Camp Fire
A Calling to Help
Katie Rosauer found her calling through trial and error. And now that she has, she's committed to helping those around her in need.
From Now On
Five students, faculty, and staff who lost their homes in the Camp Fire share how their lives have changed since that fateful morning. Each has their own challenges and hopes for the future.
A Stronger Sense of Space
Master’s candidate Mary Gibaldi focused her English studies on the subject of space in literary worlds while discovering her own new expression of “home.”
When Community Calls
The local foundation Alexa Benson-Valavanis shaped to support area nonprofits suddenly went global last fall as one of the main places to donate during the Camp Fire.
Class Notes: Spring 2019
For the spring 2019 issue of the alumni magazine Chico Statements, our alums shared their stories of bravery, good deeds, and recovery both during and after the Camp Fire.
The Search for What Remains
Leading the nation's largest recovery effort since 9/11, Chico State's Human Identification Laboratory responded to the Camp Fire for the crucial, yet daunting task of searching for human remains.
Finding Answers Through Forensics
The Human Identification Laboratory's faculty members operate the most experienced forensic lab west of Texas, providing vital information on dozens of homicides, traumas, and cold cases every year.
CSU, Chico to Host Camp Fire Memorial Ceremony ‘Remembering the Ridge’
Next week, Chico State will host "Remembering the Ridge," an event combining music, guest reflections and an interactive art installation.
Next-Level News
In the crisis of the Camp Fire, The Orion reporters were not only learning the job on the fly, but providing critical updates to their community.
14th Annual This Way to Sustainability Conference at CSU, Chico Focuses on Regenerating Ecological Systems
Next week Chico State hosts the 14th annual This Way to Sustainability conference.
Wildcat Returns to Wild
A rehabilitated bobcat that suffered fifth-degree burns in the Camp Fire was released to its new home at the University’s Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve.
Chico State Giving Day Celebrates 24 Hours of Philanthropy on Thursday
This Valentine’s Day, the entire Wildcat family of students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of Chico State will join forces to send some love to their favorite on-campus causes.
University’s School of Nursing Named One of Finest in California
Chico State's School of Nursing continues to strengthen its well-deserved reputation as one of the state’s elite programs, this time with a statewide recognition.
Wildcats Rise Supports Hundreds of Students, Employees
The Wildcats Rise Fire Recovery Fund has distributed more than $661,000 to 534 students, faculty, and staff impacted by wildfire since early November.
University’s Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve Employing Multiple Fire Mitigation Techniques
In the wake of November’s devastating Camp Fire, California State University, Chico’s Ecological Reserves partnered with Cal Fire, Firestorm, and Terra Fuego to conduct a 70-acre prescribed burn at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) in recent weeks.
Alum Brings Healing with #ButteStrong Design
It took Chico State alum Zac Acker less than three minutes to sketch out the design, & when he posted it on the 12 Volt Tattoo Facebook page, it was clear the #ButteStrong design was a remembrance for what Paradise residents had lost in the Camp Fire—as well as what it still had.
Faculty Act to Care for Animals
Whether working with official groups or tapped by their colleagues to help, faculty members were among volunteers who rushed to support animal rescue efforts after the Camp Fire.
From the President: Recounting the Camp Fire
President Gayle Hutchinson reflects on the Camp Fire, as well as how we will rise as a community to recover and rebuild.
Camp Fire Survivors: In Their Own Words
Seven Camp Fire survivors opened up about their escapes, their lives since the fire broke out, and the ongoing challenges they face. Here are their accounts, in their own words, as shared for #WeAreChico.
Chico State Cyclists Circle up to Help Teammate
Some teammates are just teammates. But when one member of the Chico State Cycling Team asked for help building a line break around his home as the Camp Fire marched through the foothills, his teammates didn’t hesitate to help.
Chico State Greeks Join Forces to Provide For Evacuees
With Phi Kappa Tau leading the way in rounding up donations, Chico State fraternities and sororities came together with a big day-one donation drive to provide for evacuees and victims of the Camp Fire.
Teachers Help Teachers Color Classrooms with Love
School of Education students joined educators from across Butte County to Color a Classroom with Love, providing Paradise teachers who lost their classrooms in the Camp Fire with a start on the supplies they need to resume teaching.
Students Care for Evacuees’ Physical and Mental Wellness
Dozens of cots lined East Avenue Church in tidy rows, a stark contrast to the chaos from which Camp Fire evacuees fled. Every face reflected the effects of exhaustion mixed with terror, the air of uncertainty as thick as the smoke outside.
Harnessing the Power of Purchasers
Chico State purchasing staff put their unique expertise to work for the county's Camp Fire taskforce responsible for sourcing, buying, and paying for critical supplies.
Feeding Those Affected by the Flames
The nonprofit World Central Kitchen has served up thousands of meals for Camp Fire first responders and evacuees—efforts fueled by Chico State volunteers.
Creating Comfort and Order out of Chaos
When a group of Chico State students found a Camp Fire evacuation shelter in need of aid to track those in its care who were displaced, establish a medical records system, and help with filling prescriptions, they launched into action.
Answering the Call for Care
In the wake of the Camp Fire, all volunteers are being routed through the nonprofit Caring Choices. Students, employees, and alumni are helping lead the charge of vetting and assigning applicants where they are needed most.
CSU, Chico Rises to Support Campus and Greater Community Directly Impacted by the Camp Fire
Chico State is working to understand and address the impact of current wildfires on the heart of its institution—students, faculty, and staff—as well as provide mutual aid to emergency responders.