Six days have passed. It’s starting to sink in for thousandsof families — it could be months before homes, entire towns are rebuilt. Evacuees say they have no idea what lies ahead.
Official and makeshift shelters throughout Butte County are filled withtraumatized peoplewho have nowhere else to go. Many families and officials are starting to worry about the health and safety of the vulnerable — children, elderly and the ailing.
Those who escaped but still haven’t found loved onesare feeling the weight of the unknown. Some people say they will never move away from their hometown and neighbors. Others don’t know if they can go back to a place of loss, death and terror.
Authorities estimate 50,000 people were forced to evacuate after the Camp Fire engulfed whole towns. For people in shelters, the shock is beginning to lift. They are pondering stark questions: Have they become refugees, homeless members of their own communities?
Federal help is on the way, but it can be difficult to navigate the process. President Donald Trump declared a major national disaster Monday after being criticized for a series of insensitive tweets about California fire management that threatened to withhold funding.
The 130,00-acre fire has become the deadliest in modern California history. As of Tuesday, 48 people have died, 7.600 homes have been destroyed and 260commercial structures have been damaged or destroyed.
'I pray we get to go home to a home'
People with nohome, few belongings and no place to work have flooded shelters in neighboring cities. But space is limited.
At least three of the seven evacuation centers, including one each in Chico, Oroville and Orland, are at capacity. Churches across the county have opened their doors. Some families are camping out in their cars at parks. About 100 people took refuge at a Lake De Sabla north of Paradise, according to a CBS news report. Others are staying with family or friends.
A Walmart in Chico has become an outdoor free market where people have dropped off a mass of donations — clothing, food, toys, diapers, tents, toilet paper and other essentials — for evacuees. The store’s parking lot has become a refuge for people living in tents andcars as they await long-term help.
Denise Chester Batres, 44, said she won’t label herself or others living in the parking lot or other temporary shelters as refugees. Since evacuating Magalia, her family has made the Walmart parking lot home.
“I do not feel homeless at all. But yes, evacuee, yes,” she said. “I pray we get to go home to a home, but if notwe’re going to rebuild.”
Standing in the cold Monday night outside a tent that a stranger loaned her family, Batres lookedin on her husband and two children, ages 11 and 13, sleeping under a pile of blankets.
'The damage is just ungodly':The search for the victims killed by the Camp Fire
A faded quilt tossed over the top of thegray tent provided extra insulation. Shoes were lined up outside the door and donated clothes, food and other necessities scattered in bags and piles.
Holding her puppy Max, Batres toldher family’s story. It mirrors that of thousands of evacuees. Many, like Batres, who rented a small home, had no insurance.
“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” she said, cradling Max in a blue blanket for warmth.
The temperatures dipped into the 30s overnight Monday. At about 8:30 p.m., small children and elderly people were among those camping outside in tents and cars.
The temporary Walmart camp buzzed with community volunteers and people living on-site accepting and sorting donations. A sign posted on a light pole said they weren’t accepting more clothing unless it was jackets, socks or other items to shield people from the cold.
A man approached the volunteers saying he had blankets.
“Absolutely, we need blankets!” said a woman, rushing toward him. She said she wasn’t evacuated but felt compelled to volunteer after she saw the camp on the news.
Batres said her familyescaped the raging fire in Magalia with their car, their puppies and a handful of belongings. She’d had two puppies but made the tough decision to give one away Sunday.
“It was just too hard,” she said, cuddling Max.
“We got out Thursday, I didn’t want to leave,” she said, nodding her head from side to side. “I saw a couple of horses on fire. I saw unimaginable … things I’ve never really seen in my life.”
Batres said her two younger children aren’t in school right now. She bought some books and other temporary learning materials for them. On Friday, one day after the deadly blaze, Butte County school officials decided to close all campuses until after Thanksgiving.
Chico officials doing what they can
Officials at a Saturday Chico community meeting for evacuees said they’ve instituted an emergency procedure — like what’s in place for homeless families — that would allow Camp Fire evacuees to enroll their child in any school without the typical required paperwork such as immunization records. The idea is to accommodate families who have no idea where they will live amid the disaster.
Batres said families scattered across the county are starting to comprehend what they’re facing.
“The first day…it’s a shock and you’re running on some serious adrenaline,” she said.
After the fire, Batres said her family traveled to Anderson, north of Paradise, but they didn’t feel welcome. They stayed in hotels until they ran out of money Sunday. That’s when they went back to Chico and found the Walmart parking lot.
Batres said she feels safe. It’s familiar and the store is known for allowing people to park their trailers. Batres' family used to park at Walmart stores overnight when they traveled.
After national disasters, officials worry that unsanctioned shelters will linger beyond the short-term and create unsafe conditions. But volunteers and evacuees Monday said the parking lot is a good alternative for people who don’t want to be confined in traditional shelters or can’t afford hotels.
“I was feeling more depressed in the hotel, I come here and I’m hearing other people’s stories and encouragement and I’m trying to encourage others,” Batres said.
Many people in the affected cities lived in low-income neighborhoods, including several trailer parks. Money for housing and food are the most critical needs, Batres said.
Batres can’t bring herself to check the list of destroyed homes officials distributed this week.
“My daughter lost her home, she knows, and my mom lost a home in Paradise, and about 30 of my friends lost a home,” she said. “I don’t know if I lost my home yet. If my home is still standing though, praise God.”
HOW YOU CAN HELP:Money, gift cards needed for Camp Fire evacuees
The 50 or so people living at the camp are taking turns volunteering for clean-up duty and taking shifts accepting and sorting donations. Batres will take a shift Tuesday.
Monday night, the only thing she wanted was a hot cup of tea. She walked toward the meal area in the parking lot, where chairs and tables were set up, trucks were serving free meals and people were still donating food.
Randy DeLeon, 31, was directing traffic and donations. He used his flashlight to light the way for Batres. DeLeon said he was evacuated Thursday. He crashed with family for a few days but didn’t want to overstay his welcome. At the camp, he felt useful.
“I just like it, I’ve always done volunteering,” he said. He doesn’t know where he’ll go in the days ahead.
Somehow amid chaos, trauma and the unknown, a Walmart parking lot in Chico feels like community.
“This is just so amazing, just how all the people are coming together and I’m so grateful,” Batres said. “I didn’t think we had hope.”
MORE CAMP FIRE COVERAGE:
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- Camp Fire: Check the air quality across California as wildfires continue
