Wildfire Devastates California Town of Paradise (apnews.com)

A number of readers have shared this report: Tens of thousands of people fled a fast-moving wildfire Thursday in Northern California, some clutching babies and pets as they abandoned vehicles and struck out on foot ahead of the flames that forced the evacuation of an entire town and destroyed hundreds of structures. "Pretty much the community of Paradise is destroyed, it's that kind of devastation," said Cal Fire Capt. Scott McLean late Thursday. "The wind that was predicted came and just wiped it out."

McLean estimated that a couple of thousand structures were destroyed in the town of 27,000 residents about 180 miles (290 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, where residents scrambled to flee. The extent of the injuries and specific damage count was not immediately known as officials could not access the dangerous area.

Comments

Not just Climate change, tax cuts

[rsilvergun]

A big part of what's making these wild fires so bad is that California cut funding for controlled burns and other forest management techniques you need to do during a drought.

I saw this in my city too. We cut the sanitation budget, including the funds for the guys that go around clearing debris from the storm drains. Sure enough first really big storm floods the whole city.

I've said it before and I will say it again: The government doesn't waste nearly as much money as people think. When you start demanding substantial cuts this is what happens.