What Happened?
The wildfire that spread through the northern town of Paradise has killed 29 people, matching the state record for the highest death toll in a single fire, according to the New York Times.
The fire, known as “Camp Fire,” began Thursday, Nov. 8, and swept through the entire town of Paradise, California, destroying thousands of homes and businesses.
When the fire started in Paradise Thursday morning, gridlock traffic immediately developed on the main road to leave the town, according to the New York Times.
“I don’t know that you could build the infrastructure to evacuate an entire town that quickly,” Paradise Mayor Jody Jones told the New York Times.
Another wildfire in Southern California, called the “Woolsey Fire,” destroyed many homes and celebrity mansions in Malibu and Calabasas.
Firefighters across California battled three separate fires, which forced more than 250,000 people to evacuate their homes, CBS reported.
The Latest
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department allowed people to return to their homes in some areas and reopened roads after firefighters made progress containing the Woolsey Fire, CBS Los Angeles reported.
At least 200 people are unaccounted for and authorities continue to search for anyone who is currently missing. Search teams ordered assistance from DNA labs and anthropologists to help identify bodies, CBS reported.
“The California Fire Fighters, FEMA and First Responders are amazing and very brave. Thank you and God Bless you all,” President Donald Trump tweeted Monday morning.