The Town of Paradise was incorporated in 1979, evolving from nearly two centuries of informal development in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Its heritage is rooted in prospecting, logging, agriculture, and eventually the City of Chico’s rising cost of living. As orchards transformed into neighborhoods, the wildland-urban interface enveloped the town.
One resident said, “It was like camping every day.” And then one day the Camp Fire struck. Tragically, eighty-five residents lost their lives and virtually the entire town was burned to the ground, marking the worst wildfire in California history in terms of loss of life and property damage.
Mayor Jody Jones promised to rebuild, a commitment echoed by residents. This led to the pressing question, “How do we restore our town and make it more resistant to wildfires?” The answer lay in developing a tailored rebuilding strategy for Paradise. UDA was engaged by the Town Board to listen to residents, identify priorities, recommend ideas for hardening, and create the Long-Term Recovery Plan.
The plan provided the community with a blueprint for rebuilding. Today, Paradise is the fastest-growing community in California, boasting some of the country’s strictest building codes. Although the last chapter is yet to be written, both former and new residents are returning to “find the Town of Paradise to be all its name implies.”
Learn more about Wildfire Recovery and Planning from the Congress for the New Urbanism - “On the Park Bench” webinar.