Rain could hinder search for victims
PARADISE: Authorities yesterday redoubled efforts to find more victims of the Camp Fire and account for nearly 1000 people listed as missing, as forecast rains threatened to hinder the search and raise the risk of mudslides.
Remains of 79 victims have been recovered since the fire erupted on November 8.
The latest official death toll was announced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) a day after the Butte County Sheriff’s Office reduced the number of names on its missingpersons list to 993, from 1276 on Sunday.
As of yesterday, the fire had torched more than 61,107ha, incinerating some 12,000 homes along the way, Cal Fire said.
But firefighters had gained significant ground against the blaze, carving containment lines around 70% of its perimeter, it said.
Efforts to further suppress the flames were likely to benefit from a storm expected to dump as much as 10cm of rain north of San Francisco between today and Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
But heavy showers have the potential to unleash mudslides in newly burnt areas while also making it more difficult for teams searching for remains.
The risk of mudslides could also increase the misery factor for evacuees, some of whom are living in tents or their cars. Residents who only recently were permitted back in homes that survived the fire may have evacuate again if they live downslope from badly burned areas.
Nearly 800km south of Paradise, near Malibu, at least 5cm of rain is expected to fall on the Woolsey fire, which has killed three people.
That blaze was 94% contained yesterday.