The Woolsey Fire's toll on homes and buildings ticked up Saturday morning as 836 structures were classified as destroyed, with crews still tallying damage.

The number represented an overnight increase of more than 100 structures as teams continue to investigate the aftermath of the wildfire's rampage through Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Fire officials said 70 percent of the burn assessment is now complete.

Another 242 structures were damaged by the Woolsey Fire, which broke out in Ventura County, southeast of Simi Valley, on the afternoon of Nov. 8. The blaze, which was 82 percent contained as of Saturday morning, has chewed through some 98,362 acres, or more than 153 square miles, according to Cal Fire, the state fire agency. Three civilians have died in the fire.

As the damage count rises, it is getting closer to that wrought by last year's Thomas Fire, which destroyed 1,063 structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. A large portion of those were homes in the city of Ventura. The Thomas Fire ranks as the California's 9th most destructive wildfire on record in terms of structures destroyed, according to Cal Fire.

The Woolsey Fire's latest tally would place it at No. 13 on that list, ahead of last year's Atlas Fire in Napa and Solano counties, where 783 structures were destroyed.

The fire fed on dry brush, fueled by gusty Santa Ana winds, as it burned in and around cities from Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks to the coast, impacting Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Malibu. Its path included steep canyons and remote, rugged terrain that made access difficult.

With the containment line mostly in place Saturday and the active fire having subsided, efforts are now focused on keeping the blaze tamped down.

"Firefighters are still working hot spots in the hillsides," said Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Branden Silverman Saturday morning. "It's going to be some time before we can say every bit of hot embers are put out."

Winds had died down Saturday and humidity levels had increased, which helped firefighters gain the upper hand, Silverman said. But if winds kick up, embers could still jump containment lines, he said. Many of the hot spots are in rugged terrain near the coast around Malibu and in Ventura County, he said.

At the temporary fire camp and command post set up at the Camarillo Airport, some crews could be seen filling out demobilization paperwork before heading home Saturday morning. Some 2,842 personnel were still assigned to the incident Saturday.

In Northern California, the Camp Fire's devastation continued to rise, with 71 civilian fatalities confirmed and more than 1,000 people unaccounted for, fire officials said. The fire has destroyed large portions of the community of Paradise, in Butte County northeast of Sacramento, and burned 148,000 acres since starting Nov. 8. The Camp Fire has destroyed more than 10,300 homes and other structures, according to the latest official tally.

The Hill Fire, which also erupted in Ventura County on the afternoon of Nov. 8 — less than half an hour before the Woolsey Fire sparked — was fully contained this week at 4,531 acres. It destroyed four structures and damaged two. </s> 250,000 people were forced to flea their homes across the state including in Los Angeles, Malibu and Thousand Oaks.

The Woolsey Fire spanning an incredible 35,000-acres has become one of the most destructive in the state's modern history.

Emergency services were powerless to stop the blaze as 50 mph winds fuelled the spread of the fire throughout the western state, which was described as the “worst-case scenario” after 75,000 homes were threatened.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea confirmed the remains of five of the victims in Northern California were discovered in or near burned out cars, three outside residences and one inside a home. </s> Authorities searched on Monday for more than 200 people unaccounted for in one of the wildfires rampaging through parts of California, voicing concern about a possible rising death toll, with gusty, dry winds expected to fan the flames.

The so-called Camp Fire, California’s most destructive on record, had left at least 228 people missing as of early Monday, according to Kory Honea, sheriff of northern California’s Butte County, site of the fire. That fire and one in southern California have killed at least 31 people.

Both fires have been whipped up by hot dry winds expected to continue through Tuesday evening, according to officials. The winds were expected to heighten the risk of fresh blazes ignited by scattered embers. More than 224,000 people have been displaced by the fires, officials said.

The Camp Fire, 60km north of Sacramento, burned down more than 6,700 homes and businesses in the town of Paradise, more structures than any other wildfire recorded in California. The blaze has probably caused between $2 billion (€1.8 billion) and $4 billion in insured property damage, Morgan Stanley estimated in a report on Monday.

The fire had scorched more than 113,000 acres and was 25 per cent contained, officials said on Monday. Its death toll of 29 equals that of the Griffith Park Fire in 1933, the deadliest wildfire on record in California.

Speaking on CNN, Mr Honea said that while he held out hope that many people listed as missing would turn up safe, “given what we’ve dealt with so far with casualties as a result of this fire, I have concerns that it [the death toll] will rise”.

In southern California, the Woolsey Fire had burned more than 91,000 acres and was 20 per cent contained, officials said. The fire had forced authorities to issue evacuation orders for a quarter of a million people in Ventura and Los Angeles counties and beachside communities including the Malibu beach colony. By Sunday night parts of the two counties were reopened.

At least two people have died in the Woolsey Fire, according to officials from the statewide agency Cal Fire, which has more than 3,200 personnel fighting the blaze. The number of people missing in the Woolsey Fire was not immediately available.

Many of those allowed to return were left without power or a mobile phone service, even if their homes were spared by the flames.

A smaller blaze in southern California, the Hill Fire, was 75 per cent contained and had burned 4,531 acres, officials said.

Wind gusts of up to 100km/h were expected in the mountains, valleys and canyons of southern California, raising the possibility of downed power lines and trees. This, in combination with low humidity, was expected to create the perfect conditions for fires to spread.

Local residents were despondent over the fire damage.

“It’s not the house, because you can rebuild. But it’s what is inside the house. It’s all gone,” Malibu resident Marcella Shirk (82) told KABC-TV. “And that’s what hurts, those kinds of things hurt, because you can’t replace that.” She and her husband lost their house of 41 years and its possessions. The house burned on his 92nd birthday.

Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has asked US president Donald Trump to declare a major disaster to bolster the emergency response and help residents recover. Mr Trump, a Republican who has often criticised Democrat-led California on a variety of issues including immigration enforcement, blamed the state government in Twitter comments during the weekend, criticising poor forest management by the state for the infernos.

Brian Rice, president of the California Professional Firefighters, called Mr Trump’s statement “ill-timed” given the loss of life and ongoing search for missing people. “You can’t just make a blanket statement,” Mr Rice told MSNBC on Monday, adding that fires and forest management were complicated and that weather also was a major factor.

“Right now, what is needed is, really, support,” Mr Rice said.– Reuters </s> The death toll from the three raging wildfires in California has increased to 31, with more than 300,000 people forced to evacuate from their homes across the US state, according to authorities.

Of the 31 victims, 29 died in Northern California’s Camp Fire and two in Southern California’s Woolsey Fire, reports CNN.

The Camp fire — the most destructive blaze in the state’s history and largest of the three — has burned 111,000 acres across Northern California and was 25 per cent contained as of Sunday morning, according to Cal Fire.

It has virtually burned the town of Paradise to the ground and destroyed an estimated 6,700 buildings, most of which were homes.

Cal Fire said that at least 110 people were still missing and the toll could go higher.

In Southern California, the Woolsey fire has spread to 83,275 acres and was 10 per cent contained, up from 5 per cent the night before.

The smaller Hill Fire covered 4,531 acres and was 75 per cent contained. Together, responsible for the destruction of 179 structures, but another 57,000 were threatened, fire officials said.

Firefighters on Sunday managed to contain flareups generated by high winds in Los Angeles County.

But officials warned that the dry conditions feeding the fire are expected to continue into the week and gusts would peak at around 40 mph.

“Sadly, with these winds, it’s not over yet,” Scott Jalbert, chief of Cal Fire’s San Luis Obispo Unit, said on Sunday.

More than 300,000 people have been forced from their homes statewide.

The majority of those residents were in Los Angeles County, where 170,000 were evacuated. </s> Authorities on Friday morning said the Woolsey fire has expanded to 10,000 acres, prompting evacuations and street congestion as people flee their homes.

Strong winds and poor visibility due to thick smoke created a dangerous situation for thousands of firefighters battling the blaze late Thursday night into Friday morning, officials said. More than 88,000 homes have been evacuated across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

“It’s been a long night,” said Corey Rose, assistant chief with L.A. City Fire Department. “But what makes this good is that we’ve done it together.” </s> The Woolsey Fire exploded to 14,000 acres on Friday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and fire officials said the relentless blaze is continuing to grow.A total of 88,000 residents were evacuated from their homes -- 45,000 from Ventura County and 43,000 from L.A. County. It's believed another 60,000 residents south of the 101 Freeway were in the process of evacuating between the 101 and the ocean. No injuries have been reported.Acting Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to the two fires, the Woolsey Fire and the Hill Fire.The fast-moving Woolsey Fire jumped the 101 Freeway at Chesebro Road at about 5:15 a.m. and established itself on the south side of freeway, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. The jump forced the freeway to close again in both directions at Liberty Canyon Road as approximately as the fire moved uphill, burning approximately 3 acres, according to the California Highway Patrol.The blaze started in Simi Valley near the Rocketdyne facility in the Santa Susana Pass. By early Friday morning, the fire had grown to more than 10,000 acres, then to 14,000 by around 11:30 a.m., Ventura County Fire Department Chief Mark Lorenzen said."We have hundreds of firefighters here on the fire lines right now, many more on order," Lorenzen said.The containment stood at 0 percent. Multiple structures were damaged and destroyed. Among the homes ruined in the blaze, several were in the Oak Park area as well as Bell Canyon.The Woolsey Fire also burned the beloved Western Town at Paramount Ranch in Agoura.The massive blaze triggered mandatory evacuations - including the entire city of Malibu Detailed fire and shelter information can be found atThe destructive flames tore through neighborhoods as wind gusts reached upwards of 30 and 40 mph . Strong winds are expected to diminish between 10 a.m. and noon.A second fire, dubbed the Hill Fire , burning in the Santa Rosa Valley east of Camarillo, west of Simi Valley near Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks, was mere miles from the scene of a deadly mass shooting that claimed 12 lives Wednesday night. Lorenzen said the fire activity in the Hill Fire zone has diminished, allowing more resources to be more focused on the Woolsey Fire.Hundreds of Ventura County firefighters and eight air tankers were battling the flames on the ground and from above.Plumes of thick, white smoke could be seen rising above the burn site as strong Santa Ana winds drove the flames amid red flag conditions.The cause of the fires remain under investigation. </s> Terrible news from the region just north of Sacramento California where the devastating ‘Camp Fire’ impacted the town of Paradise. Late Wednesday evening search and recovery workers located another eight sets of human remains bringing the total death toll from this single fire event to 56. The death toll is anticipated to climb…

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and FEMA Director Brock Long visited the devastated area today to thank firefighters and rescue workers. The search for bodies is gruesome as some human remains are found inside burned structures and others outside.

CALIFORNIA – 9 p.m. ET: As of Wednesday night, eight more human remains have been found, bringing the death toll to 56. Six of them were found inside structures and two were found outside. Statewide, the death toll is 59 (including three from the Woolsey Fire). There have been more than 10,000 structures destroyed by the Camp Fire, including homes. The total amount of evacuated residents remains at 52,000 people. The Camp Fire containment remains at 35 percent. Some 138,000 acres have been scorched.

Authorities searching through the blackened aftermath of California’s deadliest wildfire Wednesday released the names of some 130 people who are unaccounted, including many in their 80s and 90s, and dozens more could still be unaccounted for. As the names of the missing were made public, additional crews joined the search. “We want to be able to cover as much ground as quickly as we possibly can,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. “This is a very difficult task.” A sheriff’s department spokeswoman, Megan McMann, acknowledged that the list of the missing was incomplete. She said detectives were concerned about being overwhelmed with calls from relatives if the entire list were released. (read more) </s> More residents of Los Angeles and Ventura counties were returning to their homes in the Woolsey Fire burn area on Saturday, days after the blaze of 98,362 acres forced them to evacuate.Utility crews worked to remove damaged equipment and bring in replacements, including numerous power poles.Although walls of flame and towering columns of smoke were gone, firefighters continue to expand containment lines around the scorched area. Cal Fire said the 153-square-mile burn area was 82 percent surrounded.The count of destroyed structures reached 836. Another 242 structures were damaged.Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives were investigating three deaths connected to the fire. Two adults were found in a burned-out car last week, and the remains of a person were found Wednesday in the rubble of a home that had burned to the ground.At the Paramount Ranch, structures that served as barns, hotels, saloons and barbershops for decades of movies and TV shows are gone. Workers will salvage what they can and then work to rebuild.On Friday, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Superintendent David Szymanski announced a plan to rebuild and reopen the site within the next two years."The site is almost a total loss," Szymanski said. "It's easy to be somber. But there's some things that I'm hoping will allow us to be a little bit less somber. We'd like to get Paramount Ranch rebuilt in the next 24 months."As the ranch's manmade structures are rebuilt, the stark surrounding hills will most likely take care of themselves."All this natural vegetation will regenerate itself," said Sara Horner, board president of the Santa Monica Mountains Fund. "A year from now, it will be green, from after the rains, and then in a few years, it'll look pretty much as it did. Nature is amazingly powerful in her ability to heal." </s> Death toll rises to 31 with 200 missing in California wildfires

(BBC) — The death toll in wildfires sweeping California has risen to 31, with more than 200 people still unaccounted for, officials have said.

Six more people were confirmed killed in the Camp Fire in the north of the state, taking the toll there to 29.

It now equals the deadliest wildfire on record in California – the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles.

In the south, the Woolsey Fire has claimed two lives as it damaged beach resorts including Malibu.

An estimated 250,000 people have been forced to flee their homes to avoid three major blazes in the state.

With strengthening winds threatening to spread the flames, state Governor Jerry Brown has urged President Donald Trump to declare a major disaster, a move that would harness more federal emergency funds.

The appeal came a day after Mr Trump threatened to cut funding for California, blaming the fires on poor forest management.

What is the latest on the Camp Fire?

Emergency teams have been sifting through the remains of more than 6,700 homes and businesses burned down in the town of Paradise.

The town and surrounding area bore the brunt of the inferno, which started in nearby forest on Thursday.

At a news conference late on Sunday, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the bodies of five people had been found in their burned-out homes and a sixth was found inside a vehicle. He said that more than 200 people were still unaccounted for.

The mayor of Paradise, Jody Jones, gave the BBC an update on the situation in the town.

“Most of the residential [area] is gone. I would say 90%,” she said. “I had an opportunity to go up there and take a look for myself. Just about everyone I know lost their home.”

The fire is the most destructive in the state’s history and the joint deadliest.

It has burned more than 109,000 acres (44,000 hectares) and is nearly 25% contained, fire officials said.

What about the Woolsey Fire?

The blaze started on Thursday near Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles (64km) north-west of central Los Angeles.

By Sunday it had consumed 83,000 acres and destroyed at least 177 buildings, officials said. It is only 10% contained. The smaller Hill Fire, nearby, has scorched 4,530 acres and is 75% contained.

Some looting was reported in the southern fire area over the weekend and police said arrests had been made.

Luxury homes in Malibu and other beach communities are among properties that have fallen victim to the flames.

Firefighters used a respite from strong winds on Saturday to drop fire retardants to strengthen firebreaks.

But officials warned against complacency, with winds of up to 70mph (112km/h) expected over the coming days. They said fires could spread quickly and unexpectedly.

“Winds are already blowing. They are going to blow for the next three days. Your house can be rebuilt but you can’t bring your life back,” said Los Angeles County fire chief Daryl Osby.

Meteorologist David Gomberg told the Los Angeles Times newspaper that fire tornadoes were possible.

What do the politicians say?

Governor Brown’s request to President Trump was aimed at bolstering the emergency response to what he called the “catastrophic” nature of the wildfires.

“We’re putting everything we’ve got into the fight against these fires and this request ensures communities on the front lines get additional federal aid,” Mr Brown’s letter said.

Mr Trump’s response to the fires has been criticised as unsympathetic and ill-informed.

On Sunday, during a trip to France, he tweeted: “With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!”

He has previously blamed Californian officials for wildfires and threatened to withhold federal funding.

In a tweet on Saturday, he accused state authorities of “gross mismanagement” of forests.
The number of structures destroyed in the Woolsey Fire rises to 1,452.