(CNN) With rain falling and temperatures dropping, Walmart is encouraging people to leave the temporary encampment that sprung up in one of its parking lots as the Camp Fire burned through northern California.

"The weather forecast from the National Weather Service showing steady rain continuing through Friday has heightened our existing concerns and increased the urgency to find a more sustainable solution," company spokeswoman Delia Garcia said.

The Walmart parking lot in Chico became an immediate refuge for Butte County residents fleeing the deadly blaze. Located about 10 minutes down the hill from the town of Paradise, which bore the brunt of the Camp Fire's wrath, it was a familiar place to settle for evacuees with no other options.

What began as a temporary shelter turned into a makeshift village. Volunteers distributed supplies such as smoke masks, dog food, clothes and other essentials. As time wore on, both the City of Chico and Walmart began encouraging people to leave.

They posted signs with information about shelters and offered free bus rides to those locations, along with gas gift cards, money and food.

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