Camp Fire – the deadliest wildfire in California history – is finally 100 percent contained after burning for TWO WEEKS
The Camp Fire burned nearly 154,000 acres and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes
So far 85 people have been killed and 249 are still missing, fire officials say
Two rainstorms over a three-day period in the burn area helped slow the fire
Despite being contained, authorities say that the blaze is not yet extinguished
By MARY KEKATOS
DAILYMAIL.COM
25 November 2018
The deadliest wildfire in California history that destroyed the northern part of the state is 100 percent contained, state fire officials say.
The so-called Camp Fire killed at least 85 people, and 249 are on a list of those unaccounted for after burning for more than two weeks.
Starting on November 8, the fire burned nearly 154,000 acres and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes.
Crews continued sifting through ash and debris for human remains. Nearly 19,000 buildings, most of them homes, are gone.
According to SF Gate, two rainstorms brought a great amount of precipitation to the area, which helped slow the fire.
Despite fears of mudslides and debris flow, neither occurred in the burn areas where rain fell.
The National Weather Service reported that Paradise received 3.22 inches of rain, Concow received five inches and Magalia received 5.41 inches.
However, Brigitte Foster, a spokeswoman for the Camp Fire unified command unit, said that full containment does not mean the fire has been extinguished.
‘They’re going to be working on it for months,’ Foster told SF Gate.
‘Within the perimeter, there are stumps and burning roots that are underground, and we still need to try to pull those up and remove the heat.’
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has warned that remains of some victims may never be found.
The town of Paradise was a popular destination for retirees, with people aged 65 or older accounting for a quarter of its 27,000 residents. Most of the victims of the fire identified so far were of retirement age.
Just days earlier, fire officials in southern California pronounced the Woolsey fire that so and other areas is 100 percent contained.
In southern California, more residents returned to areas evacuated in a destructive fire as crews repaired power, telephone and gas utilities.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said they were in the last phase of repopulating Malibu and unincorporated areas of the county. At the height of the fire, 250,000 fled their homes.
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