California Wildfires: Officials announced Death tolls rise to 56
At least 56 people have died and more than a two hundred people are still missing in the California Wildfires that devastates northern and southern California (USA) baptized Camp Fire, the most destructive in the history of this state.
#SierraFire: Footage from earlier this evening. In #SantaAnaWinds, Dozers can often engage where it’s too dangerous for handcrews. A decisive force multiplier in tonight’s firefight. ^eas pic.twitter.com/gtqmJB5pk6
— SB County Fire (@SBCOUNTYFIRE) November 14, 2018
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (also known as Cal Fire) authorities expect everyone to be safe elsewhere, it is very likely that more victims will be found dead.
“One of the most difficult parts of this particular job is to give you an update on the recovery of human remains,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters on Tuesday.
“An additional 8 human remains were recovered, that brings the total up to 56. All 8 of those human remains were found in the Paradise area,” says official of the death toll from the CA Camp fire. https://t.co/lt5i9SiHrQ pic.twitter.com/UgTo6sImhk
— CBS News (@CBSNews) November 15, 2018
Honea added officially that tragically 228 people are still missing, to which he added “we are finding remains in several states,” he told reporters. “People have suffered severe burns. I guess some of them have been consumed.”
As of Wednesday, 13 million people were in danger of critical fire, according to CNN meteorologist Dave Hennen. Cities like Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim, and Glendale are at risk.
California Wildfires Facts and Figures:
Active fire’s map in California. Image Credits: BBC
More than 9,000 firefighters – including many from other states – fight the Camp, Woolsey, and Hill fires. Here are the figures as of Wednesday evening according to Cal Fire and local officials.
Camp Fire
Location: Butte County
138,000 acres burned
35 percent contained
56 deaths confirmed
10,321 buildings destroyed (including homes)
Woolsey Fire
Location: Los Angeles County, Ventura County
98,362 acres burned
52 percent contained
3 deaths confirmed
435 buildings destroyed, 57,000 in danger
Hill Fire
Location: Ventura County
4,531 acres burned
96 percent contained
CampFire: One of the most deadly wildfires in the history of California:
This fire was first seen at 6:30 a.m. on November 8 and grew rapidly. Now, from 7 pm on November 14, the fire has a size of 138,000 acres and is contained at 35 percent. That’s an increase of 10,000 acres in size since yesterday, but also a five percent increase in containment.
A firefighter sprays water on flames in California. Image Credits: CNN
At least 15,500 structures are threatened and 7,600 residences and 260 commercial structures have been destroyed in northern California by the campfire, according to CAL FIRE.
CAL FIRE pointed out Wednesday: “The firemen of the previous night continued to maintain the established containment lines. Today the firefighters will provide structure defense and will continue to strengthen and improve the existing control lines. Firefighters will patrol within the fire area and will also mitigate hot spots and hazards. “Weather conditions and smoke allow it, aircraft will launch retardant lines in the existing areas of the fire and also in front of the fire to prevent their progress.”
Fifty-six people have died from the campfire and more than 200 are missing. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office reported five deaths in the Edgewood Lane area of Paradise. The victims seemed to be in their vehicles when they were overcome by fire. IDs have not yet been made due to burn injuries.
The smoke has been seen in all regions of California. Many counties and cities have seen smoke from this fire this week.
Several celebrities had to leave their homes because of the fires in California
The celebrities have not escaped the damage caused by the California wildfires among the thousands of homes affected the luxury mansions of personalities like Miley Cyrus, Will Smith, Gerard Butler, Martin Sheen, and Lady Gaga, while Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have had to hire a private fire team to protect their 60 million dollar house in Hidden Hill, Calabasas.
It is the worst fire that California has suffered to date, which already cost the lives of 56 people while 250 thousand were evacuated from the region. Malibu and Calabasas are two of the most affected places in California, where many Hollywood movie stars live in.
Among those affected by California, wildfires are Miley Cyrus, Guillermo Del Toro, Lady Gaga, the Kardashian sisters, Melissa McCarthy and Gerard Butler, among many others.
Several celebrities expressed their concern about the situation in the area through messages posted on social networks, some of them accompanied by photographs.
“Completely devastated 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. My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong. I am grateful for” Miley Cyrus wrote on Twitter.
Our home before and after the devastating #WoolsleyFire.
Please donate anything you can to The Malibu Foundation in hopes to restore Malibu’s magic… https://t.co/K2yFpjZDzc pic.twitter.com/6o8maqtRhd
— Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) November 14, 2018
The protagonist of ‘300’ was one of the displaced by the fire in the south of that state, and when returning to his home he found out that nothing was left intact.
Returned to my house in Malibu after evacuating. Heartbreaking time across California. Inspired as ever by the courage, spirit and sacrifice of firefighters. Thank you @LAFD. If you can, support these brave men and women at https://t.co/ei7c7F7cZx. pic.twitter.com/AcBcLtKmDU
— Gerard Butler (@GerardButler) November 11, 2018
Like the actor, the singer Robin Thicke found his house reduced to ashes. His girlfriend, April Love Geary, shared images of the house they share.
April Love Geary, Robin Thicke’s girlfriend, revealed on Sunday that their $2.4million mansion had burned to the ground pic.twitter.com/1BoMrN8mGZ
— Lilian Chan (@bestgug) November 11, 2018
The director of ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’ and ‘Doctor Strange’, Scott Derrickson, also lost his residence in the flames.
Just a quick update to say that I’m overwhelmed by the incredible outpouring of love and support. Thank you to everyone who messaged me, and for the dozens upon dozens of you who offered us a place to stay. We are blessed and grateful to be safe and so loved. 🙏🏻❤️ pic.twitter.com/5i4InDTs8S
— Scott Derrickson (@scottderrickson) November 10, 2018
Bad management or climate change?
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, has released his opinion on Twitter about what motivated the massive forest fires that devastate the state of California. “There is no reason for these massive, deadly, and costly wildfires in California, except that forest management, is very poor, billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all due to poor forest management.”, has written Trump. In the same publication, he urged those responsible to seek a solution to this problem or, he warned, there will be no more allocations from the federal budget for this type of emergency.
There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018
His message was dismissed as “irresponsible, reckless and insulting “by the International Firemen Association. The professionals reminded the president that forest fires are unleashed and spread not only in forested areas, but also in populated areas and open fields fed by dry vegetation, strong winds, low humidity, and Orography.
Scientists do not agree with Trump either. Experts in the field consulted by AP point out that both nature – through the winds that fan the flames – and the human being – by causing the climate change that dries the trees – are to blame for the fires.
“The natural factors and the global warming caused by the human being are fatally conjured” in these natural disasters, explained Kristen Thornicke, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (Germany).
