74 killed in California wildfires, over 1,000 missing

San Francisco, November 17

The destructive California wildfires had so far killed at least 74 people with over 1,000 reported missing, authorities said.

Butte County Sheriff and Coroner Kory Honea said on Friday evening that the number of people missing due to Northern California’s Camp Fire, deemed as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history, was 1,011, CNN reported.

Of the 74 victims, 71 were killed in Northern California while the three others died in the Woolsey Fire in Southern California.

As of Friday, the Camp Fire has destroyed about 9,700 homes and scorched 1,46,000 acres.

President Donald Trump is expected to visit the region on Saturday. Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom plan to accompany him.

Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire in Southern California has destroyed 548 structures in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, said Cal Fire, the state’s forestry and fire protection agency.

More than 98,000 acres have been burned since the blaze began the same day as Camp Fire on November 8, while over 3,300 firefighters were making progress against the massive wildfire, which was 67 per cent contained as of Friday.

More than 2,30,000 acres burned in California in the past week--larger than the cities of Chicago and Boston combined.

In 30 days, firefighters had battled more than 500 blazes, Cal Fire said. IANS