Deadliest fire in California history kills 42 people

Deadliest fire in California history kills 42 people

The death toll from a huge blaze in northern California rose to 42 on Monday, making it the deadliest wildfire in state history.

Thousands of firefighters spent a fifth day digging battle lines to contain the "Camp Fire" in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento, while search teams were on a grim mission to recover the dead.

"As of today, an additional 13 human remains have been recovered, which brings the total number to 42," Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference.

The blaze is "the deadliest wildland fire in California history," Honea said.

Although it is difficult to be certain due to inconsistencies in record keeping and categorization, the Camp Fire appears to deadliest American wildfire in a century -- since the Cloquet Fire killed an estimated 1,000 people in Minnesota in 1918.

The Camp Fire is the largest of several infernos that have sent a quarter of a million people fleeing their homes across the tinder-dry state, with winds of up to 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour fanning the fast-moving flames.

In addition to the historic loss of life, the Camp Fire blaze is also more destructive than any other on record, having razed 6,500 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map.

More than 5,100 firefighters from as far as the states of Washington and Texas have been working to halt the advance of the inferno as "mass casualty" search teams backed by anthropologists and a DNA lab pick through the charred ruins to identify remains -- sometimes reduced to no more than shards of bone.

"We're now at a point where we're going to bring in human remains detector dogs, or what often are referred to as cadaver dogs," Honea said Monday.

At least 44 people have died in fire zones in north and south California, where acrid smoke has blanketed the sky for miles, the sun barely visible.

US President Donald Trump "declared that a major disaster exists in the state of California and ordered federal aid to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by wildfires," the White House said in a statement.

The move makes aid available to the state's fire-hit Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

On the ground, cars caught in the flames have been reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while piles of debris smolder where houses once stood, an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining.

Glenn Simmons, 64, told AFP in the nearby town of Chico that he had been sleeping in his car since Thursday, unable to find a space in a shelter.

"I was planning on maybe moving out of state, or into southern California... Everything is burned up. I have my clothes and I have a backpack, and that's pretty much it," he said.

The Camp Fire has reduced around 17 square miles (45 square kilometers) of Butte County's forested hills mostly to charred wasteland -- an area which hasn't seen rainfall of more than half an inch (one centimeter) in more than 30 weeks.

It is currently 25 per cent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.

Three firefighters have been injured in the effort to quell the blaze's advance.

At the southern end of the state, another three firefighters have been injured battling the Woolsey Fire, which has devoured mansions and mobile homes alike in the coastal celebrity resort of Malibu.

The blaze is similar in size to the Camp Fire but has been much less destructive, and the death toll has been limited to two victims found in a vehicle on a private driveway.

'The new abnormal'

While some Malibu-area residents were allowed to return home late Sunday, the city of Calabasas, just northeast of coastal Malibu, came under evacuation orders.

"This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal. And this new abnormal will continue, certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," California Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday in a stark warning over the likely damaging effects of climate change.

"Unfortunately, the best science is telling us that the dryness, warmth, drought, all those things, they're going to intensify."

Over the weekend, the Woolsey Fire engulfed parts of Thousand Oaks, where the community is still shell-shocked after a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday.

The blaze has consumed around 93,000 acres (37,600 hectares), destroyed an estimated 370 structures and was 30 per cent contained, according to Cal Fire.

Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California.

"Completely devastated (sic) by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that's all that matters right now," she tweeted.

"My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong."

Many of the affected area's residents own horses, and Twitter has been flooded with messages from people seeking and offering help.

Actor James Woods, a rare political conservative in liberal Hollywood, has made new friends by using his Twitter account to help find missing people and getting help for pets, including horses.

The Ventura County Humane Society said it was "deeply humbled" by a $100,000 donation from actress Sandra Bullock and her family to rescue and care for animals evacuated from the fires.

homepage

trending

trending
    'This job has become a part of me': Single mother in Malaysia becomes trailer driver to support family
    Turtle soup stall in Jalan Besar closing after 60 years due to owner's poor health: 'Nothing I can do about it'
    Star Awards 2025's oldest nominees Chen Shucheng, Lin Ruping, Hugo Ng on staying humble, leaving winning to fate
    From serving slices to looks: Pizza Hut Singapore debuts streetwear collection in collab with local brand
    Agoda makes changes to problematic features on website, app after concerns raised by Singapore competition watchdog
    Man arrested at Woodlands Checkpoint for smuggling drugs including 1.4kg of heroin
    Man who allegedly hit 132kmh on PIE to be charged with speeding
    Happily fur-ever after: Poodles wow internet with $5,000 garden wedding ceremony
    Tay Ying marries at same venue as parents Hong Huifang and Zheng Geping, local stars turn up in force
    Bukit Merah hawker slams 'unacceptable' utensil theft after losing more than 40 forks, 10 plates in just over 2 weeks
    Car crashes through wall, plunges 3 storeys after accelerator mix-up at KL car park

Singapore

Singapore
    • 6 taken to hospital after lorry skids and overturns in Tuas
    • Man sustains gunshot wound while cycling in SAF live-firing zone
    • 'I take it whenever I can': Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow wants to rekindle Singaporeans' love for public transport
    • Singapore has initiated many successful policies, Indonesia 'can copy with pride': President Prabowo
    • Insurer Great Eastern pauses pre-authorisation certificates for Mount Elizabeth admissions
    • Daily roundup: Poodles wow internet with $5,000 garden wedding ceremony — and other top stories today
    • Up to $1,200 in MediSave top-ups for Pioneer Generation Singaporeans in July
    • Woman arrested for allegedly making over $262k worth of purchases using stolen credit card details
    • New crane tips over at Tuas Port, no injuries reported
    • Cyclist, 54, seen lying face-down following accident with tipper truck along Tanah Merah Coast Road

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Alex Fong and wife expecting 1st child
    • 'It's time to take responsibility for what I did': Ex-actor Ian Fang arrives at State Courts to begin prison sentence
    • BTS' Jin tries lie detector test, what untruths did the machine pick out?
    • Kim Soo-hyun's luxury apartment seized over unpaid advertiser's penalty fee amid Kim Sae-ron scandal
    • Doctor accused of providing Matthew Perry with ketamine has agreed to plead guilty
    • Justin Bieber asks public to stop urging him to 'heal'
    • Glenn Close and Billy Porter cast in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping
    • Sean 'Diddy' Combs juror dismissed despite defence's concern about race
    • Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson defends decision to book gig on father's death anniversary
    • Ye makes surprise appearance at Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial; judge considers removing juror

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Just tired or something more? The overlooked mental struggles some new dads face
    • 'I should treasure this': New dad Ghib Ojisan on his journey as the family's confinement nanny
    • Home-based food businesses stir debate among restaurant owners
    • 'I miss you, dad': Sons speak on grief, growth and navigating life without a father
    • Singapore private club 1880 suddenly closes; founder says it has no funds to pay staff and suppliers
    • Range Rover Velar 3.0 S review: Change of heart for a cleaner and more powerful ride
    • Air Jordan 5 Retro Grape sneakers revived after 12 years
    • Vietjet rolls out $86 fares for Singapore to Vietnam flights for limited time only
    • Four Star has 80% off mattresses and furniture for 4 days only, SAFRA members get extra 10% off
    • Best buffet dining promotions in Singapore: Carousel, Colony, Edge, Peppermint, The Line buffet prices (June 2025)

Digicult

Digicult
    • Slim, sleek, but slightly too short-lived: Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge review
    • World's best Dota 2 teams to compete for $1m prize pool in Singapore in November
    • Disney, Universal sue image creator Midjourney for copyright infringement
    • Initiative by IMDA, AI Verify Foundation tests AI accuracy, trustworthiness in real-world scenarios
    • Under siege? Helldivers 2's latest city to be invaded by aliens could be spoof of Singapore
    • Honor 400 Series launches in Singapore with first free in-device AI image-to-video tool
    • Home Team humanoid robots to be deployed by mid-2027, $100m to be invested: Josephine Teo
    • Ado concert review: Singer without a face ignites fans while in cage with only silhouette visible
    • EU and US authorities take down malware network
    • Google Pixel 9a: The best AI-centric phone under $800 in 2025?

Money

Money
    • Best credit card promotions in Singapore (June 2025): Citibank, DBS, HSBC, UOB and more
    • Trump, Starmer say US-UK trade deal finalised
    • Paris Airshow opens under cloud of India crash, Mideast conflict
    • Estee Lauder Chairman Emeritus Leonard Lauder dies at 92
    • Love without a BTO flat: Tough housing choices facing mixed-nationality couples in Singapore
    • 9 best air-mile credit cards in Singapore (May-June 2025)
    • Trump approves Nippon Steel's $19b purchase of US Steel
    • Air India disaster is first fatal Boeing 787 accident
    • Best bank offers in Singapore (June 2025): Blackpink Visa presale, Lilo & Stitch Hawaii vacation, up to 50% off flights and more
    • More seniors to benefit as 3 local banks recognise CPF Life payouts as income proof for credit card applications

Latest

Latest
  • Indonesian police searching Saudia Airlines plane after bomb threat
  • Israeli tank shelling kills 51 people awaiting aid trucks in Gaza, ministry says
  • New Zealand PM to discuss trade, tourism and security in first visit to China
  • China's civil servants banned from dining out in Xi's austerity drive
  • Pentagon chief says Trump still aiming for deal with Iran
  • Indonesian police say 2 people arrested over fatal shooting in Bali villa
  • Chinese embassy in Israel urges citizens to leave
  • Want to file for divorce in China? You might need a booking agent
  • G7 expresses support for Israel, calls Iran source of instability

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • 'Family love keeps me going': Thai, 46, walks 700km to quit cannabis addiction
  • 'I was scared. I stood up and ran': Sole survivor of Air India crash reportedly jumped out of emergency exit
  • 'Overwhelming response': Less than 2,000 books left after Yale-NUS adoption drive, June 14 fair open to public
  • 'You got yourself a customer for life': Woman receives surprise gifts from SIA crew to celebrate her pregnancy
  • Bus swayed uncontrollably and was speeding: Survivors of crash which killed 15 students in Malaysia describe terrifying moments
  • 'Modern kampung spirit': Neighbours leave heartfelt notes on newly-weds' apology notice for wedding 'gatecrash' noise
  • 'A quiet spot to hang out': Car enthusiasts mourn closure of '40 tiang' Lim Chu Kang Road
  • 2 women arrested for theft at Changi Airport transit area within an hour
  • 40 Singaporeans going on 'Single's Inferno' trips to Japan to find love, minus the cameras
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.