He helped police rescue people during the Camp Fire. Now he’s being honored

Chico Police honored a Magalia man this week for his “heroic” efforts during the Camp Fire, in which he volunteered himself and his truck to help two Chico detectives evacuate elderly residents from Paradise as the fire closed in on them.

Jim Taylor was recognized Tuesday at the Chico Police Department by Chief Mike O’Brien and state Sen. Jim Nielsen. Taylor is a resident of Magalia, a town east of Paradise which was also devastated by the Camp Fire last year.

“Mr. Taylor assisted with evacuation numerous citizens and helped carry them to safety,” the department said. “Without the selfless efforts of Mr. Taylor, numerous people would have undoubtedly perished inside their vehicles.”

On the morning of Nov. 8, two Chico Police detectives drove to Paradise and were helping residents evacuate in the area of Clark Road. While they were helping people get into their cars, traffic was at a standstill and the flames were getting closer, the department said.

The detectives started commandeering vehicles and putting people in the back of pickup trucks to drive off-road around cars that had been abandoned on the road.

Taylor volunteered his pickup truck and helped the detectives evacuate people.

“At one point, detectives were nearly overrun by the approaching flames,” the department said. “The dectectives were forced to jump into the bed of Mr. Taylor’s pickup truck and were transported down the Skyway to avoid being overtaken by the fire.”

Taylor then continued to load people into his truck, including a woman in a wheelchair. With the detectives, Taylor helped 15 people evacuate, the department said, but the group became surrounded by fire when all the evacuation routes were blocked by abandoned vehicles and walls of flames.

Taylor, the detectives and a caravan of evacuees were forced to retreat to a up the Skyway where they took refuge in a parking lot of an evacuated assisted living facility, the department said.

“With only minutes to spare before being overtaken by the fire, a Cal-Fire response team cleared the Skyway, allowing the caravan’s escape.”

After the ordeal, the Chico Police Department circulated Taylor’s photo on social media hoping to learn his identity, the department said. Through the community’s help, the department was able to identify Taylor in July, eight months after the fire.

“Mr. Taylor showed courage and bravery in the face of danger,” the department said.