Thousands of California students return to class for first time since wildfire

Thousands of students in Northern California returned to school on Monday, just weeks after destructive wildfire ravaged the region.  

CBS News reported that about 31,000 students in Butte County went back to school this week. The schools in the county had been shut down since Nov. 8, when fire began sweeping through towns like Paradise, Concow and Magalia. 

{mosads}The news network noted that about 5,000 individuals are returning to school in make-shift classrooms because of the damage their schools received from the fire. 

Different schools, churches and even a Boys and Girls Club are now being used as classrooms for the students impacted by the wildfire. 

Paradise High Principal Loren Lighthall told CBS News that school work will likely come secondary as students readjust.

“They don’t have their church, they don’t have their school, they don’t have their work, they don’t have their friends. They don’t have any of that stuff and we’re asking them to write five-paragraph essays?” She said. 

“It’s just unreasonable at this point. We’re going to do it, but we’re going to be super flexible with what we require.”

The fire in northern California killed at least 85 people and left hundreds unaccounted for. 

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said in late November that firefighters had been able to fully surround the Camp Fire. 

The fire, which was one of multiple that swept through parts of California, was the deadliest in the state’s history, according to officials.