At Least 23 Dead in Wildfire That Destroyed Northern California Town and Is Now the Most Destructive Fire in California History
The Camp Fire is now the third deadliest fire in California's history. It surpassed the death toll in last year’s Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people, according to CalFire. The Tunnel Fire of 1991 is second with 25 deaths, and the Griffith Park fire, which killed 29 people in 1933, is the deadliest.
On Sunday, at least five search teams were working in Paradise and surrounding communities. The Associated Press reported that authorities had called in a mobile DNA lab and anthropologists to help identify victims.
The Camp Fire, which started early Thursday morning, had grown in size to 170 square miles by Sunday morning and was 25 percent contained. But Cal Fire spokesman Bill Murphy warned that gusty winds predicted into Monday morning could spark "explosive fire behavior."
"We're at a pivotal point now," said another Cal Fire official, David Clark.
Also on Sunday, the world’s largest air tanker joined the fight against the Camp Fire. The Global SuperTanker, a converted 747-400, can safely fly with more than 19,000 gallons of fire retardant or water, according to CBS News. That's roughly twice as much as the next largest tanker.
An estimated 6,453 homes and 260 commercial structures have already been destroyed by the fire, according to CalFire. This number did not increase on Saturday. Another 15,000 remained threatened in the area.
An estimated 80 to 90 percent of Paradise was wiped out by flames Thursday night, the town mayor told the Sacremento Bee.
The sheriff says they have taken 110 reports of missing people.
Three firefighters have been injured, CalFire said Friday.
On Sunday, Gov. Jerry Brown requested a "major disaster declaration" from Trump. According to the Associated Press, Brown's office said the declaration would bolster ongoing emergency assistance and help residents recover from the fires. If granted, the declaration would make individuals eligible for crisis counseling, housing and unemployment help, and legal aid.
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