Return to Paradise: Vicki Gonzalez and Brian Hickey

What happens when TV cameras go away? What happens when something like a massive wildfire is put out and a community's recovery begins? That's what KCRA reporter Vicki Gonzalez set out to discover when she followed four families for an entire year who'd lost everything in the Camp Fire.

The Camp Fire is the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history. It broke out on Nov. 8, 2018, virtually wiping out the town of Paradise. 85 people died. 19,000 homes and businesses were destroyed. Survivors told stories that sounded like they were straight out of an action movie. But, there were also remarkable stories of everyday people who found themselves doing extraordinary things to save themselves and others.

On this Dying to Ask: I sit down with two of my colleagues whose work led our Camp Fire coverage. 

First, Brian Hickey and I relive where we were when the first scanner traffic about the fire started. I will never forget Brian's face as he comprehended the magnitude of what first responders were reporting.

And then, Vicki Gonzalez tells us the backstory of her one-hour documentary "Return to Paradise." Find out how she chose the four families she followed for a solid year and the affect this project has had on her personally. It's an exceptional look at the devastation and inspiration you'll find in Paradise.