California

Marin County Holds Fire Prevention Forum, 6 Months After Camp Fire

A fire prevention meeting was held in Marin County Wednesday, on the six-month anniversary of the Camp Fire, the deadliest in California history.

The focus of the meeting, which was held at the San Rafael community center, was how climate change is making a bad fire situation worse. Meanwhile, up in fire ravaged Paradise, people remembered just how bad things could be.

"We need a place to live, a real apartment or house, something," said former Paradise resident Brian Aldridge.

Six months after flames killed 85 people and wiped out the town of Paradise, recovery is very low.

At least 1,000 people are still homeless, many surviving on FEMA and HUD money and almost the entire town still in ruins, officials said. Some moving to Yuba City, Redding and Reno as Paradise is still gone.

"It really hasn’t changed that much, they have done some light cleaning and just started rebuilding one or two homes," Aldridge said. "It's still a mess.

In Marin County, 150 people attended the forum called Firestorm: Wildfires and Climate Change.

Five fire departments and clean energy agencies were present, giving lessons of a comprehensive fire-fighting approach, including easing global earning by reducing carbon emissions.

"Sign up for MCE, Marin Clean Energy, so that the electric grid will only use renewable resources," said Belle Cole from Action in Marin.

The message Wednesday was that there are fire seasons three months longer than just 50 years ago, denser forests and more homes in the way. But also that people are responding.

"I think the public is starting to hear what we’ve been saying which is refreshing," Christie Neill from the Marin Co. Fire Department said. "Action, which is great, but more is needed."

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