Calif fire toll 31; search on

The death toll in wildfires sweeping California has risen to 31, officials have said. Another 228 remain unaccounted for as crews stepped up the search for bodies and missing people.

Six more people were confirmed killed in the Camp Fire in the north of the state, taking the toll there to 29. That fire now equals the deadliest on record in California— the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles.

250,000 people have been forced to flee their homes to avoid three major blazes in the state

8,000 fire crews battled wildfires that have scorched 1,040 sq km, with out-of-state crews continuing to arrive

State emergency

California Governor Jerry Brown has declared it a state emergency. “This is a tragedy that Californians can understand and respond to. It’s a time to pull together and work through these tragedies.”

Winds to play dirty

Fierce, dry winds were expected to fan the flames of wildfires, heightening the risk of fresh blazes from scattered embers and making driving conditions difficult. 

Celebrities lose homes

Hollywood celebrities Miley Cyrus and Gerard Butler have lost their homes in the raging California wildfire, which has left filmmaker Guillermo del Toro's home partially damaged. Cyrus tweeted, “Completely devastated by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones..My house no longer stands but the memories stand strong. I am grateful for all I have left.”