Paradise Mayor Jody Jones loved to cook. She lost her entire set of family recipes when the flames consumed her home in the town that suffered the greatest loss of life and structural damage in California’s deadliest blaze.

”You know, we lived with fire danger all the time here. But I never thought that if it came it would wipe the town out.
We had fires in 2008 and I had a number of friends who lost their homes in that fire. Maybe 50 structures. But this kind of devastation, no one imagined,” Jones told the Mercury News.

Jones in now determined to rebuild the town she calls home.

Mayor Jody Jones sits on a bench in the front yard of her home in Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Her house was burned during the Camp Fire last week. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Mayor Jody Jones is photographed on the passenger seat of reporter Julia Prodis Sulek’s car on their way to Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Paradise Mayor Jody Jones, right, talks with Courtenay Jenvey, left, at a Valero gas station in Chico, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Mayor Jody Jones walks down to her home in Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Her house was burned during the Camp Fire last week. A sign that reads “Jody Jones Way” still stands in front of her property. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Mayor Jody Jones looks at her property in Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Her house was burned during the Camp Fire last week. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Two scenes are photographed on Skyway in Paradise, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. On the left a building that was burned during the Camp Fire and in the distance buildings that were unharmed by the blaze. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

The street where Mayor Jody Jones’ sister lived is photographed in Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Jones evacuated Paradise during the Camp Fire from her sisters house. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Signs that say “Town Hall closed” are photographed at the Paradise, Calif., town hall on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

A vehicle is photographed in Paradise, Calif., on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018. The car received little damage during the Camp Fire. However the structures around it were destroyed. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Mayor Jody Jones takes a picture of where her house used to be in Paradise, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018. Her house was burned during the Camp Fire last week. (Randy Vazquez/Bay Area News Group)

Calle Willow in San Jose is more than just a street for some people. The street just south of interstate 280 is safe place for the Mexican community. A place where they can speak their native tongue, enjoy their foods and not feel like outsiders.

Miguel Zamora, right, gets his coffee from owner of Rico Pan Bakery Bertha Fernandez, center, on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Calle Willow is a cultural hub for the Mexican community and its something Fernandez hopes is not pushed out by big business. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Fresh bread sits behind the display glass at Rico Pan Bakery on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Fresh bread sits behind the display glass at Rico Pan Bakery on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Blanca Gutierrez, right, picks up some bread and coffee at Rico Pan Bakery on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Business owner Hilsi Valdez, center, places a water jug outside of her shop on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

A cart full of corn sits on the sidewalk for people to see on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

A cart full of corn sits on the sidewalk for people to see on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Victoria Melchor, left, walks with her children Adilene Tafolla, center, and Victor Tafolla, right, on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Pi–atas hang from Hilsi’s Novedades on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Owner Hilsi Valdez took over the shop three months ago and says what drew her to Calle Willow was how calm things were. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Business owner Hilsi Valdez, right, sits behind the counter of her shop Hilsi’s Novedades on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Agua frescas are placed outside of Tacos Los 3 Hermanos on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Agua fresca is fresh water in English and is water that can be made with fresh fruits, vegetables or even flowers among other things. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Reyna Segura prepare rice for her families food trucks at Tacos Los 3 Hermanos on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Reyna’s mother Maria Ceron began the family owned business eight years ago on Calle Willow with one food truck and has since expanded her fleet to four. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)

Facundo Segura, left, and his sister Reyna, right, prepare food for their food trucks at Tacos Los 3 Hermanos on Calle Willow in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018. Facundo and Reyna’s mother Maria Ceron began the family owned business eight years ago on Calle Willow with one food truck and has since expanded her fleet to four. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group)