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PARADISE, Calif. -- Two weeks ago, Alyxa Wharton and Charlie Gilford were living similar lives. Both toddlers were at home with family watching cartoons and playing with toys.
But today, life is different for 3-year-old Alyxa; her family evacuated Paradise and lost everything in the Camp Fire. Since the devastation, the family of four, which includes mom, Nicole, twin sisters, Jackie and Jessica, and little Alyxa, have been separated.
Nicole has been living at a makeshift campsite next to a Walmart in Chico. Jackie has been living at her high school teacher’s home. And Jessica has been staying at her boyfriend’s parents’ house. As for Alyxa she alternates between the twins.
“The air quality has been too bad for her to stay here with me during the night,” said Nicole.
The family reunited during the day at the campsite. It’s there that Alyxa gets to spend time with her mom and plays with toys donated to the Camp Fire survivors.
“I don’t know if she knows exactly what is going on. I know she knows it’s different. I’m happy that we found a doll that she likes,” said Jackie.
Nicole has been receiving aid since arriving at the campsite. She says most of the donations she’s received, she has saved for her girls. She is expecting to get a deposit check, which she plans to use to find a new home for her family.
A few yards away, 4-year-old Charlie Gilford walked alongside her mom to the Walmart, to shop for groceries. She was holding a blue-haired doll.
“It’s been hard to see, and I’m blessed that my daughter is OK, and we haven’t been affected by these fires,” said Shana Gilford.
Both little girls holding a doll with the same hair color, living two different lives.
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Watch episode 6 "Inside the Evacuation Zone" now: When it comes to covering wildfires, "Adventure" Dan goes where others can't to keep evacuees informed until they can get home.