California wildfires still spreading
NEW YORK: A seventh person died in a northern California wildfire as a couple of other fast-growing wildfires in the state expanded by more than 25 per cent overnight and continued to spread.
The White House announced on Sunday that US President Donald Trump declared that a major disaster exists in California, a move that makes it easier for residents, businesses, cities and counties to gain access to federal money, food aid and other programmes.
“Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property loses and other programmes to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster,” the White House said.
More residents were ordered to evacuate their homes this weekend as weary firefighters endured high temperatures and gusting winds.
The Carr Fire, about 261 km north of Sacramento, claimed the life of a power company lineman on Saturday, according to a CBS affiliate, citing a spokesman for the PG&E Corporation.
Neither a spokesman with the electric company nor fire officials were immediately available for comment.
The fire, one of the most destructive in California history, had already killed six people, including a greatgrandmother and two children, and a firefighter and bulldozer operator.
Two other blazes collectively called the Mendocino Complex burned in Mendocino, Lake and Colusa counties, about 90 miles north of San Francisco.