Today marks 6 years since the #CampFire destroyed Paradise, Northern California. Many are still unaware of the harrowing experience endured by this small mountain community. With high winds driving flames across the landscape at a staggering pace—equivalent to 80 football fields per minute—the Camp Fire that ignited on November 8, 2018, stands as the most destructive wildfire in California’s history, in terms of structures lost. In a devastating 17-day blaze, more than 23,000 structures were destroyed, most of them homes, making it the deadliest fire in the state’s history.
Since Day 3 of this crisis, GEM has been dedicated to supporting the community. Our teams formed close bonds with survivors, listening to and sharing in their stories. Every year on this day, we pause for 85 seconds of silence to honor those who lost their lives.
Today, four members of our team are Camp Fire survivors themselves, including Elizabeth Jernberg, who now serves as our West Coast Director of Operations for GEM USA West. Elizabeth remains deeply connected to her community and actively supports disaster relief efforts throughout the western region.
Today, she and her team are traveling to Ventura County to support families impacted by the Mountain Fire, bringing with them a unique, empathetic understanding of what it means to face such unimaginable loss.
Elizabeth and her team know firsthand that the impact of these disasters extends far beyond the loss of homes and possessions. It affects the very fabric of lives and dreams, often reduced to ashes. Recovery is about more than aid—it’s about having people who truly understand what you’re going through and are committed to standing by your side and having a real understanding of their needs. #GEMUSAWest #california #fire #campfire #firstresponders #calfirefirefighters #calfire #paradise @elizabeth_24_jernberg @emilymfullmer Special thanks to @parishilton & @nickyhilton for supporting us for this mission in 2018. #bstrong #conradhiltonfoundation