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California students return to school 3 weeks after deadly wildfire

The Butte College Associated Study Body providing free school supplies to those students impacted by the Camp Fire in Oroville, Calif.
The Butte College Associated Study Body providing free school supplies to students impacted by the Camp Fire. Photo: Anda Chu/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images

Thousands of school children who lost their homes or classrooms in Northern California's wildfire last month returned to school for the first time in three weeks on Monday, the AP reports.

Why it matters: About 31,000 students have been unable to attend school since the Camp Fire, the state's deadliest wildfire, began to sweep through Paradise, California and surrounding neighborhoods in early November. The blaze, which is now contained, killed at least 88 people and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes in the northern part of the state. About 25 people are still missing.

The details: Some districts where schools have been damaged, ruined or are inaccessible have also created makeshift classrooms in other buildings, such as churches or malls, as well as made assignments accessible online.

  • According to the Los Angeles Times, about 5,000 students in Butte County have been displaced, approximately 3,500 reportedly attend Paradise Unified schools.
  • At least one teacher is using her living room as a classroom and teaching lessons over Facebook Live for students far away, per the Times.
California wildfires