APS crews helping to restore power at Paradise, CA

PHOENIX (KSAZ) -- The Camp Fire that tore through the town of Paradise, California may be out, but the work to get the city back up and running continues, and APS workers from Arizona are helping make that happen.

The crew member is just one of several that have been in the area almost two weeks. Wade Ward said they are rebuilding the bones of the town. That way, residents can rebuild once they're ready.

"Their intention is to come back and rebuild, and the power will be here for them," said Ward, a Fire Mitigation Specialist for APS.

Ward, along with other crew members, have been in the Paradise area for 12 days. working on distribution restoration in the area.

"The goal now is to get those trunk-like structures done first, so that then, we can reach the distribution to the commercial structures as well as the residential structures," said Ward.

In the aftermath of the Camp Fire, all electricity is gone, and thousands of power poles were destroyed. Ward said they're helping to put the bones of the town back together, which will make it possible for residents to rebuild.

"Just the basic infrastructure, like your water pumps, sewer pumps, anything like that," said Ward. "Nothing can be run until we get the power back on."

Ward will be in the area another two weeks, and while he said it's a long road ahead, he's happy to help out.

"I hope that we never need their assistance in Arizona, but that's what it's all about, is not only helping our neighbors out from the utility industry, but the community, and we've had a lot of people help us out in Arizona, so it's nice to pay it back," said Ward.

Restoring power fully to that area could take months.