At least 1,100 people have taken shelter at the Silver Dollar Fairground, according to the American Red Cross.

Five buildings have been converted into dorms for incoming evacuees, and volunteers are flooding into the fairgrounds looking for ways to help.

Mackenzie Davis, a Butte County School teacher, was one those people, and began volunteering by handing out books.

“I got here at nine o’clock,’ Davis said. “I think it’s important for people to volunteer because if this were to happen, in say Chico, I would hope that other people would help us out.”

Victoria Dukes and Danny Gifford have been at the Fairgrounds since Monday night. They came to the shelter from the evacuated area in a bus at around 9 p.m.

“We’ve been treated pretty good,” Gifford said. “The only thing that’s not comfortable are the cots, but you cant help that. Rather be sleeping on a bed instead of a cot.”

The Red Cross says the shelter’s operations are going smoothly. The community and several agencies have stepped up and helped out. They have no idea as to when the evacuees can go home or how long they will be here.

“Right now we are getting a lot of donations in,” Pam DeDitch said. “If people want they can donate to their local Red Cross center.”

George Johnston can be reached at [email protected] or @gjohnston786 on Twitter.