North Complex fire’s 15th victim identified
Investigation reveals Berry Creek resident, 71, chose not to evacuate. The blaze is 78% contained.
Authorities released the name of the 15th victim of the North Complex fire Friday, meaning all those confirmed to have perished in one of California’s deadliest blazes have now been identified.
The body of Linda Longenbach, a 71-year-old Berry Creek resident, was located on Handkirk Lane on Sept. 10, according to the Butte County Sheriff ’s Office.
Both she and another previously identified victim — 68-year-old Paul Winer of Berry Creek — were found in the roadway.
One of them was inside a vehicle and the other was about 10 feet away from an ATV, authorities said, though they didn’t specify who was where.
“During the investigation, detectives determined Paul and Linda spoke with a relative in the afternoon on Sept. 8, and said they were aware of the fire and chose not to immediately evacuate
at that time,” sheriff ’s officials wrote in a statement Friday morning. “We extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Linda Longenbach and the families of all the victims in this devastating fire.”
Authorities have previously identified the other fire victims as: Larry Holder, 61; Suzan Zurz, 76; Mark Delagardie, 61; Kin Lee, 64; Jacob Albright, 74; Randy Harrell, 67; John Butler, 79; Sandra Butler, 75; Jorge
Hernandez-Juarez, 26; Philip Rubel, 68; Khawar Bhatti, 58; Millicent Catarancuic, 77; and Josiah Williams, 16.
Most of the fire’s victims lived in Berry Creek, although two were from
nearby Feather Falls. Both towns are located northeast of Oroville.
The North Complex ranks among the biggest and most devastating fires the state has ever seen. Only four California fires have killed more people.
At more than 304,000 acres, the fire is the fifthlargest ever recorded in the state. It’s also destroyed 2,248 structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Firefighters have made significant progress toward controlling the blaze. Containment was at 78% as of Saturday evening. An evacuation order on Friday was reduced to a warning in parts of Butte County.
However, those battling the fire will be challenged in the coming days by unseasonably warm temperatures, dry conditions and gusty winds.
Cal Fire crews lit preventive burns throughout last week to clear away fuels and keep the fire from moving into Forbestown, a small village nestled in the mountains east of Oroville.
To the north, in Feather Falls, the sky shone a brilliant blue Thursday — a welcome change for those accustomed to the ghastly gray the North Complex had cast over the region — as crews felled trees and cleared brush.