PHOTOS: Paradise, Before and After the Camp Fire

This story was produced as a project for the USC Center for Health Journalism’s California Fellowship.

Other stories in this series include:

How a story about childhood trauma in Paradise became one of community trauma

Childhood Trauma Can Mean Early Death. This California Mom Wants to Beat the Odds

Paradise remembered by those who called it home

Trauma Before and After the Camp Fire

Overcoming a Lifetime of Trauma, Then Facing a New One: Wildfire

by

CHJ Fellow

Laura Klivans

The site of Sabrina Hanes' home on Nov. 13, 2018.

(Photo: Anne Wernikoff/KQED)

November 15, 2018

This summer, KQED spent time in Paradise reporting on issues involving childhood trauma. And during that time we documented the stories of community members and their connection to Paradise. We also photographed parts of the town and some of the surrounding communities.

But Paradise, a Butte County town of about 27,000, and several small surrounding communities, have been decimated by the Camp Fire, the deadliest, most destructive blaze in California history. The conflagration, which began on Nov. 8 at approximately 6:30 a.m., has killed at least 56 and destroyed more than 10,000 structures, including at least 8,650 single residence homes.

We went back to revisit some of those spots to photograph them again after the blaze. Those images are below.

Sabrina Hanes' home on Aug. 13, 2018. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)

Sabrina Hanes' home on Aug. 13, 2018. (Photo: Anne Wernikoff/KQED)

KQED health reporter Laura Klivans and photographer Anne Wernikoff spent time with Sabrina Hanes in August for a story on childhood trauma. Hanes is a mother and student at Chico State University, and she's lived in Paradise since 2007. The home she rented for years was destroyed in the blaze. Hanes did not have renter's insurance as she could not afford it.

She described during the summer what she loved most about Paradise: "The community. It's just so amazing — everybody's just welcoming. There's so many different hiking trails and so many different community events. You just feel like you're home. My parents still live in the Bay Area, and they want me to come back, but I can't leave. It's amazing here."

When asked about what's challenging about Paradise. "Nothing," she answered.

Other buildings were inexplicably spared as areas around them went up in flames. Thousands of other structures were simply flattened.

When asked if she will move back to Paradise, Hanes said, "There's nothing left... there's really nothing to go back to."