Two major fires raged in northern and southern California at the same time. In the north, the Camp Fire has killed more than 80 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Five hundred miles to the south, the Woolsey Fire killed three people and burned more than 96,000 acres. The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deployed to Butte County, California, offering emotional and spiritual care to those who have experienced loss and trauma.
The Camp Fire in northern California and the Woolsey fire in southern California both began on Nov. 8 and are now contained. These are the charred remains of a large truck in Malibu (southern California)—a popular tourist city normally known for its beaches and celebrity sightings.
A team of 11 chaplains is currently in Chico, California, less than 15 miles from the hard-hit town of Paradise. The city is packed with thousands of displaced evacuees.
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Chris and Nancy Brown embrace while searching through the remains of their home, leveled by the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. As the flames approached, Nancy escaped from the home with her 2-year-old and three dogs.
As firefighters battled the infernos, Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains talk and pray with those who have seen the worst of the devastation.
People rummage through donated clothes and supplies at a shelter in Chico, California. “The first thing out of [people's] mouths is not that they’ve lost everything, but how thankful they are for what they do have,” said RRT Chaplain Coordinator Pam Rhodes.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” —Isaiah 41:10
The remains of a wildfire victim are carried uphill by sheriff’s deputies in Paradise, California. As first responders continue to search for bodies in the ashes, the death toll in the Camp Fire continues to rise.
Search-and-rescue crews are looking for hundreds of people still missing in the aftermath of the wildfires. This board is covered with names and pictures of those missing in the Camp Fire.
The Woolsey Fire grew to approximately the size of Denver, Colorado, according to news reports. The blaze raged westward toward the Pacific Ocean, destroying mobile homes and celebrity estates in its path.
“The fire started Nov. 8, and we were here less than 24 hours after,” said Rhodes. “When we got into town, it was so smoky we couldn’t see a quarter mile in front of us on the roads. Everywhere we go here—restaurants or businesses—everyone was affected by this fire. There’s ministry everywhere.”
In southern California, a mom hugs her daughter. Air quality alerts were issued for about a dozen cities, including San Francisco, Napa and Chico, California. Will you please pray for Californians affected and all that's been lost in these fires? Ask God to give the chaplains His peace as they comfort hurting people.
