Northern California’s Camp Fire becomes deadliest in the state as the death toll climbs to 42

Northern California’s Camp Fire has become the deadliest wildfire in United States history as the death toll climbs to 42. 

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea revealed that the remains of 13 additional people were located on Monday. 

‘If I understand that makes this the deadliest wild land fire in the history of the United States,’ Honea told reporters during a press conference. 

Honea said 10 human remains were located in Paradise. Seven of those were found in homes and three outside. 

The other three remains were found in the Concow area, two were outside homes and one was inside a home. 

Honea said his team is working to identify the remains and notify the next of kin as soon as possible. 

Three victims were identified on Monday: Earnest Fost, 54, of Paradise, Jesus Fernandez, 48, of Concow, and Carl Wiley, 77, of Magalia. 

Honea said a fourth victim has been identified but authorities are withholding that person’s name until their next of kin have been notified.  

The latest death toll was announced for the Camp Fire, which also ranks as the most destructive on record in California, having leveled more than 7,100 homes and other buildings since it erupted on Thursday, officials said.

 

Northern California’s Camp Fire has become the deadliest wildfire in United States history as the death toll climbs to 42. A body is recovered from the Ridewood Mobile Home Park on Monday 

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea revealed that the remains of 13 additional people were located on Monday. Honea said 10 human remains were located in Paradise. Seven of those were found in homes and three outside. A body is recovered in Paradise, California 

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea revealed that the remains of 13 additional people were located on Monday. Honea said 10 human remains were located in Paradise. Seven of those were found in homes and three outside. A body is recovered in Paradise, California 

The other three remains were found in the Concow area, two were outside homes and one was inside a home. Honea said his team is working to identify the remains and notify the next of kin as soon as possible. Charred remains of mobile homes are seen in Paradise 

The other three remains were found in the Concow area, two were outside homes and one was inside a home. Honea said his team is working to identify the remains and notify the next of kin as soon as possible. Charred remains of mobile homes are seen in Paradise 

Honea said authorities have brought in 13 special search-and-recovery teams to seek out any further victims from the Camp Fire, and have requested additional cadaver-dog crews (pictured) to assist in the search for human remains

Honea said authorities have brought in 13 special search-and-recovery teams to seek out any further victims from the Camp Fire, and have requested additional cadaver-dog crews (pictured) to assist in the search for human remains

Honea said the number of people listed as missing in the disaster remained officially at 228, but added that his office had received more than 1,500 requests for ‘welfare checks’ from people concerned about the fate of their loved ones. 

He said his office had managed to confirm the safety of the individuals in question in 231 of those cases so far.

More than 15,000 more structures remained listed as threatened on Monday in an area so thick with smoke that visibility was reduced in some places to less than half a mile.

The bulk of the destruction and loss of life occurred in and around the town of Paradise, where flames reduced most of the buildings to ash and charred rubble on Thursday night, just hours after the blaze erupted.

The 42 confirmed fatalities marks the largest loss of life ever from a single wildland fire in California.

It also far surpasses the all-time record number of deaths from a California wildfire – 29 in 1933 from the Griffith Park blaze in Los Angeles.

Authorities reported two more people perished over the weekend in a separate blaze, dubbed the Woolsey Fire, that has destroyed 370 structures and displaced some 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near Southern California’s Malibu coast, west of Los Angeles. 

The victims from the Woolsey Fire died in their car while trying to flee. Together, the Camp Fire and Woolsey Fire are blamed for 44 deaths statewide.

Earlier on Monday, two new wildfires broke out in Southern California.  Pictured is the Peak fire on California State Route 118

Earlier on Monday, two new wildfires broke out in Southern California. Pictured is the Peak fire on California State Route 118

The California Highway Patrol has since closed part of the 118 freeway as firefighters worked to fight back against the blaze 

The California Highway Patrol has since closed part of the 118 freeway as firefighters worked to fight back against the blaze 

The area covered by the Woolsey fire is shown in red on the right, while the Hill fire is in red on the left. Celebrities affected by the fire include: 1) Gerard Butler, whose house was partially destroyed; 2) Miley Cyrus, house destroyed; 3) Robin Thicke, house destroyed; 4) Lady Gaga, who has been evacuated; 5) Will Smith, evacuated; 6) Simon Cowell, evacuated

The area covered by the Woolsey fire is shown in red on the right, while the Hill fire is in red on the left. Celebrities affected by the fire include: 1) Gerard Butler, whose house was partially destroyed; 2) Miley Cyrus, house destroyed; 3) Robin Thicke, house destroyed; 4) Lady Gaga, who has been evacuated; 5) Will Smith, evacuated; 6) Simon Cowell, evacuated

On Monday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for California at the request of Governor Jerry Brown, hastening the availability of federal emergency assistance to fire-stricken regions of the state.

Trump’s announcement came just days after he was criticized for his initial response to the raging wildfires. 

‘There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor,’ Trump said in a series of tweets on Saturday.

‘Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!’

The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained resources and kept firefighters struggling to keep up with the flames while catching many residents by surprise.

The remains of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out vehicles that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee by car in panic, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night.

‘It was very scary,’ Mayor Jody Jones recounted of her family’s own harrowing escape from their home as fire raged all around them.

‘It took a long time to get out. There was fire on both sides of the car. You could feel the heat coming in through the car,’ she told CNN. Jones said her family is now living in their mobile home parked in a vacant lot.

Honea said authorities have brought in 13 special search-and-recovery teams to seek out any further victims from the Camp Fire, and have requested additional cadaver-dog crews to assist in the search for human remains.

Earlier on Monday, two new wildfires broke out in Southern California.

On Monday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for California at the request of Governor Jerry Brown, hastening the availability of federal emergency assistance to fire-stricken regions of the state

On Monday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for California at the request of Governor Jerry Brown, hastening the availability of federal emergency assistance to fire-stricken regions of the state

 Trump's announcement (pictured) came just days after he was criticized for his initial response to the raging wildfires

 Trump’s announcement (pictured) came just days after he was criticized for his initial response to the raging wildfires

Firefighters were already battling the Woolsey fire, which is only 20 per cent contained, and the Hill fire when two new blazes suddenly sparked.

The Lynn fire broke out in Thousand Oaks, which is still reeling from a horrific mass shooting that took 12 lives last week. 

It burned five acres as of Monday morning but the Ventura County Fire Department said the threat to nearby structures was ‘diminishing’ as firefighters were able to ‘get a handle’ on the flames, according to the LAist. 

By 11.45am officials said surrounding homes were not under threat and that the fire was holding.   

Meanwhile, a new blaze dubbed the Peak fire was seen burning right by the 118 Freeway in Simi Valley. It was reported around 10.30am and at least 105 acres have been burned. 

Fire crews said they stopped forward progress of the flames around 1pm. 

People could be seen turning their cars around and driving the wrong way on the freeway to get away from the smoke and flames. The California Highway Patrol temporarily closed part of the 118 Freeway as firefighters worked to contain the flames. 

Two water-dropping helicopters and a firefighting airplane were spotted at the scene and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department initially issued evacuation orders for nearby residents. 

The Lynn fire broke out in Thousand Oaks, which is still reeling from a horrific mass shooting that took 12 lives last week. Pictured is a map showing the area where the fire has broken out 

The Lynn fire broke out in Thousand Oaks, which is still reeling from a horrific mass shooting that took 12 lives last week. Pictured is a map showing the area where the fire has broken out 

This map shows the location of the Camp, Hill and Woolsey fires in California. In total, 44 people have died in the blazes

This map shows the location of the Camp, Hill and Woolsey fires in California. In total, 44 people have died in the blazes

Smoke from the initial three California wildfires have been so intense that they even reached the metro Detroit area by Monday as it stretched across the US (pictured) 

Smoke from the initial three California wildfires have been so intense that they even reached the metro Detroit area by Monday as it stretched across the US (pictured) 

Smoke from the initial three California wildfires have been so intense that they even reached the metro Detroit area by Monday. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association maps showed smoke from the wildfires stretching across the US. 

Officials said that smoke is expected to stay present in Detroit until around 7pm, according to WXYZ.   

Firefighters put out a red weather alert late in Southern California on Sunday, fearing high Santa Ana winds could reach up to 50mph and keep fanning the flames into Tuesday – making things worse before they get better.

Huge plumes of smoke rose in the fire area, which stretches miles from the northwest corner of Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley to the Malibu coast. 

‘Sadly, with these winds, it’s not over yet,’ Scott Jalbert, chief of Cal Fire’s San Luis Obispo Unit, said Sunday morning.  

A one-day lull did allow firefighters to gain 20 per cent control of the Woolsey fire, which has burned more than 91,572 acres since Thursday.

The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained resources and kept firefighters struggling to keep up with the flames while catching many residents by surprise

The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained resources and kept firefighters struggling to keep up with the flames while catching many residents by surprise

The remains of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out vehicles (pictured) that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee by car in panic, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night

The remains of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out vehicles (pictured) that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee by car in panic, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night

The search for victims, both human and non-human, continued on Monday in Paradise

The search for victims, both human and non-human, continued on Monday in Paradise

A wildfire-ravaged property is seen Monday in Malibu. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby says he expects further damage assessments to show that hundreds more homes have been lost on top of the 370 already counted

A wildfire-ravaged property is seen Monday in Malibu. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby says he expects further damage assessments to show that hundreds more homes have been lost on top of the 370 already counted

The inside of a car that was completely incinerated as the Woolsey fire burned through Malibu over the weekend 

The inside of a car that was completely incinerated as the Woolsey fire burned through Malibu over the weekend 

Several animal rescue volunteers have risked their lives saving dozens of animals. A burned cat waits for animal control to arrive after they were called by responders who discovered it near Bille Road in Paradise, California on Sunday 

Several animal rescue volunteers have risked their lives saving dozens of animals. A burned cat waits for animal control to arrive after they were called by responders who discovered it near Bille Road in Paradise, California on Sunday 

It has destroyed 370 homes and businesses in the Los Angeles and Ventura countries and 57,000 structures are still threatened, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Officials said firefighters will be focusing on keeping the blaze within containment lines on Monday. 

‘We didn’t see any spread of fire outside the containment lines on Sunday, but as we’ve clearly seen over the last couple of days, it only takes one ember and one spark to see rapid rates of fire spread,’ said Cal Fire Division Chief Chris Anthony.    

Areas including Malibu, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, and Topanga are among those still under evacuation orders.  

Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, and Camille Grammer Meyer of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ were among those whose Malibu homes were destroyed in the Woolsey fire.

Meanwhile the Kardashian clan, Simon Cowell, Will Smith, Lady Gaga and Martin Sheen were among other those who had to evacuate the star-studded Malibu and Calabasas areas.

Two water-dropping helicopters and a firefighting airplane were spotted at the scene trying to fight back the new blaze

A helicopter drops water on brush burning near Pepperdine University as  the Woolsey Fire continues to burn in Malibu on Monday morning

A helicopter drops water on brush burning near Pepperdine University as the Woolsey Fire continues to burn in Malibu on Monday morning

The Woolsey fire has destroyed 370 homes and businesses in the Los Angeles and Ventura countries and 57,000 structures are still threatened

The Woolsey fire has destroyed 370 homes and businesses in the Los Angeles and Ventura countries and 57,000 structures are still threatened

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said approximately 600 officers would be 'saturating evacuated areas' on patrol for looters and to 'ensure the protection of residents and their properties'. A sign in the area read: 'Welcome 2 Point Dume. Looters get bullets. Fireman get HUGS'

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said approximately 600 officers would be ‘saturating evacuated areas’ on patrol for looters and to ‘ensure the protection of residents and their properties’. A sign in the area read: ‘Welcome 2 Point Dume. Looters get bullets. Fireman get HUGS’

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said approximately 600 officers would be ‘saturating evacuated areas’ on patrol for looters and to ‘ensure the protection of residents and their properties’. 

A sign in the area read: ‘Welcome 2 Point Dume. Looters get bullets. Fireman get HUGS.’  

Los Angeles County has also advised all residents to stay indoors as much as possible and keep windows and doors closed due to unhealthy air quality and exposure to ‘ash, soot, and small particles’. 

Meanwhile, in northern California, firefighters are still trying to beat back a blaze that has taken 42 lives and become tied with the deadliest fire in the state’s history. 

The majority have died in Paradise, which has been almost totally destroyed. Rescue teams are now on the ground in what remains of the town and have been identifying more victims each day. 

New footage emerged on Monday that showed panicked residents of the town trying to escape as the roads became blocked with traffic.  

When the Camp Fire struck near Paradise on Thursday morning, 27,000 people tried to flee the town on roads that were quickly blocked (pictured, a downed power line stops traffic) or else clogged with cars

When the Camp Fire struck near Paradise on Thursday morning, 27,000 people tried to flee the town on roads that were quickly blocked (pictured, a downed power line stops traffic) or else clogged with cars

Journeys that should have taken minutes ended up taking hours, with dozens of people telling how they jumped out of the cars and ran, carrying whatever they could

Journeys that should have taken minutes ended up taking hours, with dozens of people telling how they jumped out of the cars and ran, carrying whatever they could

At least seven people burned to death inside their vehicles while trying to escape from Paradise on Thursday as 27,000 people packed on to a four-lane road – the only route out of town that wasn’t blocked.

Survivors sat in miles-long tailback as flames licked at their car doors, while others jumped out and ran, carrying pets and valuables. 

Greg Woodcox who led a caravan of vehicles that was overcome by flames from a wildfire says he saw his friend die.

Woodcox said Monday that he heard his friend scream as the heat blew out windows. Four other people in the vehicles died. Woodcox said he was too exhausted to talk more by phone.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, the 58-year-old said he was in a Jeep ahead of the other vehicles and ran when the flames overtook them.

He said he followed a fox to a path down a steep embankment, and he survived by submerging himself in a stream for nearly an hour.

Evacuations were hindered by the fact that Paradise is a popular retirement community, meaning many residents are elderly and struggle to move

Evacuations were hindered by the fact that Paradise is a popular retirement community, meaning many residents are elderly and struggle to move

Medics at the Feather River Hospital in Paradise were given just 20 minutes to clear all the patients out before the fire arrived

Medics at the Feather River Hospital in Paradise were given just 20 minutes to clear all the patients out before the fire arrived

Nichole Jolly, 34, a nurse at the hospital in Paradise, said she attempted to flee in her truck before being rammed into a ditch by another motorist trying to get out.

She climbed out of her truck and tried to get into another, but the handles had melted off, so she ran up the road as her pants leg caught on fire.

‘I’m breathing in the hottest air I’ve ever been in. My throat is bloodied, I’m about to hit the ground but the bottom of my shoes were melting,’ she told NBC.

CALIFORNIA FIRES BY THE NUMBERS 

– 42 people have died in Northern California’s Camp fire 

– 2 people have died in Southern California’s Woolsey fire 

– 228 people are still missing 

– 7,000 structures have been damaged

– 57,000 structures still remain under threat 

– 149,000 people still under evacuation order

– 8,000 firefighters on the front lines 

‘I put hand out in front of me and prayed to God, ‘Please, don’t let me die like this.” 

She did eventually make it to a fire truck, where the crew told her to ‘brace yourself because we might not make it’.

It was only after a bulldozer arrived to clear the road that the truck, and Jolly, were able to escape. 

Meanwhile Lauri Kester, a caretaker for the elderly, told the New York Times that it took an hour to drive just three miles on Thursday as the fire advanced.

Eventually, a police officer running past told Kester to abandon her vehicle and make a break for it. 

She grabbed her dog Biscuit and ran. 

‘It was hot, it was smoky and – this sounds like such an exaggeration, but – it was apocalyptic,’ she said. 

Wendell Whitmore, 62, was another of those who tried to flee Paradise in his car, but was forced to make a break for it on foot as the situation became desperate. 

He told the Sacramento Bee: ‘There were flames to the left of me and flames to the right. The flames were up in the trees, all the houses were on fire.

‘The fire was three feet from my car. The rubber around the windows was melting. That’s when I decided to get out.’ 

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea revealed another 228 people are unaccounted for, adding that finding their remains is proving difficult, as many bodies have been reduced to little more than bone fragments 

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea revealed another 228 people are unaccounted for, adding that finding their remains is proving difficult, as many bodies have been reduced to little more than bone fragments 

The death toll rose on Sunday after the remains of five people were found inside houses in Paradise, while another was found in a nearby car (pictured, body bags are loaded into a hearse in Paradise) 

The death toll rose on Sunday after the remains of five people were found inside houses in Paradise, while another was found in a nearby car (pictured, body bags are loaded into a hearse in Paradise) 

The extent of the Camp Fire is seen in this satellite image taken on November 10, as it burned through northern California

The extent of the Camp Fire is seen in this satellite image taken on November 10, as it burned through northern California

At least 42 people have died in the Camp wildfire, making it the joint-deadliest in California's history alongside the Griffith Park fire which struck Los Angeles in 1933 (pictured, bodies are located in the town of Paradise)

At least 42 people have died in the Camp wildfire, making it the joint-deadliest in California’s history alongside the Griffith Park fire which struck Los Angeles in 1933 (pictured, bodies are located in the town of Paradise)

University of Nevada Reno archaeology students recover human remains in a mobile home park in Paradise on Sunday

University of Nevada Reno archaeology students recover human remains in a mobile home park in Paradise on Sunday

A car sits next to a trail of metal which was melted by the heat of the fire before solidifying again as the blaze moved away

A car sits next to a trail of metal which was melted by the heat of the fire before solidifying again as the blaze moved away

Barbara Hall has been calling shelters and the sheriff’s office hoping to find out whether her aunt, Arlene and her husband Paul Bickel made it out of their home in a retirement community in Paradise.

So far, Hall has had no luck. Her relatives are in their 80s and 90s and Hall isn’t allowed into Paradise to see if their car is in front of a house that may no longer be standing.

Hall asked: ‘Did they make it in their car? Did they get away? Did their car go over the edge of a mountain somewhere? I just don’t know.’

She said she was making phone calls with her daughter’s mobile phone from nearby Redding, where her daughter lives. The couple only had a landline, which had phone numbers programmed into it, and calls to it don’t go through.

Hall says her aunt’s parents adopted her father when he was a boy and that she is like a big sister to her.

Jody Jones, mayor of Paradise who previously worked as a traffic specialist in LA, said the town did put together an evacuation plan after a fire tore through in 2008.  

 One of the fire's victims was an ailing woman whose body was found in bed in a burned-out house in Concow, near Paradise. Ellen Walker, who was in her early 70s, was home alone when the fire struck on Thursday, according to Nancy Breeding, a family friend

 One of the fire’s victims was an ailing woman whose body was found in bed in a burned-out house in Concow, near Paradise. Ellen Walker, who was in her early 70s, was home alone when the fire struck on Thursday, according to Nancy Breeding, a family friend

Pieces of crumbling wall and a chimney is all that remains of this house which was gutted in the Camp Fire

Pieces of crumbling wall and a chimney is all that remains of this house which was gutted in the Camp Fire

Some cars never made it off the driveway before being consumed by the flames, which have also destroyed 6,500 buildings

Some cars never made it off the driveway before being consumed by the flames, which have also destroyed 6,500 buildings

The plan called for Paradise to evacuate neighborhood by neighborhood, and they even practiced it last year, but it fell to pieces within moments on Thursday. 

‘I don’t know that you could build the infrastructure to evacuate an entire town that quickly,’ she said. ‘I just don’t know if that’s possible.’

The Rocklin Police Department, which was called on to assist Butte County with the Camp fire, also shared a chilling video of the area’s destruction over the weekend. 

Officers filmed apocalyptic scenes that showed dozens upon dozens of burned-out cars, buses, and trucks, and residential streets that had been completely leveled by the fire.    

Men ‘dressed as US Forest Service workers’ are arrested for suspected looting in devastated Paradise  

Suspected looters who appeared to be impersonating US Forest Service workers have been arrested in Paradise, California.

The town of Paradise has been nearly decimated by the Camp fire, which has already taken 42 lives. 

But it appears some were hoping to take advantage of the devastating tragedy.

Men who were dressed in bright yellow jackets similar to those worn by US Forest Service workers were arrested in the fire zone on Saturday night.  

Suspected looters who appeared to be impersonating Forest Service workers were arrested in Paradise, California on Saturday night. One is pictured here 

Suspected looters who appeared to be impersonating Forest Service workers were arrested in Paradise, California on Saturday night. One is pictured here 

Men who were dressed in bright yellow jackets similar to those worn by US Forest Service workers were arrested in the fire zone

Men who were dressed in bright yellow jackets similar to those worn by US Forest Service workers were arrested in the fire zone

Authorities said the men may have worn the jackets to gain access to the evacuated area, according to CBS San Francisco. 

Police have not disclosed what the men were trying to steal. 

There have been 53 reports of suspected looting in the scorched area. 

And law enforcement have confirmed that the Camp fire has sparked a crime wave in Butte County.  

Authorities said the men may have worn the jackets to gain access to the evacuated area

Authorities said the men may have worn the jackets to gain access to the evacuated area

Police have not disclosed what the men were trying to steal. There have been 53 reports of suspected looting in the scorched area

Police have not disclosed what the men were trying to steal. There have been 53 reports of suspected looting in the scorched area

Sheriff Kory Honea promised on Saturday that looting suspects would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 

‘If we discover looting and evidence of looting, we will investigate,’ he said during a press conference on Saturday. 

‘And even if we don’t catch you there, we will investigate to determine if we can identify you and make an arrest.’ 

As of Sunday night, Honea said the department had received 66 additional calls about ‘suspicious incidents’ – including looting – in the area. 

Sunday saw Paradise’s death toll rise after five bodies were found inside houses in the burned-out town, while another was discovered in a nearby car.

Authorities said 228 people are still unaccounted, meaning that death toll could rise considerably in the town, which is a popular retirement community. 

A quarter of Paradise’s population was over the age of 65. 

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the devastation is so complete in some neighborhoods that ‘it’s very difficult to determine whether or not there may be human remains there’.

‘In some cases, the only remains we are able to recover are bones or bone fragments,’ Honea said.  

In southern California, the Woolsey Fire has torched more than 83,000 acres and destroyed 175 buildings along the way

In southern California, the Woolsey Fire has torched more than 83,000 acres and destroyed 175 buildings along the way

The remains of a house can be seen in Westlake Village, near Thousand Oaks, after the Woolsey Fire swept through Sunday

The remains of a house can be seen in Westlake Village, near Thousand Oaks, after the Woolsey Fire swept through Sunday

This was the scene in Westlake Village, in California, on Sunday. The suburb is located in Thousand Oaks, just a few miles from where last week's mass shooting took place

This was the scene in Westlake Village, in California, on Sunday. The suburb is located in Thousand Oaks, just a few miles from where last week’s mass shooting took place

Firefighters work to extinguish a flare-up of the Woolsey Fire on a hillside in West Hills, California on Sunday afternoon 

Firefighters work to extinguish a flare-up of the Woolsey Fire on a hillside in West Hills, California on Sunday afternoon 

THE FIRST OF 31 VICTIMS IS IDENTIFIED

One of the fire’s victims was an ailing woman whose body was found in bed in a burned-out house in Concow, near Paradise.

Ellen Walker, who was in her early 70s, was home alone when the fire struck on Thursday, according to Nancy Breeding, a family friend. 

Breeding said Walker’s husband was at work and called a neighbor to tell his wife to evacuate, but she was on medication and might not have been alert. 

He assumed she had escaped the inferno and was trying to find her at rescue centers until authorities confirmed her death late Friday.

‘Yesterday a fireman took him to the house to confirm, she apparently died in bed,’ Breeding said.

‘This is a devastating thing, and it’s happening to so many people,’ she added.

 

 

Ten search and recovery teams are working in Paradise, along with a mobile DNA lab and anthropologists to help identify victims. 

The Camp Fire has been the state’s most destructive fire in the state’s history, decimating 6,700 homes and businesses. Officials expect the numbers to increase significantly.

The fire originated on Camp Creek Road near Highway 70 around 6.30am on Thursday. 

Firefighters were dispatched to a vegetation fire in the area ‘under the high tension power lines’ at 6.33am. 

Officials said the wildfires may intensify due to strong Santa Ana winds as more than 8,000 firefighters continue to battle the deadly infernos

Officials said the wildfires may intensify due to strong Santa Ana winds as more than 8,000 firefighters continue to battle the deadly infernos

Gerard Butler was among those celebrities able to return to their homes on Sunday after being evacuated, only to find it destroyed. Pictured is what is left of his Malibu home 

Gerard Butler was among those celebrities able to return to their homes on Sunday after being evacuated, only to find it destroyed. Pictured is what is left of his Malibu home 

Robin Thicke's home was also completely destroyed by the fire, leaving nothing more than a pile of rubble and ash behind

Robin Thicke’s home was also completely destroyed by the fire, leaving nothing more than a pile of rubble and ash behind

Aerials show the extent of damage inflicted on Thicke's mansion, which he shares with girlfriend April Love Geary 

Aerials show the extent of damage inflicted on Thicke’s mansion, which he shares with girlfriend April Love Geary 

Firefighters immediately realized that the blaze would be hard to access, and that the flames were being fanned by 35mph winds. 

Betsy Ann Cowley, who owns land near where the deadly wildfire started in Northern California, said Monday that Pacific Gas & Electric Co sought access to her property just before the blaze started because the utility’s power lines were causing sparks.

PG&E has said it experienced a problem on an electrical transmission line near the site of the massive fire, minutes before the blaze broke out. 

The fire started on 64 acres of land in Pulga, California, owned by Cowley.

Cowley said she received an email from the utility on Wednesday telling her that crews needed to come to her property to work on the high-power lines because ‘they were having problems with sparks’.

PG&E declined to discuss the email.

Two days before the fire started, PG&E told customers in nine counties, including Butte County, that it might shut off their power November 8 because of extreme fire danger. 

But the utility company called off the shutdown, telling customers nine hours after the Camp Fire began that the weather conditions ‘did not warrant this safety measure’. 

The fire started about 6.30am that morning.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation but CalFire spokesman Scott McLean said ‘electric equipment’ was being included in the probe.  

Officials said the Camp Fire only grew moderately on Sunday despite new wind gusts, which are expected to lessen by Monday. But dangerously low humidity levels will continue into the week.

Miley Cyrus also took to Twitter on Sunday to reveal that her home had been destroyed

Miley Cyrus also took to Twitter on Sunday to reveal that her home had been destroyed

The ground at the home of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth still smolders after the Woolsey Fire in Malibu

The ground at the home of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth still smolders after the Woolsey Fire in Malibu

Miley's dog statue (pictured) could be seen with smoke coming from the ground next to its feet from the blaze 

Miley’s dog statue (pictured) could be seen with smoke coming from the ground next to its feet from the blaze 

Camille Grammer also revealed on Sunday that she had lost her home (pictured on Monday), saying it 'couldn't be saved'

Camille Grammer also revealed on Sunday that she had lost her home (pictured on Monday), saying it ‘couldn’t be saved’

Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson also lost his home in the blaze this weekend. He posted photos of what was still left standing on Saturday 

Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson also lost his home in the blaze this weekend. He posted photos of what was still left standing on Saturday 

‘In terms of the overall long-range (forecast), there is no significant precipitation or cooldown,’ National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Walbrun told the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday. 

‘The forecast remains dry and unseasonably warm through the rest of the week and through the weekend at this time.’    

The California Department of Forestry and Protection expanded its red-flag warning through Monday due to the ‘gusty winds and low humidity’.   

Officials say fire behavior has changed statewide after years of drought and record summer heat that have left vegetation extremely crisp and dry.

‘Things are not the way they were 10 years ago…the rate of spread is exponentially more than it used to be,’ said Lorenzen, urging residents to not put their lives at risk by trying to defend their own homes instead of evacuating.

FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICEMEN SAVE AMERICAN FLAGS IN DECIMATED TOWNS 

In a town almost completely destroyed by one of the deadliest fires in California’s history, a firefighter was able to save an American flag. 

The firefighter was captured on video walking through the destroyed town of Paradise with the Stars and Stripes this weekend. 

He makes sure to hold the tattered but intact flag above the ground until he finds a mailbox standing in front of a decimated house.  

A firefighter was captured on video rescuing an American flag in the decimated town of Paradise,

The firefighter was seen lifting the flag through the town's rubble-covered streets

A firefighter was captured on video rescuing an American flag in the decimated town of Paradise, California this weekend 

The firefighter then gently drapes the flag over the mailbox, tying two of its strings together to secure it. 

Footage of the firefighter has since been shared by CBS News and quickly went viral. 

Many found the video to be especially moving as it was released on Veteran’s Day.  

The firefighter was then seen gently draping the flag over the mailbox in a touching tribute 

The firefighter was then seen gently draping the flag over the mailbox in a touching tribute 

He took two of the flags dangling strings and tied them together to secure it to the mailbox 

He took two of the flags dangling strings and tied them together to secure it to the mailbox 

It was also a touching tribute to a town that has been almost completely wiped out by the Camp fire, which has killed 42 people.  

Two hours south of Paradise, in the city of Elk Grove, police came upon another patriotic scene. 

Every house in the street had been leveled by the Camp fire. Nothing had been left standing, except for a flag pole.

And flying on top of that pole was a flag in almost perfect condition. 

Elk Grove Police said they secured the flag and wrote down the address of the home, hoping they can one day return the flag to its rightful owners. 

Two hours south of Paradise, in the city of Elk Grove, police came upon an American flag still standing on a street where every house had been destroyed 

Two hours south of Paradise, in the city of Elk Grove, police came upon an American flag still standing on a street where every house had been destroyed 

Nothing had been left standing, except for a flag pole and the flag (pictured) which was still in almost perfect condition 

Nothing had been left standing, except for a flag pole and the flag (pictured) which was still in almost perfect condition 

That change has impacted the ability to move firefighting resources around the state, officials said.

‘Typically this time of year when we get fires in Southern California we can rely upon our mutual aid partners in Northern California to come assist us because this time of year they’ve already had significant rainfall or even snow,’ said Osby, the LA County fire chief.

With the devastation and loss of life in the Northern California fire, ‘it’s evident from that situation statewide that we’re in climate change and it’s going to be here for the foreseeable future,’ he said.

Gov Jerry Brown has asked President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster to bolster the emergency response and help residents recover.

Brown’s request for a major-disaster declaration from Trump would make victims eligible for crisis counseling, housing and unemployment help, and legal aid. 

The burnt out remains of a Malibu mansion that was decimated by the Woolsey fire is seen on Sunday afternoon

The burnt out remains of a Malibu mansion that was decimated by the Woolsey fire is seen on Sunday afternoon

The neighborhood was run over by the Southern California fire, which leveled a number of mansions including many that belonged to celebrities 

The neighborhood was run over by the Southern California fire, which leveled a number of mansions including many that belonged to celebrities 

Trump has blamed ‘poor’ forest management for the fires. Brown told a press briefing that federal and state governments must do more forest management but said that’s not the source of the problem.

‘Managing all the forests everywhere we can does not stop climate change,’ Brown said. ‘And those who deny that are definitely contributing to the tragedies that we’re now witnessing, and will continue to witness in the coming years.’ 

Brown warned that it would take ‘hundreds of billions’ of dollars to continue to fight California’s growing number of wildfires and blamed climate change for ‘threatening our whole way of life’. 

‘This is not the new normal,’ he said. ‘This is the new abnormal.’ 

A deck is seen burning at a Malibu mansion that was hit by the Woolsey fire, which consumed more than 70,000 acres 

A deck is seen burning at a Malibu mansion that was hit by the Woolsey fire, which consumed more than 70,000 acres 

All that is left standing of what was once a weight room in the backyard of a Malibu mansion is seen on Sunday afternoon

All that is left standing of what was once a weight room in the backyard of a Malibu mansion is seen on Sunday afternoon

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk