Death Toll in Northern California Wildfire Rises

The death toll for the wildfires burning in northern California’s Camp Fire rose to 42 people Monday night — making it the deadliest wildfire ever in the state, officials said.

Authorities announced that 13 more bodies were found during searches on Monday. The death toll is expected to continue to rise.

The dead were found in burned-out cars, in the smoldering ruins of their homes, or next to their vehicles, apparently overcome by smoke and flames before they could jump in behind the wheel and escape. In some cases, there were only charred fragments of bone, so small that coroner’s investigators used a wire basket to sift and sort them.

I just approved an expedited request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of California. 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.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2018

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California Gov. Jerry Brown had requested the declaration on Sunday, which will bolster ongoing emergency assistance and help residents recover from fires burning in Butte, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties. Brown’s declaration asked to make individuals eligible for crisis counseling, housing and unemployment help, and legal aid. . .

Hundreds of people were unaccounted for by the sheriff’s reckoning, four days after the fire swept over the town of 27,000 and practically wiped it off the map with flames so fierce that authorities brought in a mobile DNA lab and forensic anthropologists to help identify the dead. (Read more from “Death Toll in Northern California Wildfire Rises” HERE)

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