The Skyway is down to one lane. It is the only northern way out.

The Skyway, the primary northern evacuation route for Paradise, Magalia, and Stirling City, has been reduced to a single lane since severe storm damage in the winter of 2022-2023. During the catastrophic 2018 Paradise Camp Fire, this crucial roadway facilitated the evacuation of 10,000 residents through Butte Meadows.

The damaged section measures 185 feet long and at its narrowest point is only 11.5 feet wide, creating a severe bottleneck for evacuation traffic and emergency vehicles. Despite the urgent safety implications, repair funding remains in limbo. FEMA funding was approved following a federal disaster declaration by the President, but is currently on hold with no projected timeline for release. Butte County Public Works confirms that the estimated $1 million repair project cannot proceed without this assistance. The county lacks sufficient resources to address this critical infrastructure failure independently.

Recent Impact

During the Park fire of last summer (2024), many from Forest Ranch needed this route to evacuate to the valley since Highway 32 had been closed to traffic. At the same time, emergency vehicles responding to the fire were proceeding in the opposite direction, causing a significant hazard.

One CalFire Captain expressed concern, stating:

I’m uncomfortable driving my engine through there and hope it doesn’t give out with the weight of the engine.

This website documents this pressing public safety concern and supports community volunteers working to resolve this dangerous situation before the next emergency strikes.