In the shadow of Paradise, nearby residents make uneasy peace with fire

Smoke, closed businesses and constant worry have changed life for those living with disaster on their doorstepThe Dixie fire was consuming vast swaths of land in the Sierra Nevada foothills, but in the nearby valley city of Chico, California, it was a typical summer day.The temperature had already climbed past 102F and a dusting of smoke was pushing air quality to unhealthy levels. Yet at the One Mile city park on Wednesday, college students lay in the shade of oak trees, kids splashed around Sycamore Pool and cyclists raced by. Continue reading...