Duvall, Robert J., 76. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Farrell, Rose V., 99. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Foss, Ernest Jr., 65. com. “Camp Fire.” 11-16-2018.
- Gaal, Elizabeth, 80. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Gamboa, Sally Lee, 69. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Hanko, Dennis, 56 . Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 28, 2018.”
- Hastings, Anna Irene, 67. Enterprise-Record/Paradise Post. “A month of remembrance.”
- Hayes, Jennifer L., 53. Butte County Sheriff. “Camp Fire Update November 28, 2018.”
- Heffern, Christina, 40. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Herrera, Louis “Lou,” 86. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Holt, Evva, 85. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Kinner, James Warner. Sacramento Bee, “Two more Camp Fire victims…” 1-17-2019.
- Mack, Dorothy Lee, 88. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018
- Magnusson, Sara E., 75. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Malarkey, Joanne D., 90. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Malarkey, John V., 89. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Marbury, David W., 66. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018.
- Morningstar, Deborah, 66. Butte County “Camp Fire Update Nov 26, 2018.”
- Pace, Helen, 84. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Porter, Joy, 72. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Powers, Beverly A., 64. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Quinn, Robert, 74 SF Chronicle. “Butte County officials release names…” 2-1-2019.
- Rabetoy, Joseph, 39. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
- Rea, Forrest M., 89 Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-6-2018.
- Regan, Vernice M., 95. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Rios, Lolene, 56. Redding Record Searchlight. “The Camp Fire…” 11-18-2018.
- Rodrigues, Gerald, 74 Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA. “Butte Sheriff…” 2-13-2019.
- Salazar, Frederick C., 66. SF Chronicle. “Camp Fire: Two more victims…” 12-20-2018
- Santos, Sheila, 64. Butte Co. officials, cited in: San Francisco Chronicle, 12-5-2018.
- Smith, Larry Sr., 80. SFGate. “Camp Fire: Death toll rises to 86…” 12-12-2018.[2]
- Stewart, Russel K., 63. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Taft, Victoria, 67. Butte County “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”
- Teays, Shirlee, 90. SFGate. “Camp Fire: Death toll rises to 86…” 12-12-2018
- Tracy, Joan Carol, 80. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
- Ware, Donna June, 86 Butte County Sheriff. “Camp Fire Update November 28, 2018.”
- Wehr, Kimber, 53. Redding Record Searchlight. “Camp Fire death toll…” 11-22-2018
Narrative Information
Nov 8: “Billowing smoke and raging flames spread across California as wildfires in both northern and southern parts of the state [Camp, Hill and Woolsey Fires began Nov 8] injured people, forced evacuations and engulfed houses.
“The Camp Fire has scorched over 28 square miles in Butte County, which is about 90 miles north of Sacramento, according to Cal Fire. Fire officials said some structures have been destroyed in addition to injuries.
“In Southern California, the Hill Fire broke out Thursday afternoon [Nov 8] and grew to 8,000 to 10,000 acres while jumping a major highway. Smoke from the fire could be seen from the scene of the mass shooting at a Thousand Oaks bar that left 12 people dead.” (USA Today Network/ Ryan W. Miller. “‘Volatile,’ ‘incredibly dangerous’: Images of raging flames as California wildfires burn.” 11-8-2018.)
Nov 9: “As southern California grapples with yet another mass shooting, fire engulfed the northern California town of Paradise.[3] The fire, known as the Camp Fire, spread rapidly through Butte County, about 90 miles north of Sacramento.
“The fire began yesterday, on November 8, near Pulga, California around the Plumas National Forest. Initial firefighters found only 10 to 15 acres burning when they arrived. Yet they were experiencing wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour, creating ideal conditions for the rapid spreading of the Camp Fire….
“The combination of strong winds, low humidity and warm conditions in northern California exacerbated the extent to which the Camp Fire spread. California is particularly vulnerable to wildfires due to the dry conditions and the presence of Santa Ana winds. The National Weather Service issued a warning of strong Santa Ana winds, sometimes in excess of 55 miles per hour, which would fuel any fires in the lowlands of California.
“The Santa Ana winds originate inland from the Great Basin, bringing in hot and dry air. They are particularly strong in the fall but can occur at any time of the year. The sudden injection of low humidity conditions and high winds causes a dramatic increase in the likelihood of wildfire growth within lowland California. The katabatic winds[4] flow downhill due to the presence of high-pressure air masses over the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert. Air masses travel from areas of high pressure to low pressure, causing the air around the Great Basin to flow rapidly from the high-pressure area to low-pressure areas along California’s coastline. s winds flow down the mountains and to the coast, they can often channel between mountain passes, causing exceptional wind gusts….” (Forbes/Trevor Nace. “Here’s Why This California Wildfire is Spreading so Quickly.” 11-9-2018.)
Nov 10 (CNN): “A Northern California fire has become the most destructive in the state’s modern history, killing at least nine people and wiping out much of an entire town. A quarter of a million people have been forced from their homes statewide as the Camp Fire[5] in the north and two other major fires — Woolsey and Hill — in Southern California burned this weekend. As firefighters struggle to contain the uncontrolled wildfires, forecasters said intense winds and low humidity could fuel the blazes and make them spread even farther.
“Evacuees trapped in traffic abandoned their cars and ran with their children in tow as the Camp Fire quickly closed in on Northern California’s Butte County….
“Death toll: The fast-moving Camp Fire killed at least nine people in Northern California. Some were inside cars, and others were near or inside homes. They have not been identified.
“Burning and growing: The Camp Fire is the largest of the three major fires, swelling to 100,000 acres by Saturday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“Trump tweets: President Donald Trump blamed the wildfires on gross mismanagement of the forests” in a tweet early Saturday. “Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!” he said.
“Massive Evacuations: Fire officials estimate the number of people forced from their homes statewide is more than 250,000.
“Containment: Firefighters are struggling to put down the flames. The Camp Fire is 20% percent contained, while the Woolsey Fire remains uncontrolled. The Hill Fire was 25% contained.
“Destruction: In Northern California, nearly 7,000 structures have been destroyed, including 80% to 90% of the homes in Paradise, north of Sacramento. In Los Angeles and Ventura counties, a significant number of homes were destroyed or damaged, fire officials said….
Camp Fire: “The Camp Fire has killed at least nine people in Paradise and destroyed 6,453 structures. The bodies of five people were found in or near a vehicle, and the other four were in or outside a home….” (CNN (Nicole Chavez) “At least 9 dead as fires spread on both ends of California.” 11-10-2018.)
Nov 10 (CBS/AP): “The Camp Fire
Location: Butte County
90,000 acres burned
5 percent contained
354 people reported missing
9 fatalities confirmed
1,385 people in shelters
52,000 have been evacuated…”
“The Pacific Gas & Electric Company said it will cooperate with any investigations stemming from the massive wildfire in Northern California. The company told state regulators Thursday that it experienced a problem on an electrical transmission line near the site of the blaze minutes before the fire broke out. The company said it later observed damage to a transmission tower on the line. Lynsey Paulo, a company spokesperson, said the information was preliminary and stressed the cause of the fire has not been determined….” (CBS/AP. “Hundreds of thousands evacuate as California wildfires turn deadly.” 11-10-2018.)
Nov 10: “The president of the California Professional Firefighters criticized President Trump on Saturday [Nov 10] after he threatened to withhold federal payments to the state, claiming its forest management is ‘so poor.’ The president made the comments as the state is battling multiple deadly wildfires. ‘The president’s message attacking California and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines,’ CPF President Brian Rice said in a statement.
“Earlier Saturday, Mr. Trump said ‘there is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly fires in California.’ He said ‘billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!’…. Rice went on to call the president’s blame ‘dangerously wrong.’ ‘Wildfires are sparked and spread not only in forested areas but in populated areas and open fields fueled by parched vegetation, high winds, low humidity and geography,’ Rice said. He added, ‘Moreover, nearly 60 percent of California forests are under federal management, and another two-thirds under private control. It is the federal government that has chosen to divert resources away from forest management, not California.’….” (CBS News. “Firefighter union president rips Trump for ‘demeaning’ comments about California wildfires.” 11-12-2018.)
Nov 11: “The most destructive wildfire in California history leveled nearly the entire city of Paradise as firefighters battled massive fires on both sides of the state. At least 23 people were killed by the so-called Camp Fire in Butte County, authorities said. Most of the buildings in Paradise are in ruin and its business district is destroyed.
“Only a day after the Camp Fire began, the blaze had destroyed more than 6,700 structures, almost all of them homes. Authorities said there were 110 people still missing. ‘We are doing everything we possibly can to identify those remains and make contact with the next of kin so we can return the remains to the family,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Saturday evening.’
“The Camp Fire is just one of three major wildfires that firefighters are battling across the state. The 70,000-acre Woolsey Fire tore through Malibu mansions and working-class suburban homes in Southern California’s hills and canyons. In less than two days, the Woolsey Fire and the Hill Fire, which is also burning in Southern California, prompted evacuation orders for more than 250,000 people.
“Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says his department has reports of 110 people still missing from the fire, but says he’s hopeful that more of those missing people will be located…. Honea said Saturday that 23 people have died in the fire near Paradise, about 180 miles northeast of San Francisco…. Honea said 14 bodies were recovered Saturday, bringing the death toll to 23. The fire north of Sacramento has destroyed more 6,700 structures and driven more than 52,000 people from their homes….
“Brian K. Rice, the president of the California Professional Firefighters, criticized President Trump on Saturday after he threatened to withhold federal payments to the state, claiming its forest management is ‘so poor.’ The president made the comments as the state is battling multiple deadly wildfires. ‘The president’s message attacking California and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines,’ Brian K. Rice said in a statement….He added, ‘Moreover, nearly 60 percent of California forests are under federal management, and another two-thirds under private control. It is the federal government that has chosen to divert resources away from forest management, not California.’
“3 major firs by the numbers
“Firefighters are battling three major wildfires in California. Here’s a breakdown by the numbers as of Saturday evening, according to Cal Fire and local officials.
The Camp Fire
Location: Butte County
105,000 acres burned
20 percent contained
23 fatalities confirmed, 3 firefighters injured
115 people missing
6,453 residences destroyed, including 260 commercial
Woolsey Fire
Location: Ventura County
83,000 acres burned
200,000 residents under mandatory evacuation
Zero percent contained
Hill Fire
Location: Ventura County
4,531 acres burned
25 percent contained
“…Authorities in Northern California have ordered residents to leave four small communities southeast of a town leveled by a deadly wildfire. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday issued an evacuation order for the communities of Berry Creek, Bush Creek, Mountain House, and Bloomer Hill. National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Hoon says the area will see winds of up to 30 miles per hour with ridges seeing gusts of up to 50 mph starting Saturday night [Nov 10].
“…Two people have been found dead in the fire zone of a Southern California blaze, Los Angeles County sheriff’s Chief John Benedict said. He gave no details on the deaths and said Saturday that sheriff’s detectives are investigating….” (CBS/AP. “Death toll jumps to 23 as California battles wildfires.” 11-11-2018.)
Nov 15: “Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says seven additional bodies were found. 3 in Magalia, 3 from Paradise and 1 from Concow. This brings the death toll to 63.” (KEZI 9 ABC News, Springfield, OR. “Camp Fire: 146,000 Acres, Death Toll 71.” 11-16-2018 update.)
Nov 16: “Butte County Sheriff/Coroner Kory Honea says Thursday night there have been 71 fatalities so far due to the Camp Fire. Seven more sets of remains were discovered Friday in Paradise, and one more in Magalia. The remains of all eight were discovered inside structures.” (KEZI 9, Springfield, OR. “Camp Fire: 146,000 Acres, Death Toll 71.” 11-16-2018 update.)
Nov 16: Ventura County Hill Fire reported 100% contained. (Cal Fire. “Incident Information. Hill Fire.” 11-16-2018.
Nov 17: Camp Fire (Butte County)
Size: 148,000 acres
Containment: 55%
Expected Full Containment: 11-30-2018
Civilian Fatalities: 71
Structures Threatened: 15,500
Single Residences Destroyed: 9,700
Single Residences Damaged: 219
Multiple Residences Destroyed: 144
Commercial Destroyed: 336
Commercial Damaged: 64
“Situation Summary: Overnight firefighters continued to battle moderate fire behavior due to critically dry fuels and gusty canyon winds. Direct and indirect control lines continue to be implemented and secured with back-firing operations as conditions allow. Throughout the day firefighters will work to strengthen containment lines while also preparing for projected increased winds and a Red Flag Warning this weekend. Work continues in the interior areas of the fire area extinguishing hot spots and removing the many hazards that still exist.” (Cal Fire. “Camp Fire Incident Update. 11-17-2018, 7 a.m.”)
Nov 17: Woolsey Fire (Ventura and Los Angeles counties)
Size: 98,262 acres
Containment: 82%
Expected Full Containment: November 22, 2018
Civilian Fatalities: 3
Structures Destroyed: 836
Structures Damaged: 242
“Situation Summary: For today, onshore flow will continue across the incident with peak gusts between 15 and 20 MPH in the afternoon hours. Afternoon temperatures will be a couple degrees cooler and minimum relative humidity a bit higher. Resources will continue to mop up and patrol. Fire suppression repair teams are actively engaged working around the fire perimeter and affected areas. Crews remain diligent in providing public service to residents as they return to their homes. Structures destroyed and damaged have been validated by damage assessment teams. Currently 70% of the burn assessment is complete.” (Cal Fire. “Woolsey Fire Incident Update, 11-17-2018, 7 a.m.”)
Nov 17: “The death toll from the Camp Fire in Northern California has increased to 71 while 1,011 people are unaccounted for, the Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Friday. He cautioned the list is “dynamic” and will fluctuate. The blaze is now 50 percent contained after consuming more than 145,000 acres.” (CBS/AP. “More than 1,000 people unaccounted for in California wildfires.” 11-17-2018.)
Nov 18: Camp Fire Butte Co. (Cal Fire. “Camp Fire Incident Update, 11-18-2018.”)
Civilian Fatalities: 76
Nov 20: “….Crews still battling the monster Camp Fire that decimated Paradise and surrounding communities this month were bracing for a change in the weather Tuesday afternoon, as th skies at last promised to open up….By Tuesday night the fire had charred 152,250 acres. It stood at 75 percent containment, according to Cal Fire, and at least 17,148 buildings, 12,637 of them homes, were lost in the blaze….Crews continued to comb the area for human remains, to match with DNA collected from relatives. To date they’ve located 81 remains, though that number is expected to rise. Butte County officials have tentatively identified 64 of the victims, and publicly identified six.
“By Tuesday evening, 870 people were still considered missing. That was an increase of 171 people since the day before — due to investigators catching up on voicemail messages left by worried family and friends — though the figure was far below the high of more than 1,200 missing over the weekend. Officials were still crossing people off the list as evacuated residents were found staying in shelters or with family, and others confirmed deceased….” (San Francisco Chronicle (Trisha Thadani and Megan Cassidy). “Their houses were spared by Camp Fire, but ‘lucky’ ones debate whether to stay.” 11-20-2018.)
Nov 20: Wal-Mart in Chico, posts signs asked Camp Fire evacuees staying in “an unofficial and unorganized shanty town’ to move to an official shelter. (Sacramento Bee. “‘Wallywood’ fire camp begins to disband after Walmart asks evacuees to leave.” 11-20-2018.)
Nov 21 : Camp Fire Containment: 80%
Civilian Fatalities: 81
Nov 22: Camp Fire Containment 95%
Civilian Fatalities: 84
Nov 25: “Paradise, Calif. (KGO) — Cal Fire says the Camp Fire is now 100 percent contained as of Sunday morning. It was announces Saturday that another body was found in the wildfire aftermath, bringing the death toll to 85. At 155m336 acres, the Camp Fire is the most destructive in California history. It has burned down 13,954 residences, 514 commercial buildings, and 4,265 other buildings. The fire is also the deadliest in state history. (ABC 7 News, San Francisco. “Camp Fire: 100 percent containment reached in Butte County.” 11-25-2018.)
Nov 26: “The updated numbers and statistics from today, related to the Camp Fire, are as follows:
“The number of unaccounted for individuals currently stands at 203.
“The number of accounted for individuals currently stands at 2,689.
“Zero human remains were located today. The fatality count to date stands at 88.
“Of the 88 fatalities, 54 have been tentatively identified.
“The remains of the following individuals have been positively identified and next of kin has been notified:
Joyce Acheson, age 78, from Paradise
Carol Arrington, age 88, from Paradise
David Bradburd, age 70, from Paradise
Larry Brown, age 72, from Paradise
Joanne Caddy, age 75, from Magalia
Elizabeth Gaal, age 80, from Paradise
Richard Jay Garrett, age 58, from Concow
Evva Hold, age 85, from Paradise
Sara Magnuson, age 75, from Paradise
Joanne Malarkey, age 90, from Paradise
John Malarkey, age 89, from Paradise
Deborah Morningstar, age 66, from Paradise
Vernice Regan, age 95, from Paradise
Russel Stewart, age 63, from Paradise
Victoria Taft, age 67, from Paradise
David Young, age 69, from Concow
(Butte County Sheriff. “Camp Fire Update November 26, 2018.”)
Dec 19: David Marbury, 66, of Paradise and Frederick Salazar, 76, of Paradise, were identified as Camp Fire victims. (Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Names of those who have died in the Camp Fire: 64 of 86 now ID’s from deadliest fire.” 1-10-2019.)
Dec 21: “PG&E has already been convicted in criminal court for a recent deadly tragedy. Could the utility soon find itself as the defendant in a dozen more cases, charged with breaking state laws? In the wake of massive utility-caused Northern California wildfires, a handful of district attorneys in flame-scarred counties are pondering whether to charge the utility company in criminal court for misconduct. Cal Fire, the state’s fire protection agency, sent investigative reports to seven counties this summer saying it believes PG&E likely violated state public resources and health and safety laws in 12 blazes. Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said it is up to local prosecutors in Sonoma, Napa, Yuba, Nevada, Lake, Humboldt and Butte counties to make independent decisions on whether to use the fire agency’s investigative conclusions to file criminal charges. ‘We saw cause, and we gave it to the DAs to figure out,’ McLean said. ‘Whether they are going to prosecute, that is up to them.’” The decisions on whether to charge Pacific Gas and Electric Co. could have a major impact on the company. The utility currently is subject to court-ordered federal monitoring stemming from a criminal conviction for the 2010 San Bruno gas-line explosion that killed eight….
“Butte District Attorney Mike Ramsey recently worked a deal with PG&E. He agreed not to file criminal charges for a small wildfire last year near Paradise. In exchange, PG&E pledged $1.5 million to pay for four new fire safety inspectors, and to allow those inspectors to look at PG&E’s power lines. If the inspectors find a fire safety hazard, PG&E agrees to correct it within 24 hours.
“Payouts vs. punishment. Civil lawsuits are more popular because they typically lead to much higher fines than criminal charges, and have a lower legal bar of proof. In many cases, criminal liability for starting a fire is just a misdemeanor and the fines are small, often $1,000 per incident. Civil litigation attorney Gary Danko, part of a legal team representing several hundred Camp Fire victims, said a criminal fine is like “a gnat on the backside of an elephant” compared to multimillion dollar civil payouts. After the 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people in San Bruno, PG&E was fined $1.6 billion by state regulators. When the company was found guilty of six felony counts for violating federal pipeline safety laws, it was fined $3 million — the maximum allowed by law….” (Sacramento Bee. “PG&E broke laws in 12 NorCal wildfires, Cal Fire found. Prosecutors many not file charges.” 12-21-2018.)
Jan 7, 2019: Butte County Sheriff’s Office releases names of two people killed in the Camp Fire: “…Vincent Carota, 65, of Paradise and Warren Lessard, 68, of Magalia…” (Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Names of those who have died in the Camp Fire: 64 of 86 now ID’s from deadliest fire.” 1-10-2019.)
Jan 8, 2019: “The USA led the world in catastrophes last year. Racking up an overall damage cost of $16.5 billion, the devastating and deadly Camp Fire that ravaged California in November was the world’s costliest natural disaster in 2018. The data come from a report issued Tuesday by Munich Re, a reinsurance firm.
“In second and third place last year were Hurricanes Michael ($16 billion) and Florence ($14 billion). Florence dumped heavy rain across the Carolinas in September, and Michael tore into the Florida Panhandle in October….
“The disastrous Camp Fire, California’s deadliest on record with 86 fatalities, stood out for its ferocity: “Such massive wildfires appear to be occurring more frequently as a result of climate change,” said Munich Re’s Torsten Jeworrek. “Action is urgently needed on building codes and land use to help prevent losses.” Thousands of homes and cars were gutted by fire; the town of Paradise was almost entirely destroyed.
“Ernst Rauch, Munich Re’s head of climate and geosciences, said, “Our data shows that the losses from wildfires in California have risen dramatically in recent years. At the same time, we have experienced a significant increase in hot, dry summers, which has been a major factor in the formation of wildfires. Many scientists see a link between these developments and advancing climate change.”
Jan 10: “The Butte County Sheriff’s Office released the names of two people Thursday [Jan 10] who died in November’s deadly Camp Fire, which killed 86 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Kathy Shores, 65, of Magalia and Anna Hastings, 67, of Magalia were identified as having been killed in the wildfire…The number of people unaccounted for in the fire remains at three, according to the sheriff’s office.” (Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Names of those who have died in the Camp Fire: 64 of 86 now ID’s from deadliest fire.” 1-10-2019.)
Jan 11: “San Francisco — Less than four weeks ago, California’s then Governor-elect Gavin Newsom decided to add a concert to his inaugural lineup, with the aim of raising money for victims of the devastating wildfires that swept California in 2018. The almost spur-of-the-moment event ended up collecting $5 million. The California Rises concert filled a packed Sacramento sports arena Sunday and featured rappers, rock bands and a duo from the town of Paradise itself, Cold Weather Sons, whose song “One of These Days” about the destruction of their hometown went viral in December. Attendees paid $25 for tickets, with the money going to the California Fire Foundation, a Sacramento-based non-profit that supports firefighters and fire victims. The concert almost tripled the annual revenue of the tiny non-profit, which has just three paid staffers….
“Since November, the foundation has given out $2.6 million in gift cards to victims of the Camp, Woolsey, Hill and other wildfires. It also funds scholarships to the children of firefighters who died in the line of duty and maintains a memorial to fallen firefighters in the state capitol….” (USA Today/Elizabeth Weise. “After California fires ‘of biblical proportions,’ governor raises $5 million for victims.” 1-11-2019.)
Jan 13: “The chief executive of Pacific Gas and Electric, California’s largest electric utility, has resigned as the company faces potential bankruptcy and possible criminal charges after last year’s deadly Camp Fire, the company said Sunday. Geisha Williams had been chief executive of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., or PG&E, since March 2017, when she became the first Latina chief executive of a Fortune 500 company. John Simon, the utility’s executive vice president and general counsel, will serve as interim chief executive while PG&E searches for a permanent leader, the company said….
“PG&E faces a lawsuit brought by more than three dozen plaintiffs alleging the fire was started by faulty steel rings atop a transmission tower, which brought dangerous live wires crashing down. The company acknowledged in a court filing in November that it had detected a problem on a transmission line 15 minutes before the first report of the Camp Fire….
“PG&E said Sunday that Williams, 57, had also resigned from the company’s board of directors, as well as from the board of its holding company, PG&E Corp….” (NBC News (Alex Johnson). “Head of California electric utility quits amid fallout from deadly wildfires.” 1-13-2019.)
Jan 14: “Overwhelmed by billions of dollars in claims from the Camp Fire and the 2017 wildfires of Northern California, PG&E said Monday it plans to file for bankruptcy, but insisted it will not go out of business. The embattled utility gave 15-day notice of its intent to file for protection under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code, as required by a state law enacted last fall t deal with utility fire liabilities. The company made the announcement less than 12 hours after announcing the resignation of its CEO, Geisha Williams. ‘We believe a court-supervised process under Chapter 11 will best enable PG&E to resolve its potential liabilities in an orderly, fair and expeditious fashion,’ said interim CEO John R. Simon in a prepared statement. He pledged to ‘continue providing our customers with safe service and investing in our systems and infrastructure.’ Simon had been the utility’s general counsel. In a filing with the Securities Commission, the company said total liabilities from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires ‘could exceed $30 billion,’ easily outstripping PG&E’s liability insurance coverage and the $1.5 billion in cash it has on hand. The company’s debt was downgraded to junk-bond status by Wall Street’s leading credit-rating agencies last week, putting a significant train on the company’s ability to raise new cash, said Steve Malnight, PG&E’s senior vice president of energy supply and policy….Williams, the former CEO, will collect roughly $2.4 million in severance payments, according to documents filed with the SEC….PG&E has…asked state regulators for a $1 billion rate hike, beginning in 2020, to help cover the increased costs of improving its fire safety….State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa…said PG&E’s ‘hubris and mismanagement have led to this unfortunate point,’ He called for a housecleaning on PG&E’s board of directors and added that, ‘above all, PG&E must be held to safety mandates.’
“In its SEC filing, PG&E said it’s facing 50 lawsuits filed by at least 2,000 Camp Fire victims — and expects ‘a significant number more’ to come . That is on top of 700 complaints filed by 3,600 victims of 2017 wildfires. The company also notes that several Northern California district attorneys are investigating potential PG&E criminal liability in some of those fires.
“PG&E shares fell roughly in half Monday [Jan 14] to $8.32 on the New York Stock Exchange. They were trading at nearly $50 before the company disclosed that a faulty transmission tower may have caused the Camp Fire. Cal Fire is still investigating….
“Republican Assemblyman James Gallagher, who represents the Camp Fire burn area, said in a statement he wants PG&E to be held responsible for what it owes fire victims, and believes the company should be broken up. ‘No Wall Street creditors should get paid until fire victims have been properly compensated,’ he said. ‘PG&E should not be allowed to come out of bankruptcy in the same fore. Strong consideration must be given to substantially reform or break up this quasi-government monopoly.’” (Sacramento Bee (Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak). “PG&E calls bankruptcy ‘only viable option’ in California wildfire crisis.” 1-14-2019.)
Jan 15: “Butte County, Calif.- Butte County officially filed a lawsuit against PG&E on Tuesday to recover damages and lost taxpayer resources as a result of the Camp Fire….In the suit, the County alleges that the Camp Fire began when electrical infrastructure owned, operated and maintained by PG&E failed which caused a spark that ignited the fire. The suit also alleges that PG&E was aware of the risk associated with the high-voltage power line that possibly started the fire….” (Action News Now, Chico, CA. “Butte County Files Lawsuit Against PG&E for Camp Fire Damages.” 1-15-2019.)
Jan 17: “Butte County, Calif.- California lawmakers from across the state gathered in Paradise on Thursday to assess the damage from the Camp Fire. Legislators toured the burned areas to better understand what legislative efforts are needed for recovery. They held a meeting at the Paradise Town Hall afterward to bring attention to various needs including housing, education, transportation and water quality….Lawmakers are also working toward financial solutions to help restore the burned areas. ‘I understand there’s upwards of nine billion dollars of insurance claims, its a large amount but hopefully its a doable amount,’ said Tom Lando, Interim City Administrator for Oroville.” (Action News Now, Chico. “Lawmakers Gathered in Paradise to Assess Camp Fire Damage.” 1-17-2019.)
Jan 18: “The Butte County Sheriff’s Office released the names of two people Thursday who died in November’s Camp Fire, which killed 86 people, destroyed almost 14,000 homes and devastated the town of Paradise. James Kinner, 84, of Paradise and Cheryl Brown, 75, of Paradise were identified by the Sheriff’s Office as having perished in the blaze. Three people still remain unaccounted for…” (Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Two more Camp Fire victims identified by Butte County Sheriff’s Office.” 1-17-2019.)
Feb 8: “(CNN) — Authorities on Friday revised the death toll from last autumn’s devastating Camp Fire in Northern California…The Butte County sheriff’s office changed the number of deaths from 86 to 85, because remains previously thought to be from two people were recently identified as those of one person. Two people remain “unaccounted for,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said….The Sacramento Police Department recently found a man who had been listed as unaccounted for after the Camp Fire, the sheriff’s office said….
(CNN (Stella Chan, Joe Sterling). “Death toll in Camp Fire revised down by one to 85.” 2-8-2019.)
Sources
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CBS/AP. “More than 1,000 people unaccounted for in California wildfires.” 11-17-2018. Accessed 11-7-2018 at: https://www.cbsnews.com/live-news/fires-in-california-camp-woolsey-paradise-wildfire-evacuations-death-toll-map-2018-11-17-latest/
CBS San Francisco. “Death Toll Rises in Butte County Fire; PG&E Transmission Line Eyed as Possible Cause.” 10-9-2018. Accessed 11-9-2018 at: https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/11/09/camp-fire-chico-paradise-butte-evacuations-ordered/
CNN (Nicole Chavez) “At least 9 dead as fires spread on both ends of California.” 11-10-2018. Accessed 11-10-2018 at: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/10/us/california-wildfires-camp-woolsey-hill/index.html
CNN (Stella Chan, Joe Sterling). “Death toll in Camp Fire revised down by one to 85.” 2-8-2019. Accessed 2-8-2019 at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/08/us/camp-fire-deaths/index.html
Enterprise-Record/Paradise Post. “A month of remembrance. These are the lives that ended in California’s deadliest wildfire.” 1-8-2019, updated 1-25-2019. Accessed 1-28-2019 at: http://extras.chicoer.com/CAMPFIREREMEMBRANCES/
Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA. “Butte Sheriff identifies two more Camp Five victims; 12 remain unidentified.” 2-13-2019. Accessed 2-14-2019 at: https://www.chicoer.com/2019/02/13/butte-sheriff-identifies-two-more-camp-fire-victims/
Forbes/Trevor Nace. “Here’s Why This California Wildfire is Spreading so Quickly.” 11-9-2018. Accessed 11-11-2018 at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/11/09/fire-in-california-paradise-rapidly-engulfed-in-flames-from-camp-wildfire/#2e34336111b3
KEZI 9 ABC News, Springfield, OR. “Camp Fire: 146,000 Acres, Death Toll 71.” 11-16-2018 update. Accessed 11-17-2018 at: https://www.kezi.com/content/news/CAL-FIRE-Butte-County–500045591.html
KRCR 7, Redding, CA (Patrick Maravelias). “Two more Camp Fire victims identified.” 1-7-2019. Accessed 1-8-2019 at: https://krcrtv.com/news/camp-fire/grocery-store-restores-a-sense-of-normalcy-for-residents-living-in-magalia-after-camp-fire
NBC News (Alex Johnson). “Head of California electric utility quits amid fallout from deadly wildfires.” 1-13-2019. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/head-california-electric-utility-quits-amid-fallout-deadly-wildfires-n958241
NPR. “88 Dead, 203 Still Unaccounted For After Camp Fire Contained.” 11-27-2018. Accessed 11-27-2018: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/27/671074763/88-dead-203-still-unaccounted-for-after-camp-fire-contained
Redding Record Searchlight (Alayna Shulman). “Camp Fire death toll grows to 83 as six more victims are ID’ed.” 11-22-2018. Accessed 11-27-2018 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/11/22/california-fires-camp-fire-death-toll-grows-more-victims-ided/2085303002/
Redding Record Searchlight (Alayna Shulman). “The Camp Fire has now killed 76 people; sixth victim ID’ed.” 11-18-2018. Accessed 11-18-2018 at: https://www.redding.com/story/news/local/2018/11/17/camp-fire-update-missing-death-toll/2044544002/
Rice, Doyle. “USA had world’s 2 costliest natural disasters in 2018, and Camp Fire was the worst.” USA Today, 1-8-2019. Accessed 1-8-2019 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/01/08/natural-disasters-camp-fire-worlds-costliest-catastrophe-2018/2504865002/
Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Names of those who have died in the Camp Fire: 64 of 86 now ID’s from deadliest fire.” 1-10-2019. Accessed 1-17-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article224265250.html
Sacramento Bee (Tony Bizjak and Dale Kasler). “PG&E broke laws in 12 NorCal wildfires, Cal Fire found. Prosecutors many not file charges.” 12-21-2018. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/latest-news/article223213665.html
Sacramento Bee (Dale Kasler and Tony Bizjak). “PG&E calls bankruptcy ‘only viable option’ in California wildfire crisis.” 1-14-2019. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/business/article224504140.html
Sacramento Bee (Vincent Moleski). “Two more Camp Fire victims identified by Butte County Sheriff’s Office.” 1-17-2019. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article224718610.html
Sacramento Bee (Molly Sullivan, Ryan Lillis, Dale Kasler). “‘Wallywood’ fire camp begins to disband after Walmart asks evacuees to leave.” 11-20-2018. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article221950100.html
San Francisco Chronicle. “Butte County officials release names of two more Camp Fire victims.” 2-1-2019. Accessed 2-2-2019 at: https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Butte-County-officials-release-names-of-two-more-13582434.php
San Francisco Chronicle (Gwendolyn Wu). “Camp Fire: Death toll climbs to 79, 699 missing; more evacuations lifted.” 11-20-2018. Accessed 11-20-2018 at: https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Camp-Fire-Death-toll-climbs-to-79-699-missing-13408665.php
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San Francisco Chronicle, CA. “Camp Fire: Three more victims identified by Butte County officials.” 12-5-2018. Accessed 12-6-2018 at: https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Camp-Fire-Three-more-victims-identified-by-Butte-13446087.php
San Francisco Chronicle (Lauren Hernández), CA. “Camp Fire: Two more victims named by Butte County Sheriff’s Office.” 12-20-2018. Accessed 12-21-2018 at: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Camp-Fire-Two-more-victims-named-by-Butte-County-13482738.php
San Francisco Chronicle (Trisha Thadani and Megan Cassidy). “Their houses were spared by Camp Fire, but ‘lucky’ ones debate whether to stay.” 11-20-2018. Accessed 1-17-2019 at: https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/Camp-Fire-Death-toll-climbs-to-79-699-missing-13408665.php
SFGate (Ashley McBride). “Camp Fire: Death toll rises to 86 after hospitalized man dies from burn injuries.” 12-12-2018. Accessed 12-12-2018 at: https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Camp-Fire-Death-toll-rises-to-86-after-13458956.php
SFGate (Jill Tucker, Michael Cabanatuan and Ashley McBride). “Tragic but familiar narrative in Camp Fire: Most victims were older, disabled.” 12-10-2018. Accessed 12-10-2018 at: https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Camp-Fire-victims-13450654.php
SFGate/Eric Ting. “Why is it called the Camp Fire? How California’s most destructive wildfire got its name.” 10-10-2018. Accessed 11-11-2018 at: https://www.sfgate.com/california-wildfires/article/Why-is-it-called-Camp-Fire-name-Butte-County-destr-13380824.php
USA Today/Elizabeth Weise. “After California fires ‘of biblical proportions,’ governor raises $5 million for victims.” 1-11-2019. Accessed 1-18-2019 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/01/11/californias-new-governor-raises-5-million-fire-victims/2538249002/
USA Today (Kristin Lam). “Death toll drops to 85 at Camp Fire; 11 people remain missing.” 12-3-2018. Accessed 12-4-2018 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/12/03/camp-fire-death-toll-california-deadliest-wildfire/2199035002/
USA Today (Kristin Lam). “Number of Camp Fire missing people drops to 25.” 12-2-2018. Accessed 12-3-2018 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/12/02/camp-fire-list-missing-people-drops-25/2187707002/
USA Today Network (Ryan W. Miller). “‘Volatile,’ ‘incredibly dangerous’: Images of raging flames as California wildfires burn.” 11-8-2018. Accessed 11-11-2018 at: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/11/08/camp-fire-hill-fire-images-destruction-california-wildfires/1936406002/
Washington Post. “Death toll rises to 11 as 200,000 flee the most destructive fires in California’s history.” 11-10-2018. Accessed 11-10-2018 at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11/10/trump-blames-gross-mismanagement-wildfires-leave-trail-death-destruction-california/?utm_term=.76d95c76d5a8
Additional Reading
Enterprise-Record, Chico CA. “Butte sheriff releases log of emergency calls received on day Camp Fire started.” 12-13-2018. Accessed 12-14-2018 at: https://www.chicoer.com/2018/12/13/sheriff-releases-log-of-emergency-calls-received-on-day-camp-fire-started/
Enterprise-Record, Chico CA. “MAP: A representation of where residents died in Camp Fire.” 12-13-2018. Accessed 12-14-2018 at: https://www.chicoer.com/2018/12/13/map-a-representation-of-where-residents-died-in-camp-fire/
Los Angeles Times (Paige St. John, Joseph Serna, Rong-Gong Lin II). “Here’s how Paradise ignored warnings and became a deathtrap.” 12-30-2018. Accessed 1-4-2019 at:
https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-camp-fire-deathtrap-20181230-story.html
Munich RE. “Press release. Extreme storms, wildfires and droughts caused heavy nat nat losses in 2018.” 1-8-2019. Accessed 1-8-2019 at: https://www.munichre.com/en/media-relations/publications/press-releases/2019/2019-01-08-press-release/index.html
Sacramento Bee (Dale Kasler). “PG&E sued over Camp Fire as insurance claims hit billions.” 1-3-2019. Accessed 1-4-2019 at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article223870985.html
[1] Enterprise-Record, Chico, CA. “Butte Sheriff identifies two more Camp Five victims; 12 remain unidentified.” 2-13-2019.
[2] Died from burn injuries at UC Davis Medical Center, Nov 25.
[3] Largely a retirement community with high proportion of elderly, including those with physical and/or mental disabilities. (SFGate. “Tragic but familiar narrative in Camp Fire: Most victims were older, disabled.” 12-10-2018.
[4] “Relating to or being a wind produced by the flow of cold dense air down a slope (as of a mountain or glacier) in an area subject to radiational cooling.” (Merriam-Webster)
[5] Named the “Camp Fire” in that Camp Creek Road was the location where the fire started. (SFGate/Eric Ting. “Why is it called the Camp Fire? How California’s most destructive wildfire got its name.” 10-10-2018.)