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Reuters

Firefighters battled raging blazes at both ends of drought-stricken California on Sunday, with the death toll rising to at least 23 and strong winds and dry conditions forecast.
The largest fires were in Butte County, a scenic area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento, and the Los Angeles area, where two deaths possibly related to a fire were reported.


Acrid smoke from the fire covered the sky for miles, almost blocking the sun. On the ground, cars caught in flames were reduced to metal frames, while power lines were gnawed by the fire.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said late on Saturday 14 more bodies had been found, taking the number of fatalities of the “Camp Fire” to 23.
In pictures: wildfire rages in northern California
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for more than 52,000 people in the area.
In the town of Paradise more than 6,700 buildings – including a hospital, a service station and several restaurants – were consumed by fire.
Rescuers removed human remains over several hours and placed them in a black hearse. Charred body parts were put in buckets, while intact remains were carried in body bags.

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

At the Holly Hills Mobile Estate, mobile homes were reduced to smouldering piles of debris. Yellow police tape marked spots tagged “Doe C” and “Doe D,” suggesting bodies were found there.
Locals fled the danger, but police said some farmers returned to check on their cattle.
Fanned by strong winds, the blaze has so far scorched 40,500 hectares (100,000 acres) and is 20 per cent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said. So far, three of the more than 3,200 firefighters deployed have been injured.

They estimate they will need three weeks to contain the blaze.
Local power authorities told state officials there was an outage near the spot where the fire erupted, The Sacramento Bee reported, but there is no official cause of the Camp Fire blaze.
US President Donald Trump drew criticism for a seemingly unsympathetic reaction to the devastation.
“There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor,” he tweeted. “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!”

These California fires are expanding very, very quickly (in some cases 80-100 acres a minute). If people don’t evacuate quickly, they risk being overtaken by the fire. Please listen to evacuation orders from State and local officials!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018

Brian Rice, head of the California Professional Firefighters, slammed the tweet as “ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines”.
Trump later showed more sympathy. “Our hearts are with those fighting the fires,” as well as the evacuees and families of the victims, he tweeted. “God Bless them all.”

More than 4,000 are fighting the Camp and Woolsey Fires in California that have burned over 170,000 acres. Our hearts are with those fighting the fires, the 52,000 who have evacuated, and the families of the 11 who have died. The destruction is catastrophic. God Bless them all.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 10, 2018

But he appeared to reverse course again on Sunday, tweeting: “With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!”
In southern California, more wildfires burned, including one just north of Los Angeles and another in Ventura County near Thousand Oaks.
‘The wind is apocalyptic’: one couple’s midnight flight from wildfires raging in California
The Woolsey Fire destroyed at least 177 structures and was five per cent contained, Cal Fire said late on Saturday. Evacuation orders had been issued for some 88,000 homes in Ventura County and neighbouring Los Angeles County.
Woolsey fire: celebrities await word of fate of homes as Malibu burns
The wildfire reached Paramount Ranch, destroying the Western Town sets used for hundreds of productions including HBO’S sci-fi western Westworld, network officials said.

Firefighters got a respite from the strong winds on Saturday, and Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby said aircraft were deployed to drop fire retardants to strengthen the fire lines.
Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen however had a warning: “Don’t be lulled by a false sense of security.”
Strong winds are expected until Tuesday across the region – strong enough to rapidly spread flames in unexpected directions, officials said.


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United States

Paradise loss: death toll hits 23 as 250,000 flee worst fires in California history

MALIBU, CA - NOVEMBER 09: A house burns during the Woolsey Fire on November 9, 2018 in Malibu, California. After a experiencing a mass shooting, residents of Thousand Oaks are threatened by the ignition of two nearby dangerous wildfires, including the Woolsey Fire which has reached the Pacific Coast at Malibu. David McNew/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

This NASA Earth Observatory handout image taken on November 8, 2018 and released on November 10, 2018 shows the Camp Fire burning in Paradise, California. - The death toll from the most destructive fire to hit California rose to 23 on November 10 as rescue workers recovered more bodies of people killed by the devastating blaze. Ten of the bodies were found in the town of Paradise while four were discovered in the Concow area, both in Butte County, Honea said. (Photo by Joshua Stevens / NASA Earth Observatory / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / JOSHUA STEVENS / NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Buildings burn during the Woolsey Fire in Malibu, California. After a experiencing a mass shooting, residents of Thousand Oaks are threatened by the ignition of two nearby dangerous wildfires. Photo: AFP

‘The wind is apocalyptic’: one couple’s midnight flight from wildfires raging in California

Kate Elizabeth Hallam and David Tickle with the fire in the background. Photo: handout

(181110) -- MALIBU, Nov. 10, 2018 (Xinhua) -- Wildfire burns a house in Malibu, California, the United States, on Nov. 9, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong) (zxj)

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United States & Canada

Charred remains of 14 more victims found in and around Paradise, a northern California town overrun by flames
President Trump fans ongoing dispute with California leaders, blaming mismanagement of state resources for the destruction and death


The charred remains of 14 more victims have been found in and around a Northern California town overrun by flames from a massive wildfire.


Natural disasters