Redding area campgrounds - full up with fire survivors?

[Naio]

Looks like I might be passing through the area in a few weeks. I'm more interested in the low elevation public campgrounds, not so much the RV parks. But I'm wondering if both are completely full? 30,000 displaced people is a lot. Do I need to plan my route to avoid looking for a drop-in site in the area?

Thanks very much, anybody who has been there recently.

[OFDPOS]

Durango Park right next I5 in Red Bluff .
You can go online to their website and check availability .
Clean park with easy access on and off the freeway.

[myredracer]

CA Traveler wrote:
Earlier in Seattle we encountered very heavy smoke and the fire map showed that British Columbia was on fire. An expert in this area stated that 100 years ago the same level of smoke would be considered very minor!

2018 was the worst wildfire season on record to date and 2107 was the second worst on record, according to the BC government. They are also now predicting wildfires are going to get worse and worse due to climate change. The past two summers have been an issue for air quality in the Lower Mainland, east of Vancouver. Have never seen anything like it my lifetime here.

We drove alongside a wildfire that had just broken out this past Aug. while towing our TT in the BC interior. They were allowing some vehicles to drive along the highway with a police escort. Very frightening to witness whole trees on fire, the noise and the heat. We're planning to do our next season's annual long distance trip in May-June from BC to Yellowstone NP hopefully ahead of the wildfire season. We had to bail out of a visit to Yellowstone couple of years ago due to a wildfire when we were just a day away. Never thought we'd have to be planning our RV-ing with wildfires in mind.

[CA_Traveler]

Plus our daughter and granddaughter went to Chico to help with the animals from the Camp Fire. They have experience and didn't need any direction which freed organizers to guide others. A win win situation.

[CA_Traveler]

DutchmanSport, Some rain came and helped put the Paradise Camp Fire out. But the damage to people and property was extensive. There were numerous follow up news stories but it did drop off of the national news.

We were with family in San Jose and Sac and the smoke was dense and toxic.

Earlier in Seattle we encountered very heavy smoke and the fire map showed that British Columbia was on fire. An expert in this area stated that 100 years ago the same level of smoke would be considered very minor! And we drove down I5 and unknowingly were 1 hour ahead of the Carr Fire (Redding) that swept over I5 and burned vehicles. We were so very very fortunate.

We've now decided that family or not any thing similar in the future and the wheels will be turning and with better awareness.

Many areas in the US remain overbuilt in mismanaged fire suppression areas. And the drought does not help.

[Naio]

Thanks, myredracer and 1sg for the eyes on the ground.

I was thinking that a lot of people who lost their houses might have bought trailers and RV's to live in temporarily. Or tents. There were a lot of people in tents at the Chico Walmart, although I guess mostly they have gotten into motel vouchers by now.

The situation for people who were renting, and had no renter's insurance, and need to stay local in order to get to their jobs, was really terrible.

For people who want follow-up news coverage on the fires, the best sources I found were the websites of the local newspapers. The Sacramento Bee, the chico paper, the redding paper... very thorough coverage, including the effects of an individual people. And the Wikipedia article on the Camp fire is very good too.

I agree about national news just hopping from one disaster to another. I pretty much ignore TV news. The forced editorials were the last straw.

[DarkSkySeeker]

myredracer wrote:

I have to wonder how many RVs made it out of the Camp Fire and are using nearby CGs? Has the Carr fire in July just west of Redding impacted availability in nearby CGs?

As we drove on 299 east back into Redding this past November the trees, structures and vehicles were incinerated. Right at the outskirts of Redding the fire damage gets spotty and then stops. The firefighters must have succeeded in drawing a line at town.

[myredracer]

We've stayed at Redding RV Park a couple of times, at the intersection of 299 and I-5 and also the Win-river casino "campground" farther into town.

I have to wonder how many RVs made it out of the Camp Fire and are using nearby CGs? Has the Carr fire in July just west of Redding impacted availability in nearby CGs?

The loss of structures and impact on local environment is one thing but the loss of life is very sad.

DutchmenSport wrote:
For days and days the news media broadcast every minute detail of the "Camp Fire". Then, all of a sudden it all just stopped, not a word on the progress, the after math, nothing.

Typical of what you get from the major news networks everywhere. Doesn't matter if it's a severe hurricanes, flooding, earthquakes, wildfires, etc., the coverage abruptly stops and there's never any followup and it's back to the politics of the days pdq. You never hear about the aftermath and struggles of individuals, towns and areas trying to get their lives back together and move forward.

[goducks10]

1SG wrote:
We were passing through last week and spent the night at JGW RV Park. There were lots of spaces available.

Love JGW. We go there every year for a few nights. Bike ride the Sac River Trail. Probably won't be going this year unless the area around the trail is cleaned up some.

[1SG]

We were passing through last week and spent the night at JGW RV Park. There were lots of spaces available.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Naio wrote:

Wow, your favorite! That's quite a strong recommendation! Thank you 🙂

Everyone is different. We like to be remote. Often that means minimal facilities. My coworker swears by KOAs and always brings up the hookups for his Class A.

[Naio]

DarkSkySeeker wrote:

Naio wrote:
I've looked at that one in the past, although it's probably too far off I-5 for my current plans.

It is our favorite. Dry camping only. Questionable restrooms, no dump.

Wow, your favorite! That's quite a strong recommendation! Thank you 🙂

[DarkSkySeeker]

Naio wrote:
I'm surprised to hear Whiskeytown is closed. Is that because of the Carr fire?

Yes, the entrance to the boat launch, dump, and campground were blocked off with caution tape.

[DarkSkySeeker]

Naio wrote:
I've looked at that one in the past, although it's probably too far off I-5 for my current plans.

It is our favorite. Dry camping only. Questionable restrooms, no dump.

[toedtoes]

Sycamore Grove is closed. You might try one of the state park campgrounds - they aren't affected.