Chico church holds vigil to remember victims of Camp Fire

CHICO, Calif. (KGO) -- Paradise officials put together a vigil on Sunday to remember the lives that have been lost in the Camp Fire and pray for those still unaccounted for.

The amount of devastation continues to take its toll. "It's a big loss, and it's very difficult to put into words how I'm feeling," said Chico resident Kristy Collins.

RELATED: List of people missing, resources for reporting missing people and pets in Butte County

She was one of dozens who came to Chico's First Christian Church for tonight's vigil.

In the tight knit communities of Butte County, it's hard not to find someone who's been impacted by the camp fire. "I know so many people who have lost homes, who have lost cherished pets," said mourner, Sarah Richardson.

While people take time to reflect, many have opened up their hearts.vv"We're offering whatever we can and trying to figure out what that is has been difficult," lamented Collins.

Donations have been pouring in - including outside Chico's Walmart where many displaced fire victims have camped out for more than a week.

That's where Kristi Pingul of Paradise finally got some good news. "We're going to a shelter now," she said. Getting placed into a long-term shelter that allows pets has been diffcult. "They were nice enough to find one with two beds that will take my two little dogs because my dogs and my husband are my normalcy right now," Pingul said.

RELATED: Camp Fire death toll rises to 77, more than 10,000 homes burned

The tent city has been thinning out over fears it will get shut down ahead of this week's rainstorm.

"This is always flooded, always has been as long as I can remember," said Sharon Dephillips of Shasta. She's been volunteering with her family to clean up the area. "It just floods and we can't have the people here."

City officials say they want the evacuees moved into indoor shelters where they can be taken better care of.

That continues to be a work in progress as the community tries to rise from the ashes.

"The community in the area will carry on and it will be very hard but there's light at the end of the tunnel," said a hopeful Richardson.

See more stories, photos and videos on the Camp Fire in Butte County here.