Terrible news from the region just north of Sacramento California where the devastating ‘Camp Fire’ impacted the town of Paradise. Late Wednesday evening search and recovery workers located another eight sets of human remains bringing the total death toll from this single fire event to 56. The death toll is anticipated to climb…
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and FEMA Director Brock Long visited the devastated area today to thank firefighters and rescue workers. The search for bodies is gruesome as some human remains are found inside burned structures and others outside.
CALIFORNIA – 9 p.m. ET: As of Wednesday night, eight more human remains have been found, bringing the death toll to 56. Six of them were found inside structures and two were found outside. Statewide, the death toll is 59 (including three from the Woolsey Fire).
There have been more than 10,000 structures destroyed by the Camp Fire, including homes. The total amount of evacuated residents remains at 52,000 people.
The Camp Fire containment remains at 35 percent. Some 138,000 acres have been scorched.
Authorities searching through the blackened aftermath of California’s deadliest wildfire Wednesday released the names of some 130 people who are unaccounted, including many in their 80s and 90s, and dozens more could still be unaccounted for.
As the names of the missing were made public, additional crews joined the search. “We want to be able to cover as much ground as quickly as we possibly can,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. “This is a very difficult task.”
A sheriff’s department spokeswoman, Megan McMann, acknowledged that the list of the missing was incomplete. She said detectives were concerned about being overwhelmed with calls from relatives if the entire list were released. (read more)
“An additional 8 human remains were recovered, that brings the total up to 56. All 8 of those human remains were found in the Paradise area,” says official of the death toll from the CA Camp fire. https://t.co/lt5i9SiHrQ pic.twitter.com/UgTo6sImhk
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 15, 2018
Devastation in Paradise, CA. This used to be an elementary school. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/0DPgmKTFi2
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
Every time I come to California I say this is the worst fire I’ve seen. Once again this is the absolute worst. Worse than any war zone I saw in Iraq. The heroism of firefighters is amazing pic.twitter.com/1qMvLRrNLh
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
Some of the devastation in Paradise, CA. The Camp Fire destroyed the town. I’m told this isn’t even the worst of it. pic.twitter.com/ynJVhWI28O
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
The camp fire passed through here days ago but this tree is still smoking from within. Good reminder that dangerous conditions persist. Stay safe out there. pic.twitter.com/kI7EOEHheQ
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 15, 2018
The melting point of aluminum is more than 1,200 degrees. pic.twitter.com/iPII4Fy4Ff
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 15, 2018
Thank you to @CALFIRE_ButteCo for all you’re doing to protect the community and people. Your service and sacrifice is very much appreciated. pic.twitter.com/Ch5MOf2x5P
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 15, 2018