PARADISE — Paradise leaders were mostly left in the dark when a group of officials from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. visited the city to see the devastation from the Camp Fire firsthand in a court-ordered visit Friday.

The federal judge overseeing the company’s criminal probation, U.S. District Judge William Alsup, organized the visit because PG&E’s high-voltage power lines sparked the fire that burned most of the town down. The judge’s order said the goal of the visit would be to meet with Paradise community members, including firefighters and/or city officials, and tour some key sites to see the damage from the fire. Alsup, PG&E Chief Executive Bill Johnson, and other officials were part of the visit.

But the day was shrouded in secrecy as government officials tried to keep the event from becoming a public spectacle. Neither PG&E nor the U.S. Probation Office would share information about the people attending or the agenda for the tour with the media or with city officials.

Colette Curtis, who works with the Paradise town manager, said the town had been expecting to be contacted and had reached out to PG&E for details, but did not get any information.

“We are purposely being kept in the dark,” said Town Councilor Mike Zuccolillo.

Councilor Melissa Schuster said she knew only the visit was happening Friday.

“This particular thing, it’s a court ordered visit. It has nothing to do with the town council. It’s not a meet and greet,” she said.

John Gaddie, a spokesperson for Cal Fire-Butte County, said he did not know of any agency involvement in the visit either.

Johnson met with Paradise city leaders in a private visit last month. He started the job overseeing the utility in April.

At the time the judge issued his order, the company called the visit a “welcome opportunity for our new board to engage fully with Paradise” in a statement.