PARADISE, CA (MPG) - Seven years after the Camp Fire, Paradise is leading a new chapter- one that embraces 'good fire' as a tool for healing and resilience. The Good Fire Festival invites the community to learn, heal, and reconnect with the restorative power of beneficial fire. This free, family-friendly event welcomes anyone interested in learning about prescribed fire.

“When you’re able to light fire, it’s like putting the power back into your hands, especially when you’re a person that’s been so heavily affected by it,” said Kyle Mason, California Climate Action Corps Fellow, Camp Fire survivor.

The festival will be held on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Noble Park, 6712 Pentz Road, Paradise.

Morning Workshops run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Space is limited so is registration required.

The workshops include the following.

Indigenous Cultural Fire - He-Lo Ramirez, Cultural Stewardship Program Manager, Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER). Learn how California Indians have used fire since time immemorial to steward healthy ecosystems and communities.

Prescribed Fire in Practice - David Mitchell, Prescribed Burn Association Coordinator, Butte County Resource Conservation District (BCRCD). A hands-on introduction to fire behavior, safety, and techniques for using prescribed fire as a land management tool.

Pyrotherapy (Fire Therapy) - Blake Ellis, ASW, Ecotherapy Program Manager, BCCER. Recently featured in Atmos, this pyrotherapy workshop invites participants to reimagine their relationship with beneficial fire through storytelling, group sharing, and nature therapy practices that address sensory triggers tied to wildfire trauma by incorporating mindfulness, grounding, and nature connection practices.

Afternoon Demonstrations & Community Gathering run from noon to 4 p.m. These are free and open to all.

Enjoy live fire demonstrations, grazing with goats, poetry, a CAL FIRE engine, local vendors, s’mores and community organization booths.

Demonstrations include Poems on Good Fire & Pyrosketchology — Calli-Jane West, Butte County Fire Safe Council; Microcasting Demonstration — Dallas Koller (Burn Boss) & David Mitchell, BCRCD; Fire History in a Changing Landscape — Kyle Mason, Climate Corps Fellow, member of the Juaneño Band of Mission Indians, Camp Fire Survivor and Grazing with goats—Sarah Jo McDowell,  Butte County Fire Safe Council.

This one-day gathering brings together fire experts, Indigenous cultural practitioners, community organizations, and local residents to explore how “good fire” can restore ecological and community health and support wildfire trauma healing. Whether you’ve been impacted by wildfire and want to transform your relationship with fire, you’re a local resident interested in using fire as a management tool but aren’t sure where to begin, or you’re looking to connect with community members and learn about beneficial fire-- this event is for you!

The Good Fire Festival is funded by Neighbor-to-Neighbor and the California Fire Foundation, and hosted in partnership with the Butte County Fire Safe Council, Butte County Resource Conservation District’s Prescribed Burn Association, BCCER’s Ecotherapy Program, and the Paradise Recreation and Parks District.