Fire officials provide an update on the Camp Fire in Butte County.
Posted by KSBY on Friday, November 16, 2018
UPDATE (6:20 p.m.) – The Camp Fire burning in Butte County has grown to 146,000 but containment has also increased to 50 percent, CAL FIRE reported Friday evening.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says eight more human remains were discovered on Friday, bringing the total number of dead to 71.
Honea says the number of missing has grown to 1,011 after a review of all missing persons reports since the start of the fire. He says that may include the same person listed multiple times and some people may not realize they have been reported missing. He is encouraging people to take a look at the list, which is available on the sheriff’s website, to make sure they or someone they know who is safe is not listed.
The number of structures destroyed in the fire now totals 12,263. That includes 9,700 single-family homes.
Fire officials say they are concerned about strong winds that are expected this weekend and that the fire could move into areas that have not previously burned. A Red Flag Warning will go into effect Saturday night and continue into Sunday morning. Forecasters say wind gusts of up to 45-50 mph are expected and humidity will be extremely low.
Rain is expected starting next Wednesday and could total an inch or more in some areas.
(7:44 a.m.) – Hundreds of people are combing through the charred remains in Northern California where the Camp Fire broke out in Butte County.
More bodies were found Thursday, bringing the death toll to 63.
Authorities say that 631 people are still unaccounted for after the deadly Camp Fire broke out last week.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said he believes there are people on the list who fled the blaze and don’t realize they were reported missing. He said authorities were making the list public so people could see if they’re on it, and let authorities know they are safe.
Latest numbers show that 8,800 homes have been destroyed.
As of Friday morning, the fire has charred 142,000 acres and is 45 percent contained.
Most schools in San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, and Folsom will be closed Friday as a deadly wildfire sends smoke into the Bay Area.
Evacuations remain in place for many.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
President Donald Trump will travel to California on Saturday to meet with victims of the deadly wildfires that have scorched the state.
The White House made the announcement Thursday but did not release further details regarding his trip.
