Nov. 12 (UPI) — The death toll tied to wildfires charring Northern and Southern California climbed to nearly four dozen late Monday, as one is now the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history.
Forty-two of the 44 dead have occurred as a result of the Camp Fire in Butte County, where Sheriff Kory L. Honea announced Monday night first responders found an additional 13 sets of human remains.
The previous record was 29 deaths caused by the 1933 Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles and 25 in the Oakland Hills fire in 1991.
The Camp Fire also is the most destructive with more than 100,000 acres scorched.
Along with two others in Southern California — the Woolsley Fire and the Hill Fire — the wildfires have forced nearly 150,000 people to evacuate, officials said.
Trump approved a request Sunday by Gov. Jerry Brown for a major declaration that “provides a wide range of federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure, including funds for both emergency and permanent work,” according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“I just approved an expedited request for a major disaster declaration for the State of California,”
Trump posted on Twitter. “Wanted to respond quickly in order to alleviate some of the incredible suffering going on. I am with you all the way. God Bless all of the victims and families affected.”
On Friday, Trump approved an emergency declaration for the state.
Two deaths were reported in the Woolsey Fire, which is burning through celebrity mansions and suburban homes alike in Malibu.
“This week, California has experienced the most destructive fires we have seen in its history,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Chief Scott Jalbert said during a news conference Sunday.
The Camp Fire north of San Francisco has burned 117,000 acres and is 30 percent contained, Cal Fire said in an update Monday night. It has destroyed 6,453 homes and 260 commercial structures. More than 200 people are missing and at least five firefighters have been injured.
The town of Paradise has taken the brunt of the damage and deaths, including 10 additional bodies Monday.
More than 5,100 firefighters are working the fire with 622 fire trucks, 21 helicopters and 71 water tankers.
The Woolsey Fire is 30 percent contained and has torched 93,662 acres from Los Angeles to Ventura counties, Cal Fire said Monday night. Two people trying to escape the fire died as their vehicle burned. An estimated 435 structures were destroyed and 57,000 threatened.
There were nearly 3,600 firefighters working the blaze, which officials say could kick back up again. The cities of Hidden Hills, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Calabasas and Malibu were under evacuation orders and residents in Topanga Canyon have also been advised to leave.
“This is a wind-driven event and the winds are coming back,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Chief John Benedict said, warning residents not to shelter in place. “Everybody needs to remain vigilant and please stay out of the areas that we’ve determined to be evacuation zones.”
Nearby, the Hill Fire in Ventura County has burned 4,531 acres and was 85 percent contained, according to a post by Cal Fire on Monday night. Two structures have been destroyed.
Frustrated residents lashed out at public officials in Woodland Hills, demanding to know when they could return home or why they weren’t told to evacuate sooner.
Bell Canyon resident Randy Piotroski evacuated Thursday night when the fire was a quarter-mile from his house.
“It was like a war zone,” Piotroski said. “Helicopters flying every which way, cars, people trying to get out all at once.”
Trump lamented what he considered poor forest management.
“With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart,” Trump tweeted Sunday.
Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said Trump’s comments are “reckless and insulting to firefighters” battling the blazes.
“The president’s message attacking California and threatening to withhold aid to the victims of the cataclysmic fires is ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering, as well as the men and women on the front lines,” Brian K. Rice, president of the California Professional Firefighters, said.
The fires are so large, smoke from their flames can be seen in downtown Detroit — about 2,100 miles to the northeast, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday. A northeastern jet stream is helping carry the smoke, which appears as thick clouds or haze in the Michigan city.
“You can see a peek of sun here and there — it’s not going to completely block out the sun or anything,” National Weather Service meteorologist Sara Pampreen said.
The smoke does not pose a health threat to people in the Great Lakes region, experts said.
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