Toll rises to 77 in deadliest California wildfire

PARADISE: The toll from the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history rose further on Sunday to 77, the sheriff's office said.

"One human remain was located today," raising the toll by one in the so-called Camp Fire which broke out 10 days ago in northern California, a statement from the Butte County Sheriff said.

The number of people unaccounted for has fallen to 993, down from a peak of more than 1,200, the statement added.



More than 10,000 homes have been destroyed in the blaze which has devoured an area roughly the size of Chicago, and essentially wiped the community of Paradise off the map.

Kimberly Spainhower hugs her daughter Chloe, 13, while her husband Ryan Spainhower (R) searches through the ashes of their burned home in Paradise. PHOTO: AFP

Thousands fled and many found temporary refuge at churches or in tents.

Ryan Spainhower displays a coin, memento from his honeymoon, that he found amidst the burned remains of his home in Paradise. PHOTO: AFP

US President Donald Trump surveyed the remains of Paradise during a visit on Saturday, and also toured the damage from another fire further south in Malibu, where three people died.

PHOTO: AFP

President Donald Trump expressed sadness Saturday at the devastation caused by fires in a California town, but persisted in his controversial claim that forest mismanagement is responsible for the tragedy which has left 76 dead and more than 1,000 listed as missing.

“This is very sad,” Trump said after surveying the remains of Paradise, where nearly the only people out on the road were emergency services workers, surrounded by the twisted remains of a community incinerated by the flames.



“They’re telling me this is not as bad as some areas; some areas are even beyond this, they’re just charred,” he added after looking at a street lined with melted cars, tree stumps and the foundations of wrecked houses.