Evacuees from the Camp Fire have congregated in tents and in their vehicles as they seek shelter in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, California, on 13 November 2018. Photo: Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times / TNS
Evacuees from the Camp Fire have congregated in tents and in their vehicles as they seek shelter in a Walmart parking lot in Chico, California, on 13 November 2018. Photo: Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times / TNS

By Michael Finch II
20 November 2019

(The Sacramento Bee) – Like many, David Stromeyer and his wife made a terrifying escape from Paradise as the Camp Fire threatened their home a year ago.

Fortunate than most, the Stromeyers found a rental within a week, joining the thousands of people who temporarily moved to the nearby city of Chico. Where the retirees will make a new permanent home is still unsettled, but it will likely be far away from Paradise, where they hoped to live forever.

One priority is clear to David Stromeyer: “We want to go someplace where we can feel comfortable and safe,” he said.

In more ways than one, the Stromeyers embody the observations made by a group of Chico State professors about migration patterns after the Camp Fire. A new analysis offers a sweeping look at displacement after the catastrophic fire burned nearly 19,000 structures and claimed 85 lives.

Graph showing post Camp Fire migration in California, 20 November 2019. Using a change of address forms submitted to the U.S. Postal Service, Chico State researchers were able to determine where some 13,000 people relocated after the Camp Fire. Most of those found in Paradise go to PO Boxes, researchers said. Data: Peter Hansen, CSU Chico. Graphic: Michael Finch II / The Sacramento Bee
Graph showing post Camp Fire migration in California, 20 November 2019. Using a change of address forms submitted to the U.S. Postal Service, Chico State researchers were able to determine where some 13,000 people relocated after the Camp Fire. Most of those found in Paradise go to PO Boxes, researchers said. Data: Peter Hansen, CSU Chico. Graphic: Michael Finch II / The Sacramento Bee

“There’s a pretty wide scatter but the majority of the people stayed local,” said Peter Hansen, a Chico State consultant who conducted the analysis. […]

Jacquelyn Chase, a planning and geography professor, said they are still working to account for a larger share of the population but the early trends could reflect the tightness of the housing market and the benefits of homeowner’s insurance, among other things.

The real estate market in Chico turned into a frenzy within days with homes selling well above the asking price. Chase said most Paradise residents were over 65 and likely more “footloose” since they’re not tied to a job. Relocating to places farther away than Chico could be a sign of vulnerability but not necessarily, she said.

“People who didn’t have the (financial) wherewithal and couldn’t figure out what to do just ended up without anything,” Chase said. “The motivation to stay in Chico may have to do with the fact people have jobs here.” [more]

Research shows where former Paradise residents went after town was wiped out