PARADISE, Calif. —

Seven years after the Camp Fire devastated Paradise, California, the town is slowly rebuilding and honoring the lives lost.

Mayor Steve Crowder said he’s proud of the community’s progress, noting that about 40% of the town’s housing has been restored and the population has grown to more than 11,000, compared to 26,000 before the fire.

“We lost 85 people that day, and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about them,” Crowder said.

The Camp Fire remains the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. It burned more than 153,000 acres, destroyed nearly the entire town of Paradise, and killed 85 people. Investigators later determined the fire was caused by electrical transmission lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric.

At a lo

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