Climate Migration: California Fire Pushes Family to Vermont

Soraya Holden, left, chases a chicken while walking with her family past their family home, Thursday, May 12, 2022, in Proctor, Vt. After fleeing one of the most destructive fires in California, the Holden family wanted to find a place that had not been so severely affected by climate change and chose Vermont. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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By Associated Press

August 4, 2022 at 2:00 PM UTC

Updated on

August 4, 2022 at 8:52 PM UTC

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Proctor, Vt. (AP) -- Weeks after surviving one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California history, the Holden family just wanted a new home.

The family of seven couldn't find anything nearby to replace their house reduced to ashes in the 2018 Paradise fire. It proved too daunting to rebuild in a town that looked more like a deserted war zone than the tight-knit community they loved.