Thanks so much for your comments, @Steven-Berger.  I usually struggle a lot to put words to music, and my originals on the dulcimer are just short instrumental ditties.  But to the extent that this one works, it is because I didn't try to address the magnitude of the event but merely the experience of one individual. I just tried to imagine one person losing a house.  And then the fact that the town really is (was?) named "Paradise" means the song has a built-in metaphor.

I wish I had the talent for writing songs about some of what I've experienced, witnessed or heard about. Dusty, you have that talent! Thank you for Thank you for keeping with a great folk song tradition.

Thanks for listening, @Alan-Thompson.  Since recording the song I've learned of more acquaintances from Paradise who all share the same story: they escaped with their lives but lost all their material possessions.

Dusty I don't know how I missed this until now well put together song great tribute thanks for posting it.

Thanks, @John-Keane.  You're right.  Putting some lyrics down was the easy part; singing without getting all choked up was something else.

A touching tribute to the victims of a horribly tragic event.  This song is also an emotional documentation of the devastation that occurred during this terrible fire.  Thanks Dusty, I know this one wasn't easy to get through for recording purposes.

Thanks, @Sam.  I've never been too fond of my voice, but it works OK here to convey the lyrics.  Some songs shouldn't be too pretty. 

Great playing and singing Dusty, and of course a fine tribute to those folks who lost so much. Some losing all. Sad lament. 

Thanks for listening, @Ariane.  The extent of the destruction is just overwhelming.

Very touching song,  Dusty - the dimension of these fires and the whole tragedy is incredible. 

So sorry to hear of your family members, Chris.

Thanks for listening, @Christine-Shoemaker.  I'm sorry to hear of your family members.  Those people that I know personally from Paradise are all in the same boat; they survived but lost everything they owned.  It was a charming town and is now gone.

Thank you for that very heartfelt song, Dusty.  I have three family members in Paradise that lost theirs home and all of their belongings.  Thankfully none of them were physically injured.  The pictures of the devastation are truly terrifying!  Without a doubt, the recovery process is going to be a very long one.        

Thanks, @Bob. It's hard to do justice to a tragedy that is still unfolding.  I appreciate your taking the time to comment.

Sung from the heart. Very moving song, Dusty. wow.

Thank you, @Terry-Wilson. That's very kind of you.

Dusty, your song is awesome.   Thank you.

Thanks, Strumelia and BJ. 

The tragedy continues. I just learned today that FEMA has still not set up a single trailer for residential use in the area and given that 13-14,000 homes were destroyed (most, but not all in Paradise), that's a lot of people still homeless.  It's heartbreaking.

Dusty, wonderful tune with heart. We feel the pain of the loss of so many. We survived the Gatlinburg,TN area fires and this brought a lot back. Thanks for sharing.

BJ

Very heartfelt Dusty. What a horrible loss for so many people, with so little warning.

Thanks, Robin.  I tried to keep the song "grounded" in the point of view of someone who lived there rather than taking a broader view of things.  It has only been since the rains came that the fire was finally fully controlled and the air quality in the region has returned to normal.  It still feels a little "too soon" for the song.