Walmart asks Camp Fire evacuees to leave town under tent



[ad_1]

"The National Meteorological Service's weather forecast, which predicts steady rains until Friday, has reinforced our concerns and the urgency of finding a more sustainable solution," said company spokeswoman Delia. Garcia.

The Walmart parking lot in Chico has become an immediate haven for Butte County residents fleeing the deadly fire. Located about 10 minutes from Paradise City at the bottom of the hill, which suffered the shock of campfire anger, it was a familiar place to settle evacuees with no other choice.

What began as a temporary shelter has turned into a makeshift village. Volunteers distributed supplies such as smoke masks, dog food, clothes and other essentials. Over time, the city of Chico and Walmart began to encourage people to leave.

They put up posters containing information on shelters and offered free bus trips to these places, as well as petrol, money and food gift cards.

"Walmart was one of the generous partners in the community that offered a respite and relief site, and brave and compassionate volunteers came together and built a safe and secure place for many evacuees," said the Minister. city ​​in a statement.

However, he echoed concerns about the location as a long-term camping site, "mainly due to changes in rainfall and temperature as well as the lack of services available to assist evacuees," he said. declared the city.

"The city of Chico is committed to providing safe places for all residents of our community, and we believe that babies, children and adults in tents on the Walmart property deserve better. We do not think Walmart's location is a safe and sustainable place to live, we understand that Walmart is working on viable solutions to address this situation and we look forward to hearing about their plans in the coming days. "

Evacuees from the campfire shelter in tents outside Walmart in Chico, California.

Authorities began to report last week that heavy rain could create dangerous conditions. With more than 151,000 acres of freshly burned land, heavy rains this week could lead to floods and landslides.

Nearly one million people are under flood surveillance in the region, where 4 to 6 inches of rain is expected to fall until Friday. The rain started in paradise around 11 am Wednesday, dropping half an inch in a few hours. A break was scheduled before the resumption in the evening.

How Landslides and Debris Rivers Could Suddenly Affect California Cities

The Walmart Town Tent has not been designed for long-term housing – it does not have running water for basic facilities such as toilets or showers. And now there are more shelter and housing options than at the beginning of the fire.

"We continue to be concerned about the health, safety, and well-being of those who remain on our property, and we work with municipal, county, state, and local non-profit organizations to increase the capacity of local shelters and contribute to the creation of housing options, "Garcia said.

Chris Boyette, Anne Clifford and Holly Yan from CNN contributed to this report.

[ad_2]
Source link