Winds continue to fan deadly California fires
Thirteen more fatalities have been reported from a blaze in Northern California that destroyed a town, bringing the death toll to 42 and making it the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history. In addition, at least two people have died in the Woolsey fire in Southern California.
In the northern part of the state, the dead have been found in burned-out cars, in the smoldering ruins of their homes, or next to vehicles, apparently overcome by smoke and flames before they could jump in behind the wheel and escape. More than 200 people are unaccounted for in the area of the Camp Fire, 90 miles north of Sacramento.
In Southern California, the Woolsey fire has destroyed at least 370 residences, business and other structures, and more than 50,000 homes are still in danger.
Continuing winds in both regions of the state conspired with low humidity and parched terrain to hinder the efforts to quell the flames.
“It’s a time to pull together and work through these tragedies.”
California Gov. Jerry Brown
Santa Ana winds roaring across Southern California and similarly stiff gusts to the north conspired with low humidity and parched terrain Monday to hinder the efforts of firefighters combating historically devastating wildfires.
The death toll stood at 31, and more than 6,500 homes have been destroyed. More than 8,000 firefighters were battling the wind and flames.
The weather prognosis was not good.
“The latest rounds of Santa Ana winds are going strong in Southern California,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dave Samuhel told USA TODAY. “We are seeing gusts near 50 mph. It’s an extreme fire danger, the upper end of the scale.”
The winds drive down the humidity, helping turn vegetation to tinder in an area that hasn’t seen rain in a month, Samuhel said. Relief in the form of precipitation remains a week away, and the winds probably will remain a force into Wednesday, he said.
In Northern California, the Camp Fire 90 miles north of Sacramento had killed 29 people and scorched more than 6,400 homes. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea warned the death toll could rise. He said 228 people were unaccounted for.
The Camp Fire is the most destructive in state history, and the death toll
midterm prove voters’ support for Trump wasn’t a fluke in 2016, but the party has integrated many supporters into its donor and volunteer base – and they’re ready to work on 2020. “They’re a fully ingrained part of our team and infrastructure,” Smedile said.
Ohio and (maybe) Florida will help
Although Democrats recaptured multiple gubernatorial seats Tuesday, they lost in Ohio, and their candidate initially conceded in a Florida contest that will be decided after a recount. That matters for 2020 because of the outsized role those large – and swing – states play in a presidential contest.
Having the governor in the state be from the same party is a “really, really big help” for a presidential candidate,
Dynamic Democrats such as Senate candidate Beto O’Rourke in Texas and gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in Georgia energized and helped grow the Democratic base.
“The Democratic Party is back,” Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez said at a breakfast roundtable Wednesday sponsored by The Christian Science Monitor.
Because those candidates lost – although Democrats hope for a runoff in Georgia – the party will continue to debate what type of candidate can win nationally and whether to nominate a moderate or liberal.
Trump lost the House
Democrats’ new power to investigate Trump and his administration through the House committees they will control means “it’s much more likely that scandals are going to appear” that could resonate with voters in a way that past controversies haven’t, said Allan Lichtman, a political historian who has correctly predicted the outcomes of all presidential elections since 1984.
Return of the blue wall
Trump got over the top in 2016 with narrow wins in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, states that were supposed to be Hillary Clinton’s “blue wall.” Tuesday, Democrats won the Senate and gubernatorial contests in all three states.
“His miracle states nobody thought he could win are looking Democratic again,” said Mike Murphy, a GOP consultant and Trump critic.
Demographics are destiny
Democrats’ win in the Nevada Senate race and an increasingly likely victory in the undecided Senate contest in Arizona show the West is turning purple, Lichtman said. The Georgia governor’s race and Texas Senate contest indicate those states could become competitive sooner than expected, though maybe not in 2020.