Paradise, California: "It's a godawful mess."

Quoted in In California, Houses Burned. So Did the Toxic Chemicals They Contained.  (The New York Times, 11/29/2018))

In the charred footprint of each home in Paradise lurks an invisible and dangerous legacy of the Camp Fire: toxic chemicals released by the blaze. There may be radioactive isotopes from burned-up antique crockware, cupboards of incinerated household cleaners, and asbestos from old siding. Heavy metals, chemicals and biological contaminants left behind demand a cleanup of extraordinary scale, before any permanent return to Paradise is safe, according to the department.

Source:  Wikipedia (1960-Est. 2016)

Deadly California fire could worsen state's homeless crisis.  (NBC News, 11/14/2018)

"At this point, I’m taking it day-to-day," said Hill, 29, who has been staying with relatives in nearby Chico. "There are no stores left, no restaurants, nothing. If people did want to live there, there is nowhere to eat, no water or power. It’s not even habitable. It’s like we went back a hundred years. It’s just crazy."