Death toll in northern California fires rises to 25

Sheriff's deputies carry the remains of a victim of the Camp Fire on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Sheriff's deputies carry the remains of a victim of the Camp Fire on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Published Nov 11, 2018

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Washington - The death toll in the fatal fires that have hit

northern California has risen to 23, the Butte County Fire Department

said late Saturday.

Fourteen more bodies were discovered Saturday, according to the

incident update on Twitter. The so-called Camp Fire in the northern

California town of Paradise had already claimed nine lives.

The 23 killed were said to be civilians, with three firefighters

injured. More than 6 450 homes have been destroyed since Thursday.

More than 4 000 firefighters are battling the blaze.

Earlier, Los Angeles County sheriff's chief John Benedict said two

people had died in flames in the south of the western state, where

hundreds of thousands of people including actors and celebrities have

been evacuated as blazes there doubled in size.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands evacuated in the state's south as

flames doubled in size.

Los Angeles County sheriff's chief John Benedict said two people had

died in the fire area but that the deaths were under investigation.

Officials also said Saturday that more than 250 000 people had been

evacuated from the area, including Malibu, known for its celebrities.

"Our firefighters have been facing some extreme, tough fire

conditions that they said that they've never seen in their lives,"

said LA county fire chief Daryl Osby. Firefighting helicopters worked

through the night in the county to try to keep damage to a minimum.

Accuweather meterologist Brett Rathbun said winds in southern

California are set to pick up again on Sunday, spreading flames.

Governor-elect Gavin Newson had issued a state of emergency in Butte

County, Los Angeles and Ventura counties that held on Saturday.

Over 3,000 emergency personnel are battling the blazes, using 23

helicopters as well as firefighting air tankers.

US President Donald Trump blamed poor forest management for the

"massive, deadly and costly forest fires" on Twitter and threatened

to withhold funding if the "gross mismanagement" was not remedied.

dpa

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