A burned-out vehicle in Paradise, Calif., on Thursday.
(CBS News) – The death toll from the “Camp Fire” in Northern California has increased to 71 while authorities try to locate 1,011 people who are unaccounted for. The blaze is now 55 percent contained after consuming more than 148,000 acres.
In Southern California, just outside of Los Angeles, the Woolsey Fire is 82 percent contained after burning 98,362 acres. Dense smoke from the fires has smothering parts of the state with what has been described as “the dirtiest air in the world.”
Firefighters have been racing against time, with a red flag warning issued for Saturday night into Sunday, including winds up to 50 mph and low humidity. Rain was forecast for mid-week, which could help firefighters but also complicate the challenging search for remains.
“It’s a disheartening situation,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. “As much as I wish we could get through this before the rains come, I don’t know if that’s possible.
Comments are closed.