In Our Own Backyard: Stories of Survival from the Camp Fire
In Our Own Backyard: Stories of Survival from the Camp Fire
By Samuel White Swan-Perkins
When natural events happen, they affect Native American communities at a rate disproportionate to the rest of the population. The Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive in California history.
It decimated the town of Paradise, where now only 5% of its structures remain.
Beginning in the tiny hamlet of Pulga, adjacent to Concow, the Camp Fire moved at a rate of eight football fields a minute and consumed over 100,000 acres by the time it was extinguished.
This area is home to many Maidu, Yana and Pit River tribal members and their descendants, as well as a large intertribal community. Paradise was precisely what its name implied to the folks that called it home. The Native community here is small and very close knit.
For a town of almost 100,000 Chico has held onto its small town vibe and the atmosphere in town is laid back. Familiar. And growing in its diversity.
Renowned for its striking landscapes, Butte County is also among the most impoverished in the state. A semi-agricultural area, primarily known for almond and rice production, the area also relies strongly on income brought in from the California State University system. Tribally-owned casinos are very popular and draw in clients from around the country; drummer and Prince protege Sheila E. most recently performed locally.
People in Butte County are tough. If there is anyway to take something of this magnitude in stride, folks here are doing just that. Families are taking in total strangers. Handing out cash where they can. Organizing and volunteering, then sleeping a few hours and doing it again. And again. And again.
But we need help. Caregivers get exhaustion and it’s the holiday season.
Please do think of Butte County in the weeks and months to come.
As we say back in Missouri, this will be a long row to hoe.
(Photo Credit: Sam White Swan-Perkins)-Photo taken from photographers’ backyard, 12 miles from Paradise
So here, in no particular order are just some of the stories from some of the California Native survivors.
Ali Meders-Knight (Mechoopda Maidu/Mohawk)
Culture bearer. Mom of five. Artist. Activist.
If it relates to Native America, particularly locally, Ali is one of THE go-to people in Chico.
An expert on all things water related, Ali is the founder of Indigenous Earth Relations Alliance, a grassroots Indigenous environmental group. She also works to educate children in Butte County about the importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and is also a traditional singer. This summer she taught a workshop for local children on the importance of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and how controlled burns help mitigate large destructive fires through local non-profit Chico Peace and Justice Center.
For a couple of days, the Air Quality in Chico, CA was the worst in the world and many Chicoans self-evacuated to escape.
Ali shares, “My 15 year old daughter is epileptic, blind, and can not walk without assistance… I’d like to raise $4,000.00 to cover two months of rent and all utilities for my home in Chico to host a displaced family that has completely lost their home and all their belongings. There are services that are taking time to get moving so I’d like to have two months secured for them without worry.”
The Jaquez Sanchez Family (Pit River):
Newlyweds Nicole and Lete share: “Lete is a Cal-Fire firefighter who has been fighting our fires all season and now lost her own home during the Camp Fire in Butte County. Nicky and Lete rushed out with enough time to save their pets. Lete made valiant efforts to alert neighbors and elderly to the fast-coming Fire and probably saved a few lives. Nicky packed the house and saved her fur-babies but could only pack minimal material items and they have nothing.”
A member of Pit River, Lete took the time to cut a ‘fire line’ in an attempt to save the home she and Nicole had just rented weeks prior. Sadly, the little A-frame cabin and adjacent mother in law unit over their garage, was a complete loss.
Nicoles’ Aunt Maria reflects,”Though they had just moved into Paradise, they quickly became a part of the community… Nicole was in training to become a volunteer at the local animal shelter and Lete helped out around the neighborhood… In fact, the night before the fire, Nicole and Lete gathered with friends helping to paint chairs for an upcoming charity Art Auction benefiting the local animal shelter, not realizing the next day their friends and themselves would be homeless.”
(Photo Credit: Sam White Swan-Perkins) Photo taken from writers backyard the afternoon of the Camp Fire.
Loretta Goodwin (Maidu/Western Shoshone)
Loretta and her sister, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are lucky. They escaped the Camp Fire just in the nick of time. Loretta shares, “Around 7:15 AM I awoke to a deep orange color sky with ash falling like snow. The heavy smoke turned morning into midnight.” The family scrambled to gather what they could, including the precious baskets that were made by her mother, jumped into the car and gunned it down the hill towards Butte College, not far from Oroville. The scene was utter chaos as the fire surrounded them on both sides. Fortunately, the family is safe, but everything they owned is lost. Loretta continues,”We’ve gone through all the disaster relief services, visited the donation centers, now all we need is a new lodge, apartment, house….anything. My son, Frank, Nikki, baby Bella and I are hopeful and ready to let go of our destroyed old home and start making a new home here in Chico. We are the fortunate ones to have escaped the Camp Fire, many poor souls did not. Grandfather was watching over us that day. Blessings to our fellow Camp Fire survivors.”
Sam White Swan-Perkins (Siksika/Tsalagi/Welsh/German) is a freelance journalist based out of Chico, CA and is a member of the intertribal Native American community in Butte County. He and his partner had just visited Paradise, just a 15 minute drive up the hill, a week before the fire. Over 50 of their friends/family and community members have lost everything. A member of Indigenous Support Collaborative, he asks that you visit the groups Facebook page for additional ways to support Native Americans in Butte County who have been affected by this tragedy and thanks you all for your generous hearts.
