When the Camp Fire swept across California’s Sierra Nevada foothills flames nearly leveled the town of Paradise. More than nine out of 10 buildings were destroyed, and 86 people were killed.
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The tragic burning of Paradise also represents a new chapter in America’s relationship with fire damage. No contemporary town has encountered a water system so extensively contaminated by chemicals released during a fire. Utility leaders and outside experts say that ridding the pipes of benzene and other volatile chemicals may take years. The health of the water system has emerged as the central tension in the town’s recovery.
Plumbing Experts Question California’s Post-Fire Water Testing Guidance
Government agencies still defining their roles in post-fire water contamination.
Fire and Water: Paradise, California
In Paradise, CA, those faced with rebuilding homes and businesses are faced with a grand challenge: how to…
Severe Drinking Water Contamination Surfaces After Brutal Camp Fire
California town’s water pipes fouled by benzene and other toxic compounds.
With Alternate Water Sources, Some Paradise Businesses Reopen
County health department requires trucked-in water for restaurants.
Scenes From Paradise, Four Months After the Camp Fire
The Camp Fire was the most destructive in California’s history. Recovery will take years.
‘It Will Probably Resemble a Military Operation’: Q&A with Andrew Whelton on Recovery of Paradise Water System
Andrew Whelton leads a Purdue University research team that is advising the town’s water utility.