Paradise holds 85-second moment of silence for victims 5 years after Camp Fire
PARADISE — It was the most destructive and deadly wildfire in California's history. Wednesday marks five years since the 2018 Camp Fire tore through the Butte County town of Paradise, destroying everything in its path.
The fire sparked at around 6:30 in the morning, and by nightfall, all of Paradise was gone. It was active for 17 days and scorched more than 153,000 acres.
The town of Paradise held a moment of silence on Wednesday for 85 seconds – one for each of the people who lost their lives that day.
The Camp Fire was sparked by a faulty Pacific Gas and Electric transmission line and raged through Northern California's Butte County. It ultimately destroyed 18,000 buildings, including more than 14,000 homes.
Paradise lost: Camp Fire photo gallery
The community also buried a time capsule Wednesday at Paradise Community Park. People put in items like photos and books from their lives in the town.
The time capsule will remain buried until 2043, which will mark 25 years since the Camp Fire.
Five years later, new life is springing out of the town of Paradise. More than 3,000 homes have been rebuilt along with several schools, and miles of roads have been paved.
PHOTOS: Paradise during and after the Camp Fire
Earlier this year, the town rolled out an early warning siren system, which is still being adjusted. In total, 21 siren towers will be stationed across the area.
Town leaders and the community say there's still a way to go in the area's recovery.
"Where we are now is way ahead of where we thought we would be at five years, which we're very excited about," Paradise Mayor Greg Bolin told CBS affiliate KHSL. "The rebuilding is going well. The [power lines] undergrounding, the sewer system – all of that is coming along. It's a lot of work, I'm telling you. We have a staff here that's just absolutely incredible."
