The wildfire that destroyed the town of Paradise in California started due to a power tower catching fire. Firefighters were unable to get to the source of the fire in time to contain it. The wildfire had a devastating effect, destroying 11,000 houses and 7,000 other structures, and killing 85 people, most over 60 years old (Fire in Paradise, 2019). Many people burned to death in their cars while trying to escape the fire. The cause of the fire was non-compliance with operating standards since the power grid towers were built at the beginning of the 20th century, in the 1910s (Fire in Paradise, 2019). This paper aims to discuss how the concept of adaptation relates to communities like Paradise, CA, that seek to rebuild after a major wildfire.
The concept of adaptation implies the possibility of recovery after a devastating environmental disaster. Such recovery may include the psychological adjustment of residents who feel reluctant to return to the damaged areas. Equally important, recovery involves the reparation of the technical failures that caused the disaster. Restoration of the destroyed infrastructure is another component of the adaptation. Prevention of the recurrence of wildfires can be ensured by reviewing the work of fire services and safety standards for citizens.
Remarkably, 3.5 years after the fire, thousands of residents worked together to rebuild the town. This reflects the importance of the communities and how they work together for adaptation. The number of inhabitants has already reached 7,000, while after the fire this number was only 3,500 people (Fire in Paradise, 2019). Despite progress, adaptation is a lengthy process and could take 10-20 years given the need to rehabilitate infrastructure and launch some capital projects. Rebuild is led by the Rebuild Paradise Foundation, which shares information on grants and permits to return and participate in construction projects.
Thus, the concept of adaptation was applied to show how communities adapt after major wildfires. The Paradise community is working hard to rebuild the city, which was heavily damaged by fire, forcing most of the residents to move. Today, most of the population is returning to Paradise to participate in the restoration and building projects. Notably, adaptation must include preventing the recurrence of devastating scenarios, so communities must work to improve firefighting practices, monitor compliance with fire hazard codes, and comply with fire safety regulations.
Reference
Fire in Paradise. (2019).