Last week, when the Camp Fire broke out in northern California, it spread quickly and soon became one of the most devastating fires in the state’s history. Centered in Butte County, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, as of this week it has destroyed more than 140,000 acres, taken down more than 10,000 structures, and killed more than sixty people.
Within just a few hours of the fire’s ignition, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico, California, was posting pictures on its social media accounts that looked like something out of an apocalypse movie, with visible flames and smoke in the not-so-far distance. Indeed, the devastating fire nearly wiped out the neighboring city of Paradise.
Out of an abundance of caution, the brewery closed its doors and restaurant and sent their employees home to deal with the disaster. The fire never reached downtown Chico, so Sierra Nevada re-opened the doors to its restaurant this week and focused on serving those who lost their homes and fueling up first responders who have been working tirelessly to contain the blaze.