California fire toll rises to 33; winds cause concern

900

san francisco — The death toll from California’s wildfires rose to 33 on Friday as firefighters made some progress in containing the infernos but said intensifying winds were a concern.

“We’re not out of this emergency, not even close,” said Mark Ghilarducci, director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

“But we are seeing some progress in areas the fires have impacted,” Ghilarducci told a news conference. “We’ll get ahead of these flames.”

California fire chief Ken Pimlott said more than 9,000 firefighters were battling 17 large fires that have consumed a total of 221,754 acres (89,700 hectares) since Sunday.

An estimated 5,700 structures have been destroyed by the wildfires, up from 3,500 reported on Wednesday, CAL FIRE said on its Twitter account. The death toll firefighters are battling 17 large fires that have consumed a total of 89,700 hectares so far rose to 33 with a 14-year-old boy’s body reportedly being recovered in Mendocino county near his family’s home.

“It appears he was attempting to evacuate the area on foot when he was overtaken by the fire,” the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office told the Ukiah Daily Journal.

Sonoma County officials earlier Friday reported another death, which had brought the total to 32.

“We have had some significant progress,” Pimlott said. —