Authorities say a wind-driven wildfire fire in San Bernardino, California, has destroyed or damaged six homes and two outbuildings.

Doorbell camera shows neighbor warning of wildfire

A fast-moving wildfire threatened thousands of homes and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library outside Los Angeles on Wednesday (October 30) as extraordinarily dry, heavy Santa Ana winds buffeted the region, forcing meteorologists to grasp for new language to warn of the danger.

"Way too close" - fast-moving wildfire threatens Reagan Library

Firefighters in California struggled to contain a new fast-moving blaze on Wednesday that threatened thousands of homes and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, as rare "extreme" red flag warnings were issued for much of the Los Angeles region.

The so-called Easy-Fire in the Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles erupted around 6:00 am, forcing the evacuation of the library and nearby homes as it spread to more than 1,500 acres (526 hectares), officials said.

Fire crews raced to protect the hilltop library surrounded by dense brush as helicopters and aircraft dropped water and fire retardant on the flames fed by powerful wind gusts.

"The fire outflanked us very rapidly, pushed by those 40 to 50 mile-per-hour winds," Ventura County Fire Assistant Chief Chad Cook told reporters.&nbsp;

Authorities said 7,000 homes were under mandatory evacuation orders affecting some 30,000 residents.

By evening, the fire had spared the building, though authorities warned the situation could quickly change because of the fierce winds that can spread embers for miles.

'Still not through this'

"We are still not through this," Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen told reporters. "We have another 24 hours of significant weather conditions and a lot of threats."&nbsp;

Library officials said the archives and much of the memorabilia from the Reagan administration and from his time as governor of California were safely stored in an underground fireproof vault at the facility.

"It was a crazy morning, it was unexpected," Duke Blackwood, executive director of the library told AFP. "At this point, most of the fire danger is out but there (are) still a lot of hot spots and smoke."

Authorities said it was unclear what caused the fire, which started near Easy Street and raced through hillsides toward neighbourhoods.

The blaze broke out amid unprecedented "extremely critical" red flags warnings in parts of southern California because of so-called Santa Ana winds, with potential gusts of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour) in mountainous areas.

"We expect the Santa Anas to be howling," the National Weather Service said, adding that the red flag warnings were in effect through Thursday evening.

Some 18 million Californians live in the areas affected.

Several brush fires also erupted throughout the day Wednesday in other areas of southern California, stretching resources, shutting down schools and creating a traffic nightmare.

Closer to Los Angeles, firefighters were battling the Getty Fire, which began near the famous Getty Center museum on Monday and by Wednesday afternoon had burned 745 acres, with 27 per cent containment.

Evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday afternoon for most people affected by the blaze as fire crews appeared to gain the upper hand.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Steward said that in anticipation of the record-strong Santa Ana winds, all staff had been mobilized and additional backup brought in.

"These resources will be strategically placed in key locations that have a history of being prone to wildfire," she said.

No fatalities

Mandatory evacuations were also ordered on Wednesday in the Jurupa Valley, about an hour's drive east of Los Angeles, after a fire broke out near a freeway and quickly spread to 250 acres.

Farther north, in Sonoma County, Cal Fire, the California fire department, said firefighters had made progress overnight battling the Kincade Fire, which covers 120 square miles and led to mandatory evacuation orders affecting nearly 200,000 people.

With the worst apparently over, some residents were allowed to return to their homes still standing on Wednesday.

Attesting to the scale of the fire, American astronaut Andrew Morgan tweeted images he took of the area on Thursday while onboard the International Space Station.

"Thinking of the people who have lost their homes and the brave first responders on the front lines protecting them," he said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency because of the fires and the state's largest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric, has been imposing rolling blackouts in the northern and central parts of the state in a bid to reduce the fire risk.

Other utilities in the southern part of the state have also shut off power to customers.

The wildfires come as California is still reeling from the aftermath of the most destructive wildfire in state history -- the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 86 people last year.

Similar blazes in northern California, including in the Napa and Sonoma wine regions, killed 44 people in 2017 and destroyed thousands of structures.

Remarkably, there have been no fatalities linked to this year's fires.

Firefighters in California struggled to contain a new fast-moving blaze on Wednesday that threatened thousands of homes and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, as rare "extreme" red flag warnings were issued for much of the Los Angeles region.

Firefighters in California struggled to contain a new fast-moving blaze on Wednesday that threatened thousands of homes and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, as rare "extreme" red flag warnings were issued for much of the Los Angeles region. The so-called Easy-Fire in the Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles erupted around 6:00 am, forcing the evacuation of the library and nearby homes as it spread to more than 1,500 acres (526 hectares), officials said. Fire crews raced to protect the hilltop library surrounded by dense brush as helicopters and aircraft dropped water and fire retardant on the flames fed by powerful wind gusts. "The fire outflanked us very rapidly, pushed by those 40 to 50 mile-per-hour winds," Ventura County Fire Assistant Chief Chad Cook told reporters. Authorities said 7,000 homes were under mandatory evacuation orders affecting some 30,000 residents. By evening, the fire had spared the building, though authorities warned the situation could quickly change because of the fierce winds that can spread embers for miles. 'Still not through this' "We are still not through this," Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen told reporters. "We have another 24 hours of significant weather conditions and a lot of threats." Library officials said the archives and much of the memorabilia from the Reagan administration and from his time as governor of California were safely stored in an underground fireproof vault at the facility. "It was a crazy morning, it was unexpected," Duke Blackwood, executive director of the library told AFP. "At this point, most of the fire danger is out but there (are) still a lot of hot spots and smoke." Authorities said it was unclear what caused the fire, which started near Easy Street and raced through hillsides toward neighbourhoods. The blaze broke out amid unprecedented "extremely critical" red flags warnings in parts of southern California because of so-called Santa Ana winds, with potential gusts of up to 80 miles per hour (130 kilometers per hour) in mountainous areas. "We expect the Santa Anas to be howling," the National Weather Service said, adding that the red flag warnings were in effect through Thursday evening. Some 18 million Californians live in the areas affected. Several brush fires also erupted throughout the day Wednesday in other areas of southern California, stretching resources, shutting down schools and creating a traffic nightmare. Closer to Los Angeles, firefighters were battling the Getty Fire, which began near the famous Getty Center museum on Monday and by Wednesday afternoon had burned 745 acres, with 27 per cent containment. Evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday afternoon for most people affected by the blaze as fire crews appeared to gain the upper hand. Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Steward said that in anticipation of the record-strong Santa Ana winds, all staff had been mobilized and additional backup brought in. "These resources will be strategically placed in key locations that have a history of being prone to wildfire," she said. No fatalities Mandatory evacuations were also ordered on Wednesday in the Jurupa Valley, about an hour's drive east of Los Angeles, after a fire broke out near a freeway and quickly spread to 250 acres. Farther north, in Sonoma County, Cal Fire, the California fire department, said firefighters had made progress overnight battling the Kincade Fire, which covers 120 square miles and led to mandatory evacuation orders affecting nearly 200,000 people. With the worst apparently over, some residents were allowed to return to their homes still standing on Wednesday. Attesting to the scale of the fire, American astronaut Andrew Morgan tweeted images he took of the area on Thursday while onboard the International Space Station. "Thinking of the people who have lost their homes and the brave first responders on the front lines protecting them," he said. California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a statewide emergency because of the fires and the state's largest utility, Pacific Gas and Electric, has been imposing rolling blackouts in the northern and central parts of the state in a bid to reduce the fire risk. Other utilities in the southern part of the state have also shut off power to customers. The wildfires come as California is still reeling from the aftermath of the most destructive wildfire in state history -- the Camp Fire, which destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 86 people last year. Similar blazes in northern California, including in the Napa and Sonoma wine regions, killed 44 people in 2017 and destroyed thousands of structures. Remarkably, there have been no fatalities linked to this year's fires.

California fires: New blazes as dangerous winds fan the flames

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bracing-for-winds-authorities-order-thousands-to-flee-california-wine-country-fire-258340">displacing thousands </a>of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum.

City arson investigators reported earlier on Tuesday that the Getty fire was likely caused by a broken tree branch being blown into power lines during high winds early Monday morning.

Electricity remained cut off to roughly half a million homes and businesses in northern and central California on Tuesday as a precaution by the state's largest utility, while firefighting strike teams and equipment were posted on standy at strategic points throughout the state.

The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported a critical or extreme fire danger existed for more than 34,000 square miles of California, encompassing some 21 million people.

Governor Gavin Newsom, who has accused utilities of failing to adequately modernize and safely maintain their power systems, paid a visit to the Getty fire zone on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a challenging time," Newsom told a news conference at a command centre in the University of California's Los Angeles campus, adding that 43 of the state's 58 counties were "experiencing at or near-historic wind events."

At the start of the day, firefighters in Los Angeles and those battling a much larger conflagration in northern California's Sonoma County wine country took advantage of lighter winds to make headway before hazardous winds reemerged.

Fire officials worried high winds forecast to gust to 70 miles&nbsp;per hour or more would lift embers from smouldering hot spots and carry them into unburned vegetation, re-igniting and spreading flames anew.

Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said extremely high winds could also force the grounding of water-dropping helicopters, a vital component of the firefighting arsenal.

While moderately high winds that returned to northern California late on Tuesday were expected to fade by Wednesday morning, forecasts called for extreme Santa Anas to arrive in Southern California late Tuesday night and last into Thursday.

That gave an army of some 1,100 firefighters battling the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-struggle-against-massive-wind-whipped-california-wildfire-258443">Getty fire</a> a narrow window for consolidating gains a day after wind-driven flames and embers spread over scrub-covered slopes around some of most expensive homes on the city's west side.

By late afternoon, crews had managed to confine the blaze to about 650 acres&nbsp;while carving solid containment lines around 15 per cent&nbsp;of its perimeter, up from 5 per cent&nbsp;a day earlier.

In northern California, where firefighters struggled for a fifth day against a 76,000-acre blaze in Sonoma County's wine-growing region, high-wind forecasts prompted Pacific Gas and Electric Co&nbsp;to impose a new round of prescribed blackouts for nearly 600,000 homes and business.

That included about 400,000 customers blacked out in a "public safety power shut-off" that PG&amp;E instituted days earlier, the company said in a statement. Tuesday's power cuts marked the third wave of mass blackouts implemented this month by PG&amp;E.

Utilities serving Southern California's more highly urbanized areas have imposed smaller-scale outages.

Announcing preliminary findings of its Getty fire investigation, the Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze probably started when a tree branch snapped off in high winds landed on adjacent power lines, producing sparks and "arcing" that ignited nearby brush.

The lines, which are operated by the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP), remained intact, the statement said.

The DWP said the broken branch apparently came from a Eucalyptus tree growing about 30 feet away, beyond the vegetation-clearance zone required by state regulations.

PG&amp;E has likewise been implicated in the latest Sonoma County blaze, dubbed the Kincade fire. The utility acknowledged last week that the Kincade fire broke out near a damaged PG&amp;E transmission tower at about the time a live high-voltage line carried by that tower malfunctioned.

The company, whose mass power shutdowns have drawn harsh criticism from the governor, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing $30 billion in potential liability from a series of deadly fires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018.

Citing progress made against the Kincade fire, Newsom said the number of evacuees in northern California had diminished from 190,000 at the peak of that blaze to 130,000 on Tuesday.

Property losses from the Kincade, listed at 15 per cent&nbsp;contained, were put at 189 homes and other structures, double Monday's tally.

The size of the Getty fire's evacuation zone was reduced by roughly 3,000 homes on Tuesday, but residents of about 7,000 dwellings remained displaced, fire officials said. At least a dozen homes have been destroyed so far.

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze displacing thousands of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum.

Firefighters braced late on Tuesday for a resurgence of strong Santa Ana desert winds across Southern California after a day of light breezes helped them gain ground against a blaze displacing thousands of Los Angeles residents near the famed Getty Center museum. City arson investigators reported earlier on Tuesday that the Getty fire was likely caused by a broken tree branch being blown into power lines during high winds early Monday morning. Electricity remained cut off to roughly half a million homes and businesses in northern and central California on Tuesday as a precaution by the state's largest utility, while firefighting strike teams and equipment were posted on standy at strategic points throughout the state. The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center reported a critical or extreme fire danger existed for more than 34,000 square miles of California, encompassing some 21 million people. Governor Gavin Newsom, who has accused utilities of failing to adequately modernize and safely maintain their power systems, paid a visit to the Getty fire zone on Tuesday afternoon. "This is a challenging time," Newsom told a news conference at a command centre in the University of California's Los Angeles campus, adding that 43 of the state's 58 counties were "experiencing at or near-historic wind events." At the start of the day, firefighters in Los Angeles and those battling a much larger conflagration in northern California's Sonoma County wine country took advantage of lighter winds to make headway before hazardous winds reemerged. Fire officials worried high winds forecast to gust to 70 miles per hour or more would lift embers from smouldering hot spots and carry them into unburned vegetation, re-igniting and spreading flames anew. Los Angeles Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said extremely high winds could also force the grounding of water-dropping helicopters, a vital component of the firefighting arsenal. While moderately high winds that returned to northern California late on Tuesday were expected to fade by Wednesday morning, forecasts called for extreme Santa Anas to arrive in Southern California late Tuesday night and last into Thursday. That gave an army of some 1,100 firefighters battling the Getty fire a narrow window for consolidating gains a day after wind-driven flames and embers spread over scrub-covered slopes around some of most expensive homes on the city's west side. By late afternoon, crews had managed to confine the blaze to about 650 acres while carving solid containment lines around 15 per cent of its perimeter, up from 5 per cent a day earlier. In northern California, where firefighters struggled for a fifth day against a 76,000-acre blaze in Sonoma County's wine-growing region, high-wind forecasts prompted Pacific Gas and Electric Co to impose a new round of prescribed blackouts for nearly 600,000 homes and business. That included about 400,000 customers blacked out in a "public safety power shut-off" that PG&E instituted days earlier, the company said in a statement. Tuesday's power cuts marked the third wave of mass blackouts implemented this month by PG&E. Utilities serving Southern California's more highly urbanized areas have imposed smaller-scale outages. Announcing preliminary findings of its Getty fire investigation, the Los Angeles Fire Department said the blaze probably started when a tree branch snapped off in high winds landed on adjacent power lines, producing sparks and "arcing" that ignited nearby brush. The lines, which are operated by the city's Department of Water and Power (DWP), remained intact, the statement said. The DWP said the broken branch apparently came from a Eucalyptus tree growing about 30 feet away, beyond the vegetation-clearance zone required by state regulations. PG&E has likewise been implicated in the latest Sonoma County blaze, dubbed the Kincade fire. The utility acknowledged last week that the Kincade fire broke out near a damaged PG&E transmission tower at about the time a live high-voltage line carried by that tower malfunctioned. The company, whose mass power shutdowns have drawn harsh criticism from the governor, filed for bankruptcy in January, citing $30 billion in potential liability from a series of deadly fires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018. Citing progress made against the Kincade fire, Newsom said the number of evacuees in northern California had diminished from 190,000 at the peak of that blaze to 130,000 on Tuesday. Property losses from the Kincade, listed at 15 per cent contained, were put at 189 homes and other structures, double Monday's tally. The size of the Getty fire's evacuation zone was reduced by roughly 3,000 homes on Tuesday, but residents of about 7,000 dwellings remained displaced, fire officials said. At least a dozen homes have been destroyed so far.

Southern California firefighters brace for resurgence of extreme winds

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-struggle-against-massive-wind-whipped-california-wildfire-258443">fast-moving wildfire</a> on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night.

Among neighbourhoods under evacuation orders was the posh area of Brentwood, a section on the west side of the city that became world-famous in 1994 when former football star O.J. Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife and a waiter there.

Today Brentwood is home to basketball superstar <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/houston-rockets-gm-wasnt-educated-when-he-sent-hong-kong-tweet-lebron-james-256087">LeBron James</a>, A-list Hollywood actors, wealthy producers and media company executives.

James, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said he and his family had to drive around in the early morning hours looking for a place to stay after fleeing the home he shares with his wife and three children.

"Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms," James wrote on Twitter around 4 a.m. He later added that he found a place to take them in. "Crazy night man!," he said.

James bought a $23 million, eight-bedroom home in Brentwood in late 2017, according to media reports.

On the northern edge of Brentwood, a cluster of several multimillion-dollar homes were reduced to smoldering debris along a street festooned with Halloween decorations.

A fake bloody arm, part of the holiday decorations, had turned into melted plastic at one dwelling, and a giant skull replica remained in the front of another. Heavy smoke and ash filled the air as water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers buzzed overhead.

Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also said he was among the thousands who had to evacuate overnight.

"If you are in an evacuation zone, don’t screw around. Get out," Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter.

A red-carpet premiere for Schwarzenegger's new movie, "Terminator: Dark Fate," that had been scheduled for Monday night was canceled due to fires in the area.

The "Terminator" premiere had been scheduled to take place in Hollywood, several miles from the fire zone. Food intended for the premiere party was being donated to local American Red Cross shelters that were housing fire evacuees, Paramount Pictures said.

"Agents of SHIELD" actor Clark Gregg and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter also said on Twitter that they had been forced to leave their homes.

The streets of Brentwood became familiar to TV viewers when Simpson stood trial on charges of stabbing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman. Prosecutors alleged Simpson killed the pair at her Brentwood home and then fled to his nearby mansion.

Simpson was acquitted of murder but later found liable for the deaths in a civil case. He told the Associated Press in June he now lives in Las Vegas.

Monday's fire erupted in the hills above where Simpson had lived and was near the Getty Center, a museum for the art collection of late oil magnate J. Paul Getty that includes works by Rembrandt and Van Gogh, according to the museum's website.

The Getty fire has forced schools to close in several areas, including the public school district encompassing Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades and the University of California Los Angles (UCLA).

A fast-moving wildfire on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night.

A fast-moving wildfire on Monday destroyed at least five multimillion-dollar homes in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in Los Angeles and forced celebrities to flee in the middle of the night. Among neighbourhoods under evacuation orders was the posh area of Brentwood, a section on the west side of the city that became world-famous in 1994 when former football star O.J. Simpson was accused of killing his ex-wife and a waiter there. Today Brentwood is home to basketball superstar LeBron James, A-list Hollywood actors, wealthy producers and media company executives. James, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, said he and his family had to drive around in the early morning hours looking for a place to stay after fleeing the home he shares with his wife and three children. "Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms," James wrote on Twitter around 4 a.m. He later added that he found a place to take them in. "Crazy night man!," he said. James bought a $23 million, eight-bedroom home in Brentwood in late 2017, according to media reports. On the northern edge of Brentwood, a cluster of several multimillion-dollar homes were reduced to smoldering debris along a street festooned with Halloween decorations. A fake bloody arm, part of the holiday decorations, had turned into melted plastic at one dwelling, and a giant skull replica remained in the front of another. Heavy smoke and ash filled the air as water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers buzzed overhead. Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also said he was among the thousands who had to evacuate overnight. "If you are in an evacuation zone, don’t screw around. Get out," Schwarzenegger wrote on Twitter. A red-carpet premiere for Schwarzenegger's new movie, "Terminator: Dark Fate," that had been scheduled for Monday night was canceled due to fires in the area. The "Terminator" premiere had been scheduled to take place in Hollywood, several miles from the fire zone. Food intended for the premiere party was being donated to local American Red Cross shelters that were housing fire evacuees, Paramount Pictures said. "Agents of SHIELD" actor Clark Gregg and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter also said on Twitter that they had been forced to leave their homes. The streets of Brentwood became familiar to TV viewers when Simpson stood trial on charges of stabbing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and waiter Ronald Goldman. Prosecutors alleged Simpson killed the pair at her Brentwood home and then fled to his nearby mansion. Simpson was acquitted of murder but later found liable for the deaths in a civil case. He told the Associated Press in June he now lives in Las Vegas. Monday's fire erupted in the hills above where Simpson had lived and was near the Getty Center, a museum for the art collection of late oil magnate J. Paul Getty that includes works by Rembrandt and Van Gogh, according to the museum's website. The Getty fire has forced schools to close in several areas, including the public school district encompassing Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades and the University of California Los Angles (UCLA).

Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James evacuated as Los Angeles wildfire continues surge

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bracing-for-winds-authorities-order-thousands-to-flee-california-wine-country-fire-258340">driven 180,000</a> people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather.

About 3,000 people were battling the Kinkade Fire, the worst of more than a dozen major blazes that have damaged or destroyed nearly 400 structures, and prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency.

"All hands are focusing on the Kincade," Newsom told reporters after meeting residents at an evacuation center in the Sonoma County city of Petaluma, calling that blaze "the most stubborn challenge we face."

Newsom said its containment had "slipped" to about half of an earlier estimate of 10 percent, with more than 50,000 acres&nbsp;burned, as nearly 90-mph&nbsp;gusts whipped flames toward communities as far south as northern Santa Rosa.

About 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including the towns of Healdsburg and Windsor, north of Santa Rosa, which stand in the path of the flames.

The Kincade, which has ravaged nearly 80 sq miles&nbsp;of wine country, has burned down 79 structures since it broke out on Wednesday but no casualties have been reported.

Investigators have not yet said what they believed caused the blaze, although it ignited near a broken wire on a Pacific Gas &amp; Electric transmission tower.

High wind forecasts prompted utility Pacific Gas &amp; Electric Co.&nbsp;on Saturday night to shut off power to about 940,000 customers in 43 counties to guard against the risk of touching off wildfires. The utility said the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pge-says-more-potential-power-cuts-could-hit-about-209000-customers-257390">protective blackouts </a>could last two days.

The governor has been sharply critical of PG&amp;E, saying corporate greed and mismanagement kept it from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade.

PG&amp;E, which filed for bankruptcy in January, citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call center.

Newsom said firefighters were making their stand at US&nbsp;Route 101 near Windsor as they waited for relief from hot, dry winds forecast to subside significantly on Monday.

No major wildfires have burned west of the 101 in that part of the state since the 1940s, said Steve Volmer, chief fire behavior analyst at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

"The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they’re extremely old and...they’re extremely dry," Volmer told Reuters in an interview.

Newsom said crews had largely "gotten their arms around" the Tick Fire near the city of Santa Clarita, about 35 miles (56 km)

north of downtown Los Angeles, which has charred 4,615 acres&nbsp;and destroyed 22 structures, since Thursday.

Most of the more than 40,000 residents ordered to evacuate were allowed to return home by Saturday afternoon, the county fire department said.

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and driven 180,000 people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather.

Crews lost ground on Sunday against a wind-driven wildfire that has blackened a wide swath of California's picturesque wine country and driven 180,000 people from their homes as they hoped for a break in the hot, dry weather. About 3,000 people were battling the Kinkade Fire, the worst of more than a dozen major blazes that have damaged or destroyed nearly 400 structures, and prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a statewide emergency. "All hands are focusing on the Kincade," Newsom told reporters after meeting residents at an evacuation center in the Sonoma County city of Petaluma, calling that blaze "the most stubborn challenge we face." Newsom said its containment had "slipped" to about half of an earlier estimate of 10 percent, with more than 50,000 acres burned, as nearly 90-mph gusts whipped flames toward communities as far south as northern Santa Rosa. About 180,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, including the towns of Healdsburg and Windsor, north of Santa Rosa, which stand in the path of the flames. The Kincade, which has ravaged nearly 80 sq miles of wine country, has burned down 79 structures since it broke out on Wednesday but no casualties have been reported. Investigators have not yet said what they believed caused the blaze, although it ignited near a broken wire on a Pacific Gas & Electric transmission tower. High wind forecasts prompted utility Pacific Gas & Electric Co. on Saturday night to shut off power to about 940,000 customers in 43 counties to guard against the risk of touching off wildfires. The utility said the protective blackouts could last two days. The governor has been sharply critical of PG&E, saying corporate greed and mismanagement kept it from upgrading its infrastructure while wildfire hazards have steadily worsened over the past decade. PG&E, which filed for bankruptcy in January, citing billions of dollars in civil liabilities from deadly wildfires sparked by its equipment in 2017 and 2018, says it has since remedied problems experienced with its website and customer call center. Newsom said firefighters were making their stand at US Route 101 near Windsor as they waited for relief from hot, dry winds forecast to subside significantly on Monday. No major wildfires have burned west of the 101 in that part of the state since the 1940s, said Steve Volmer, chief fire behavior analyst at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). "The fuels in that area are extremely dense, they’re extremely old and...they’re extremely dry," Volmer told Reuters in an interview. Newsom said crews had largely "gotten their arms around" the Tick Fire near the city of Santa Clarita, about 35 miles (56 km) north of downtown Los Angeles, which has charred 4,615 acres and destroyed 22 structures, since Thursday. Most of the more than 40,000 residents ordered to evacuate were allowed to return home by Saturday afternoon, the county fire department said.

Firefighters struggle against massive, wind-whipped California wildfire

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/firefighters-battle-southern-california-wildfires-100000-evacuated-255548">fast-moving wildfire</a> driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control.

The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said.

The blaze burned several homes and structures and forced the closure of a major highway and a number of roads, as some 500 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames.

There were no immediate reports of injury.

"We are urging everybody to evacuate at this time," a spokesman for the fire department said.

The fire erupted as much of the state was under a red flag warning because of gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity which make for perfect conditions for wildfires.

In northern California wine country, some 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate after a brush fire erupted late Wednesday, quickly growing from a blaze of a few hundred acres into a 16,000-acre inferno, California fire officials said.

About 500 responders battled the fire fed by wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour (113 kilometres per hour).

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the community of Geyserville and nearby vineyards after the fire started in a mountainous area and quickly spread, crossing a highway and moving toward homes, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

"If you're in Geyserville, leave now," the sheriff's office advised, citing an extraordinary threat to life and property.

Winds out of the north were driving the fire as firefighters struggled to save homes.

By early evening, the fire was five per cent contained and several structures had burned, fire officials said.&nbsp;

The blaze -- 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of San Francisco -- came amid official warnings that much of northern California and parts of the south were under imminent threat of fires into Friday because of blustery, dry weather and high temperatures.

Another brush fire in San Bernardino County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuation orders as it quickly burned 75 acres.

Hurried departures

Power was cut to some 180,000 customers in the northern part of the state Thursday and similar preemptive shutoffs affected thousands of customers further south due to conditions that are ripe for wildfires.

Power companies warned that additional power cuts could be ordered to reduce the risk of accidental fires.

The strong winds in the north were expected to subside Friday but are forecast to pick up again on Sunday, the National Weather Service warned.&nbsp;

Many residents of Geyserville said they barely had time to gather their belongings as the monster fire quickly approached the town, with embers igniting fires throughout the region.

"We thought we were a couple of miles from the fire," Dwight Monson, 68, told the Los Angeles Times. "But guess what -- the winds."

He said by the time his family got in their cars and escaped to the valley below, the flames were on the edge of their ranch.

PG&amp;E, the state's biggest utility, said in a statement that it had informed regulators that a jumper on a transmission tower near where officials said the fire had started was broken.

The company -- which has been held responsible for numerous wildfires in the state -- said that even though the power to nearly 28,000 customers in Sonoma County, including Geyserville, had been shut down on Wednesday, some of the high-voltage transmission lines were still operating when the fire broke out.

"We relied on the protocol and we still, at this point, do not know what exactly happened," PG&amp;E CEO and president Bill Johnson told a news conference.

This week's fires have erupted as the state is still recovering from deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018 that killed more than 100 people.

The fires have been fueled by years of drought and dry vegetation.

"This is an emotional time for many people," Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference Thursday. "It's only been two years since the fires that devastated our community. For many, this will be a very stressful and anxious time."

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control.

Some 50,000 people were ordered to flee their homes north of Los Angeles on Thursday as a fast-moving wildfire driven by high winds erupted and raged out of control. The so-called Tick Fire near Santa Clarita, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) north of Los Angeles, broke out in the early afternoon and quickly consumed 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares), fire officials said. The blaze burned several homes and structures and forced the closure of a major highway and a number of roads, as some 500 firefighters backed by air tankers and helicopters battled the flames. There were no immediate reports of injury. "We are urging everybody to evacuate at this time," a spokesman for the fire department said. The fire erupted as much of the state was under a red flag warning because of gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity which make for perfect conditions for wildfires. In northern California wine country, some 2,000 people were ordered to evacuate after a brush fire erupted late Wednesday, quickly growing from a blaze of a few hundred acres into a 16,000-acre inferno, California fire officials said. About 500 responders battled the fire fed by wind gusts topping 70 miles per hour (113 kilometres per hour). Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the community of Geyserville and nearby vineyards after the fire started in a mountainous area and quickly spread, crossing a highway and moving toward homes, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said. "If you're in Geyserville, leave now," the sheriff's office advised, citing an extraordinary threat to life and property. Winds out of the north were driving the fire as firefighters struggled to save homes. By early evening, the fire was five per cent contained and several structures had burned, fire officials said. The blaze -- 75 miles (120 kilometres) north of San Francisco -- came amid official warnings that much of northern California and parts of the south were under imminent threat of fires into Friday because of blustery, dry weather and high temperatures. Another brush fire in San Bernardino County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, also prompted evacuation orders as it quickly burned 75 acres. Hurried departures Power was cut to some 180,000 customers in the northern part of the state Thursday and similar preemptive shutoffs affected thousands of customers further south due to conditions that are ripe for wildfires. Power companies warned that additional power cuts could be ordered to reduce the risk of accidental fires. The strong winds in the north were expected to subside Friday but are forecast to pick up again on Sunday, the National Weather Service warned. Many residents of Geyserville said they barely had time to gather their belongings as the monster fire quickly approached the town, with embers igniting fires throughout the region. "We thought we were a couple of miles from the fire," Dwight Monson, 68, told the Los Angeles Times. "But guess what -- the winds." He said by the time his family got in their cars and escaped to the valley below, the flames were on the edge of their ranch. PG&E, the state's biggest utility, said in a statement that it had informed regulators that a jumper on a transmission tower near where officials said the fire had started was broken. The company -- which has been held responsible for numerous wildfires in the state -- said that even though the power to nearly 28,000 customers in Sonoma County, including Geyserville, had been shut down on Wednesday, some of the high-voltage transmission lines were still operating when the fire broke out. "We relied on the protocol and we still, at this point, do not know what exactly happened," PG&E CEO and president Bill Johnson told a news conference. This week's fires have erupted as the state is still recovering from deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018 that killed more than 100 people. The fires have been fueled by years of drought and dry vegetation. "This is an emotional time for many people," Sonoma County Sheriff Mark Essick told a news conference Thursday. "It's only been two years since the fires that devastated our community. For many, this will be a very stressful and anxious time."

As wildfires rage in California, about 50,000 get evacuated

Wind-driven wildfires forced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unacceptable-power-cuts-blasted-as-california-fire-risk-spreads-south-255202">evacuation of about 100,000 people</a> in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames.

By Friday evening, the strongest blaze, dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, had consumed 7,542 acres in areas of the San Fernando Valley, about 32 kilometres&nbsp;north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said.

They added that it had damaged or destroyed at least 31 structures and was 13 per cent contained as of Friday evening.

One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home in the Porter Ranch area, fire officials said.

The fire quickly got out of control after it erupted late Thursday for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds.

"This is a very dynamic fire," Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas told a news conference.

"Do not wait to leave," he urged residents. "If we ask you to evacuate, please evacuate."

He said some 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, were battling the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways. The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses.

"We've calculated that the fire is moving at a rate of 800 acres per hour," Terrazas said, adding that it would probably take days to get it under control.

Some 200 firefighters were meanwhile battling several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash. That blaze, dubbed the Sandalwood fire, destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames.&nbsp;

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but authorities ordered several hundred homes in the area be evacuated.

The National Weather Service said it expects the high winds fanning the flames to subside by Friday evening, making it easier for firefighters to do their work.

A red flag warning -- which indicates ripe conditions for wildfires -- remains in effect through Saturday.

In the dark

"That seems to be the new normal in California," lamented Sylmar resident Oscar Mancillas, as he helplessly watched the flames spread in the hillside near his home.

"I mean the vegetation is so dry... but we're kind of lucky because it didn't grow back from the last fire," he told AFP. "In California you have to be earthquake ready and you have to be fire ready... and for those of us who have a family, it's a little daunting sometimes."&nbsp;

The wildfires in the south erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas &amp; Electric (PG&amp;E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California this week.

About 312,000 customers remained in the dark Friday as a result of the shutoffs designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds.

Many schools and universities were also closed in northern parts of the state as people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at the blackouts condemned by some as "third world."

"We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of what he called neglect and mismanagement by PG&amp;E.

"This is not, from my perspective, a climate change story as much as a story about greed and mismanagement over the course of decades," Newsom said. "Neglect, a desire to advance not public safety but profits."

PG&amp;E has defended the outages as necessary for safety reasons and has said it will take days before power is restored to all customers as inspections must be conducted on all power lines and equipment before the lights can be turned back on.

"This is not how we want to serve you but blackouts can happen again," Bill Johnson, the CEO of the company said Thursday.

Last November, PG&amp;E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Wind-driven wildfires forced the evacuation of about 100,000 people in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames.

Wind-driven wildfires forced the evacuation of about 100,000 people in southern California Friday and destroyed dozens of structures and homes as authorities warned it could take days to extinguish the flames. By Friday evening, the strongest blaze, dubbed the Saddleridge Fire, had consumed 7,542 acres in areas of the San Fernando Valley, about 32 kilometres north of downtown Los Angeles, fire officials said. They added that it had damaged or destroyed at least 31 structures and was 13 per cent contained as of Friday evening. One man in his 50s died of a heart attack as he struggled to save his home in the Porter Ranch area, fire officials said. The fire quickly got out of control after it erupted late Thursday for unknown reasons in the city of Sylmar, driven by low humidity and gusts known as the Santa Ana winds. "This is a very dynamic fire," Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Ralph Terrazas told a news conference. "Do not wait to leave," he urged residents. "If we ask you to evacuate, please evacuate." He said some 1,000 firefighters, backed by water-dropping helicopters and planes releasing fire retardants, were battling the blaze that forced the shutdown of several major highways. The metro line in the area was also closed as were schools and businesses. "We've calculated that the fire is moving at a rate of 800 acres per hour," Terrazas said, adding that it would probably take days to get it under control. Some 200 firefighters were meanwhile battling several other blazes in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles, including one that tore through a trailer park and was started by burning trash. That blaze, dubbed the Sandalwood fire, destroyed 76 homes and buildings and killed an 89-year-old woman who was unable to escape the flames. There were no immediate reports of injuries, but authorities ordered several hundred homes in the area be evacuated. The National Weather Service said it expects the high winds fanning the flames to subside by Friday evening, making it easier for firefighters to do their work. A red flag warning -- which indicates ripe conditions for wildfires -- remains in effect through Saturday. In the dark "That seems to be the new normal in California," lamented Sylmar resident Oscar Mancillas, as he helplessly watched the flames spread in the hillside near his home. "I mean the vegetation is so dry... but we're kind of lucky because it didn't grow back from the last fire," he told AFP. "In California you have to be earthquake ready and you have to be fire ready... and for those of us who have a family, it's a little daunting sometimes." The wildfires in the south erupted as California's largest utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), implemented rolling power blackouts that affected some two million people in northern California this week. About 312,000 customers remained in the dark Friday as a result of the shutoffs designed to reduce the threat of wildfire that can be sparked by lines downed in heavy winds. Many schools and universities were also closed in northern parts of the state as people stocked up on gasoline, water, batteries and other basics, with frustration mounting at the blackouts condemned by some as "third world." "We're seeing a scale and scope of something that no state in the 21st century should experience," Governor Gavin Newsom said Thursday, blaming decades of what he called neglect and mismanagement by PG&E. "This is not, from my perspective, a climate change story as much as a story about greed and mismanagement over the course of decades," Newsom said. "Neglect, a desire to advance not public safety but profits." PG&E has defended the outages as necessary for safety reasons and has said it will take days before power is restored to all customers as inspections must be conducted on all power lines and equipment before the lights can be turned back on. "This is not how we want to serve you but blackouts can happen again," Bill Johnson, the CEO of the company said Thursday. Last November, PG&E's faulty power lines were determined to have sparked the deadliest wildfire in the state's modern history, which killed 86 and destroyed the town of Paradise.

Tens of thousands evacuated as California wildfires rage

Disasters that devastated US in 2018

The deadliest and most <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/california-wildfires-death-toll-rises-to-87-with-249-still-missing-179324">destructive fire in California's history</a> was finally brought totally under control by firefighters, more than two weeks after it erupted, authorities said on Sunday.

The so-called Camp Fire, which broke out on November 8, is so far known to have killed 85 people.

The Butte County Sheriff's department said that they had mistakenly added two people to an earlier death toll of 87.

However late Sunday they increased the number of missing people to 296 from 249 -- still considerably lower than the 474 reported missing on Friday.

"#CampFire ... is now 100% contained," Cal Fire, the state fire authority, said in a bulletin on Twitter.

Only 54 of the fatalities have been identified, according to the local sheriff's office in Butte County, a rural area north of the state capital Sacramento.

A total of 153,336 acres were affected by the fire, with nearly 14,000 homes and hundreds of other structures destroyed.

Heavy downfalls that have soaked the fire zone in the past days helped douse the remaining flames, but also made it <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rain-ends-in-northern-california-as-search-for-wildfire-victims-continues-179198">more difficult for crews searching for bodies</a>.

The Camp Fire was the second major blaze to hit California in recent weeks with a fire in the Malibu area near Los Angeles also killing three people.

The smoke from the Camp Fire was so intense that schools in San Francisco had to close at one point earlier this month as did the city's famed cable car and Alcatraz Island.

California's governor, Jerry Brown, has warned that the state can expect a growing number of major fires as a result of global warming.

US President Donald Trump, who visited one of the worst-hit towns called Paradise last weekend, caused some consternation by saying that the fires were due in part to forestry mismanagement.&nbsp;

Ahead of the announcement that the fire has been totally tamed, authorities had already begun letting residents return to some of the worst hit areas to inspect the damage to their homes.

In a joint bulletin posted on Saturday, the police and fire service said evacuation orders that had in place for some areas over the last fortnight were being lifted for both residents and non-residents, while warning that essential services were still "very limited."

"Prior to returning home, residents are encouraged to take steps to ensure they have food, water and fuel for their vehicles," said the statement.&nbsp;

While Brown has warned that mega-fires such as those in Butte and Malibu will cease to be "abnormal" events, the state has allocated about $1 billion over the next five years for fire prevention.

Much of the cash will go on education and suppression activities such as clearing grasses and other vegetation, according to officials.

But many experts are calling for more restrictions on housing being built in forests as a means of eliminating danger before the blazes even break out. "I think people are thinking about if there is a way we can design the new Paradise that can look like more of a European village or a ski town, and not have houses out in the forests," Bill Stewart, co-director of the Center for Forestry at the University of California, Berkeley told AFP.

A recent study found that one-third of all US houses now are located in what researchers refer to as the wildland-urban interface, where houses and forest vegetation intermingle.

While Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about global warming, a new report by his administration warned Friday that climate change will cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars annually by century's end unless drastic action is taken to cut carbon emissions.

The deadliest and most destructive fire in California's history was finally brought totally under control by firefighters, more than two weeks after it erupted, authorities said on Sunday.

The deadliest and most destructive fire in California's history was finally brought totally under control by firefighters, more than two weeks after it erupted, authorities said on Sunday. The so-called Camp Fire, which broke out on November 8, is so far known to have killed 85 people. The Butte County Sheriff's department said that they had mistakenly added two people to an earlier death toll of 87. However late Sunday they increased the number of missing people to 296 from 249 -- still considerably lower than the 474 reported missing on Friday. "#CampFire ... is now 100% contained," Cal Fire, the state fire authority, said in a bulletin on Twitter. Only 54 of the fatalities have been identified, according to the local sheriff's office in Butte County, a rural area north of the state capital Sacramento. A total of 153,336 acres were affected by the fire, with nearly 14,000 homes and hundreds of other structures destroyed. Heavy downfalls that have soaked the fire zone in the past days helped douse the remaining flames, but also made it more difficult for crews searching for bodies. The Camp Fire was the second major blaze to hit California in recent weeks with a fire in the Malibu area near Los Angeles also killing three people. The smoke from the Camp Fire was so intense that schools in San Francisco had to close at one point earlier this month as did the city's famed cable car and Alcatraz Island. California's governor, Jerry Brown, has warned that the state can expect a growing number of major fires as a result of global warming. US President Donald Trump, who visited one of the worst-hit towns called Paradise last weekend, caused some consternation by saying that the fires were due in part to forestry mismanagement. Ahead of the announcement that the fire has been totally tamed, authorities had already begun letting residents return to some of the worst hit areas to inspect the damage to their homes. In a joint bulletin posted on Saturday, the police and fire service said evacuation orders that had in place for some areas over the last fortnight were being lifted for both residents and non-residents, while warning that essential services were still "very limited." "Prior to returning home, residents are encouraged to take steps to ensure they have food, water and fuel for their vehicles," said the statement. While Brown has warned that mega-fires such as those in Butte and Malibu will cease to be "abnormal" events, the state has allocated about $1 billion over the next five years for fire prevention. Much of the cash will go on education and suppression activities such as clearing grasses and other vegetation, according to officials. But many experts are calling for more restrictions on housing being built in forests as a means of eliminating danger before the blazes even break out. "I think people are thinking about if there is a way we can design the new Paradise that can look like more of a European village or a ski town, and not have houses out in the forests," Bill Stewart, co-director of the Center for Forestry at the University of California, Berkeley told AFP. A recent study found that one-third of all US houses now are located in what researchers refer to as the wildland-urban interface, where houses and forest vegetation intermingle. While Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about global warming, a new report by his administration warned Friday that climate change will cost the US hundreds of billions of dollars annually by century's end unless drastic action is taken to cut carbon emissions.

California's deadliest wildfire finally tamed

Residents of Paradise Town, northern <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/rains-douse-california-wildfire-but-raise-flash-flood-risks-178702">California, the most severely affected</a> place in the wildfires, started making their way back on Thursday to what is left of their burned down properties and belongings as sections of roads leading to the town have reopened.

Wildfires in northern California have killed at least 83 people and left 563 others unaccounted for as of Thursday afternoon, according to local fire department. More than 90 per cent of the fires in northern California have been brought under control.

Robin Wells and his father Robert Wells were one of the first ones to return. Although they were psychologically prepared for the worse, the sight of the house they had lived in for decades and all of their belongings burned down to ashes that greeted them filled them with emotions.

"Sad, and now I just can't wrap it around my head that this really happened. Feels like it's so unreal but at the same time it's real. My feelings are very emotional right now, just devastation of this whole entire community, and devastation of everybody losing everything," said Robin Wells.

Robert said that he was terrified when the wildfires broke out and until now cannot believe he had escaped from the inferno. All he remembered was the suffocating dense smoke and the darkness around him.

Robin said she was more than 40 kilometers away when she heard the news that the wildfires broke out in the area. She added she immediately rushed home because her father has difficulties moving on his own and she knew it would be impossible for him to evacuate. She was so worried that she called the police on her way and feared the worse when the road to her neighbourhood had been blocked, leaving a lot of cars stranded.

"My response was to get to him as fast as I could and everybody was fleeing out, and I was trying to come up Neal roadway and the road was already blocked. So what happened was I jumped out of my car, and talked to the police officer and said that I need to get to my dad, he cannot get out. It was so horrible, it was driving into blackness, I had to turn on my lights, it was daytime but yet the whole entire sky was black. And you could see smoke," said Robin.

Robin was soon relieved to learn from her neighbours that they had taken her father with them and she was able to meet with him that night. Robin said that Paradise Town used to be a place with beautiful scenery and fresh air. Her parents raised her and her brother in the town and the family has lots of wonderful memories. Now, the wildfires have left them with nothing.

Robert added that although his whole family is from Paradise Town, he and his daughter might have to leave this place to start a new life somewhere else.

"I don't really want to [come back] even though my family is over at the cemetery. I don't know, I just, it will be hard to keep looking at the devastation every day. It was a good town," said Robert Wells.

Residents of Paradise Town, northern California, the most severely affected place in the wildfires, started making their way back on Thursday to what is left of their burned down properties and belongings as sections of roads leading to the town have reopened.

Residents of Paradise Town, northern California, the most severely affected place in the wildfires, started making their way back on Thursday to what is left of their burned down properties and belongings as sections of roads leading to the town have reopened. Wildfires in northern California have killed at least 83 people and left 563 others unaccounted for as of Thursday afternoon, according to local fire department. More than 90 per cent of the fires in northern California have been brought under control. Robin Wells and his father Robert Wells were one of the first ones to return. Although they were psychologically prepared for the worse, the sight of the house they had lived in for decades and all of their belongings burned down to ashes that greeted them filled them with emotions. "Sad, and now I just can't wrap it around my head that this really happened. Feels like it's so unreal but at the same time it's real. My feelings are very emotional right now, just devastation of this whole entire community, and devastation of everybody losing everything," said Robin Wells. Robert said that he was terrified when the wildfires broke out and until now cannot believe he had escaped from the inferno. All he remembered was the suffocating dense smoke and the darkness around him. Robin said she was more than 40 kilometers away when she heard the news that the wildfires broke out in the area. She added she immediately rushed home because her father has difficulties moving on his own and she knew it would be impossible for him to evacuate. She was so worried that she called the police on her way and feared the worse when the road to her neighbourhood had been blocked, leaving a lot of cars stranded. "My response was to get to him as fast as I could and everybody was fleeing out, and I was trying to come up Neal roadway and the road was already blocked. So what happened was I jumped out of my car, and talked to the police officer and said that I need to get to my dad, he cannot get out. It was so horrible, it was driving into blackness, I had to turn on my lights, it was daytime but yet the whole entire sky was black. And you could see smoke," said Robin. Robin was soon relieved to learn from her neighbours that they had taken her father with them and she was able to meet with him that night. Robin said that Paradise Town used to be a place with beautiful scenery and fresh air. Her parents raised her and her brother in the town and the family has lots of wonderful memories. Now, the wildfires have left them with nothing. Robert added that although his whole family is from Paradise Town, he and his daughter might have to leave this place to start a new life somewhere else. "I don't really want to [come back] even though my family is over at the cemetery. I don't know, I just, it will be hard to keep looking at the devastation every day. It was a good town," said Robert Wells.

Watch: Residents in California return after wildfire havoc; several still missing

The first significant rain in months in northern California helped firefighters battle the deadliest wildfire in the state's history on Wednesday, but raised the risks of flash flooding that could hinder teams searching for human remains.

Between 4-6 inches (15 cm) of rain was expected to fall through the weekend in areas around the town of Paradise, the community of nearly 27,000 people 175 miles (280 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco that was largely incinerated by the Camp Fire. The blaze killed at least 83 people, and 563 are still unaccounted for, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told a press briefing on Wednesday.

"The rain is a concern for us and there is the potential for mudflows," Honea said, adding that he would pull searchers out of areas if they faced any risk of being caught in mudslides.

The rain added to the misery of evacuees camped out in a Walmart parking lot in nearby Chico, where local residents donated freight pallets and tarps to help evacuees shelter from overnight temperatures just above freezing.

"I'll get a pallet and get my tent up off the ground," said Mitchell Manley, who evacuated from the village of Concow and managed to get his elderly mother out of nearby Magalia.

Warehouses were being opened up in Chico to provide evacuees protection from the cold and rain and to move them out of the Walmart car park, said Manley's partner, Carol Daugherty.

Straw tubes

Forecasters said the rains, which in some areas are likely to be accompanied by winds of up to 45 miles per hour (72 kph), raised risks of debris flows. The fire has burned across 153,000 acres (62,000 hectares) of the Sierra foothills.

"There's no vegetation to hold the earth and there's a risk it could just start moving, with mud carrying everything in its path," said National Weather Service forecaster Johnnie Powell in Sacramento.

Firefighters installed straw tubes known as wattles to stop hillsides being washed away and were hoping to have the fire fully contained by the weekend, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Erica Bain.

Mass evacuations since the fire erupted on Nov. 8 have removed most people away from any debris flow, National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist Cindy Matthews said.

Authorities in Butte County, where Paradise is located, have been gradually allowing residents evacuated during the fire back to see what is left of their homes.

Lisa Knight found only ash and rubble when she returned to her house in Butte Creek Canyon, east of Chico.

"I mourn for everybody. It's not just one personal loss, it's the loss of my neighbours and my community," Knight told KRCR-TV.

More victims

The death toll of the fire has been gradually rising, with two more names added to the list on Wednesday to bring the total to 83.

The number of missing persons, which has fluctuated widely over the past week, continued to decline. There were some 1,200 people identified as missing over the weekend before falling to fewer than 700 on Monday, as some people who initially were unaccounted for either turned up alive or were confirmed dead.

The number of residents needing temporary shelter was unclear, but as many as 52,000 people were under evacuation orders at the height of the firestorm last week.

The Camp Fire incinerated 13,503 homes in and around Paradise. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The first significant rain in months in northern California helped firefighters battle the deadliest wildfire in the state's history on Wednesday, but raised the risks of flash flooding that could hinder teams searching for human remains.

The first significant rain in months in northern California helped firefighters battle the deadliest wildfire in the state's history on Wednesday, but raised the risks of flash flooding that could hinder teams searching for human remains. Between 4-6 inches (15 cm) of rain was expected to fall through the weekend in areas around the town of Paradise, the community of nearly 27,000 people 175 miles (280 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco that was largely incinerated by the Camp Fire. The blaze killed at least 83 people, and 563 are still unaccounted for, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told a press briefing on Wednesday. "The rain is a concern for us and there is the potential for mudflows," Honea said, adding that he would pull searchers out of areas if they faced any risk of being caught in mudslides. The rain added to the misery of evacuees camped out in a Walmart parking lot in nearby Chico, where local residents donated freight pallets and tarps to help evacuees shelter from overnight temperatures just above freezing. "I'll get a pallet and get my tent up off the ground," said Mitchell Manley, who evacuated from the village of Concow and managed to get his elderly mother out of nearby Magalia. Warehouses were being opened up in Chico to provide evacuees protection from the cold and rain and to move them out of the Walmart car park, said Manley's partner, Carol Daugherty. Straw tubes Forecasters said the rains, which in some areas are likely to be accompanied by winds of up to 45 miles per hour (72 kph), raised risks of debris flows. The fire has burned across 153,000 acres (62,000 hectares) of the Sierra foothills. "There's no vegetation to hold the earth and there's a risk it could just start moving, with mud carrying everything in its path," said National Weather Service forecaster Johnnie Powell in Sacramento. Firefighters installed straw tubes known as wattles to stop hillsides being washed away and were hoping to have the fire fully contained by the weekend, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Erica Bain. Mass evacuations since the fire erupted on Nov. 8 have removed most people away from any debris flow, National Weather Service (NWS) hydrologist Cindy Matthews said. Authorities in Butte County, where Paradise is located, have been gradually allowing residents evacuated during the fire back to see what is left of their homes. Lisa Knight found only ash and rubble when she returned to her house in Butte Creek Canyon, east of Chico. "I mourn for everybody. It's not just one personal loss, it's the loss of my neighbours and my community," Knight told KRCR-TV. More victims The death toll of the fire has been gradually rising, with two more names added to the list on Wednesday to bring the total to 83. The number of missing persons, which has fluctuated widely over the past week, continued to decline. There were some 1,200 people identified as missing over the weekend before falling to fewer than 700 on Monday, as some people who initially were unaccounted for either turned up alive or were confirmed dead. The number of residents needing temporary shelter was unclear, but as many as 52,000 people were under evacuation orders at the height of the firestorm last week. The Camp Fire incinerated 13,503 homes in and around Paradise. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Rains douse California wildfire but raise flash flood risks

Authorities on Monday redoubled efforts to find more victims of the deadliest wildfire in California history and to account for nearly 1,000 people listed as missing, with forecast rains likely to hinder the search and raise the risk of mudslides.

Remains of 79 victims have been recovered since the Camp Fire erupted on November 8 and largely obliterated the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise, a town of nearly 27,000 people about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco.

The latest official death toll, which has climbed steadily over the past week, was announced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) a day after the Butte County Sheriff's Office reduced the number of names on its missing-persons list to 993, down from 1,276 on Saturday.

That roster has fluctuated dramatically over the past week as additional individuals were reported missing, or as some initially listed as unaccounted for either turn up alive or end up being identified among the dead.

Sheriff Kory Honea has said some people have been added to the list more than once at times under variant spellings of their names.

As of Monday, the fire has torched more than 151,000 acres (61,107 hectares) of drought-parched scrub and trees, incinerating some 12,000 homes along the way, Cal Fire said.

But firefighters in recent days have gained significant ground against the blaze, carving containment lines around 70 per cent of its perimeter, according to the agency.

Efforts to further suppress the flames were likely to benefit from a storm expected to dump as much as 4 inches (10 cm) of rain north of San Francisco between late Tuesday and Friday, said Patrick Burke, a National Weather Service forecaster.

'MUDDY, MUSHY MESS'

But heavy showers carry the potential for unleashing dangerous mudslides in newly burned areas while also making it more difficult for forensic teams sifting through cinders and debris in search of additional human remains.

Colleen Fitzpatrick, founder of the California-based consulting company Identifinders International, said the expected rain will turn the site into a "muddy, mushy mess," slick with wet ash.

"It's going to coat things and stick to things, and it's going to make it a lot harder to find remains," she said. "There's really nothing that can be done about this. The workers looking for remains are going to be stuck with this."

Pathologists from the University of Nevada, Reno worked through the weekend as firefighters peeled back debris, collecting bits of burned bones and photographing everything that might help identify victims.

The elevated risk of mudslides could also increase the misery factor for evacuees, some of whom are living in tents or camping out of their cars. Residents who only recently were permitted back in homes that survived the fire may be ordered to evacuate again if they live downslope from badly burned areas.

Intense fire over the slopes of canyons, hills and mountains makes them more prone to catastrophic erosion in the form of landslides, by burning away vegetation and organic material that normally holds soil in place. The fire also creates a hard, waxy surface that tends to repel rather than absorb water.

The result can be heavy runoff of rainwater mixed with mud, boulders, trees and other debris that flow downhill with tremendous force, said Jason Kean, a research hydrologist for the US Geological Survey.

"Those debris flows have the consistency of wet concrete and move faster than you can run," he said. "It's like a flood on steroids ... and a big one can take out two-story buildings."

The number of people in need of temporary shelter was not clear, but as many as 52,000 people had been under evacuation orders at the height of the firestorm last week.

Nearly 500 (800 km) south of Paradise near Malibu, west of Los Angeles, at least 2 inches of rain are expected to fall on a second fire, the Woolsey, which has killed three people. That blaze was 94 per cent contained by Monday morning.

Malibu's power supply was cut off on Monday to allow for repairs, the Los Angeles County sheriff's office said.

The cause of both fires is under investigation, but electric utilities reported localized equipment problems around the time they broke out.

PG&amp;E Corp has said it could face liability that exceeds its insurance coverage if its equipment were found to have caused the Camp Fire.

Authorities on Monday redoubled efforts to find more victims of the deadliest wildfire in California history and to account for nearly 1,000 people listed as missing, with forecast rains likely to hinder the search and raise the risk of mudslides.

Authorities on Monday redoubled efforts to find more victims of the deadliest wildfire in California history and to account for nearly 1,000 people listed as missing, with forecast rains likely to hinder the search and raise the risk of mudslides. Remains of 79 victims have been recovered since the Camp Fire erupted on November 8 and largely obliterated the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise, a town of nearly 27,000 people about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco. The latest official death toll, which has climbed steadily over the past week, was announced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) a day after the Butte County Sheriff's Office reduced the number of names on its missing-persons list to 993, down from 1,276 on Saturday. That roster has fluctuated dramatically over the past week as additional individuals were reported missing, or as some initially listed as unaccounted for either turn up alive or end up being identified among the dead. Sheriff Kory Honea has said some people have been added to the list more than once at times under variant spellings of their names. As of Monday, the fire has torched more than 151,000 acres (61,107 hectares) of drought-parched scrub and trees, incinerating some 12,000 homes along the way, Cal Fire said. But firefighters in recent days have gained significant ground against the blaze, carving containment lines around 70 per cent of its perimeter, according to the agency. Efforts to further suppress the flames were likely to benefit from a storm expected to dump as much as 4 inches (10 cm) of rain north of San Francisco between late Tuesday and Friday, said Patrick Burke, a National Weather Service forecaster. 'MUDDY, MUSHY MESS' But heavy showers carry the potential for unleashing dangerous mudslides in newly burned areas while also making it more difficult for forensic teams sifting through cinders and debris in search of additional human remains. Colleen Fitzpatrick, founder of the California-based consulting company Identifinders International, said the expected rain will turn the site into a "muddy, mushy mess," slick with wet ash. "It's going to coat things and stick to things, and it's going to make it a lot harder to find remains," she said. "There's really nothing that can be done about this. The workers looking for remains are going to be stuck with this." Pathologists from the University of Nevada, Reno worked through the weekend as firefighters peeled back debris, collecting bits of burned bones and photographing everything that might help identify victims. The elevated risk of mudslides could also increase the misery factor for evacuees, some of whom are living in tents or camping out of their cars. Residents who only recently were permitted back in homes that survived the fire may be ordered to evacuate again if they live downslope from badly burned areas. Intense fire over the slopes of canyons, hills and mountains makes them more prone to catastrophic erosion in the form of landslides, by burning away vegetation and organic material that normally holds soil in place. The fire also creates a hard, waxy surface that tends to repel rather than absorb water. The result can be heavy runoff of rainwater mixed with mud, boulders, trees and other debris that flow downhill with tremendous force, said Jason Kean, a research hydrologist for the US Geological Survey. "Those debris flows have the consistency of wet concrete and move faster than you can run," he said. "It's like a flood on steroids ... and a big one can take out two-story buildings." The number of people in need of temporary shelter was not clear, but as many as 52,000 people had been under evacuation orders at the height of the firestorm last week. Nearly 500 (800 km) south of Paradise near Malibu, west of Los Angeles, at least 2 inches of rain are expected to fall on a second fire, the Woolsey, which has killed three people. That blaze was 94 per cent contained by Monday morning. Malibu's power supply was cut off on Monday to allow for repairs, the Los Angeles County sheriff's office said. The cause of both fires is under investigation, but electric utilities reported localized equipment problems around the time they broke out. PG&E Corp has said it could face liability that exceeds its insurance coverage if its equipment were found to have caused the Camp Fire.

Death toll rises to 79 in California wildfire, over 900 still missing

Authorities on Sunday sifted through the charred wreckage of California's deadliest ever wildfire, searching for any signs of the 993 people now listed as missing after the Camp Fire tore through the mountain town of Paradise.

The number of believed missing fell 283 late on Sunday, down from 1,276 people, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, but gave no other details.

The remains of 77 people have been recovered, officials said late on Sunday. The blaze ignited on Nov. 8 was 65 per cent contained, up from 60 per cent earlier in the day.

Rain is forecast for the area this week, potentially helping douse the flames, but raising the risk of floods and mudslides that will swell the misery of 46,000 people under evacuation orders.

Many refugees from the fire have taken up temporary residence with friends and relatives, while others have pitched tents or were camping out of their vehicles.

The death toll far surpasses the previous fatality record from a single California wildfire - 29 in the Griffith Park fire of 1933 in Los Angeles - and already ranks among the deadliest US&nbsp;wildfires since the turn of the last century.

Eighty-seven people perished in the Big Burn firestorm that swept the Northern Rockies in August 1910. Minnesota's Cloquet Fire in October 1918 killed 450 people.

In Paradise, the flames moved so fast that some victims died in their cars in a chaotic evacuation as gridlock formed on the two exit routes out of town.

The Butte County Sheriff's Office said the list of the missing is compiled using information received from a special hotline, as well as emails and emergency-911 calls that came in during the first chaotic hours of the blaze.

Authorities said some of those listed likely survived but have not yet notified family or officials, either because they lack phone service or were unaware anyone was looking for them.

In Paradise, home to nearly 27,000 people before the Camp Fire struck, two forensic anthropologists for the University of Nevada, Reno, were helping firefighters on Saturday sort through the wreckage at a mobile home park for senior citizens.

Firefighters peeled back the metal sheet of a collapsed roof as the anthropologists picked up charred bone fragments, sorting them into paper bags.

Roger Fielding, chief deputy coroner with the Martin County Sheriff's Office, said each site was treated as a crime scene, with every step of recovery documented with photographs.

"Our job is to pick up any items that might reflect who this person might be," he said.

Thousands of homes destroyed

Besides the toll on human life, property losses from the blaze make it the most destructive in California history, posing the additional challenge of providing long-term shelter for many thousands of displaced residents.

At last count, the Camp Fire had destroyed more than 13,600 homes and other structures, authorities said late on Sunday.

Up to 4 inches (10 cm) of rain is expected to fall from late Tuesday through Friday in the Sierra foothills, said Patrick Burke, a forecaster with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

"It'll bring much-needed relief to the firefighters and to the air quality, but there's a potential for dangerous mudslides wherever vegetation is burned away on slopes and hills," Burke said.

Up to 2 inches of rain is also expected to fall on southern California this week, where the Woolsey Fire claimed at least three lives.

That blaze was 88 per cent contained on Sunday, authorities said, with full containment expected on Thanksgiving Thursday.

The precise causes of the both fires were under investigation, but electric utilities have reported equipment problems in the vicinity of both blazes around the time they erupted.

PG&amp;E Corp has said it could face liability that exceeds its insurance coverage if its equipment were found to have caused the Camp Fire.

On Friday, the company reported to regulators a second power-line outage that it experienced in Butte County on the morning of Nov. 8 when the Camp Fire started.

During a visit to both fire zones on Saturday, US&nbsp;President Donald Trump blamed the recent spate of wildfires on forest mismanagement, and he said he discussed the issue with California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom.

Scientists have said the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires in California and elsewhere across the US&nbsp;West are largely attributable to prolonged drought symptomatic of climate change.

Authorities on Sunday sifted through the charred wreckage of California's deadliest ever wildfire, searching for any signs of the 993 people now listed as missing after the Camp Fire tore through the mountain town of Paradise.

Authorities on Sunday sifted through the charred wreckage of California's deadliest ever wildfire, searching for any signs of the 993 people now listed as missing after the Camp Fire tore through the mountain town of Paradise. The number of believed missing fell 283 late on Sunday, down from 1,276 people, the Butte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement, but gave no other details. The remains of 77 people have been recovered, officials said late on Sunday. The blaze ignited on Nov. 8 was 65 per cent contained, up from 60 per cent earlier in the day. Rain is forecast for the area this week, potentially helping douse the flames, but raising the risk of floods and mudslides that will swell the misery of 46,000 people under evacuation orders. Many refugees from the fire have taken up temporary residence with friends and relatives, while others have pitched tents or were camping out of their vehicles. The death toll far surpasses the previous fatality record from a single California wildfire - 29 in the Griffith Park fire of 1933 in Los Angeles - and already ranks among the deadliest US wildfires since the turn of the last century. Eighty-seven people perished in the Big Burn firestorm that swept the Northern Rockies in August 1910. Minnesota's Cloquet Fire in October 1918 killed 450 people. In Paradise, the flames moved so fast that some victims died in their cars in a chaotic evacuation as gridlock formed on the two exit routes out of town. The Butte County Sheriff's Office said the list of the missing is compiled using information received from a special hotline, as well as emails and emergency-911 calls that came in during the first chaotic hours of the blaze. Authorities said some of those listed likely survived but have not yet notified family or officials, either because they lack phone service or were unaware anyone was looking for them. In Paradise, home to nearly 27,000 people before the Camp Fire struck, two forensic anthropologists for the University of Nevada, Reno, were helping firefighters on Saturday sort through the wreckage at a mobile home park for senior citizens. Firefighters peeled back the metal sheet of a collapsed roof as the anthropologists picked up charred bone fragments, sorting them into paper bags. Roger Fielding, chief deputy coroner with the Martin County Sheriff's Office, said each site was treated as a crime scene, with every step of recovery documented with photographs. "Our job is to pick up any items that might reflect who this person might be," he said. Thousands of homes destroyed Besides the toll on human life, property losses from the blaze make it the most destructive in California history, posing the additional challenge of providing long-term shelter for many thousands of displaced residents. At last count, the Camp Fire had destroyed more than 13,600 homes and other structures, authorities said late on Sunday. Up to 4 inches (10 cm) of rain is expected to fall from late Tuesday through Friday in the Sierra foothills, said Patrick Burke, a forecaster with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. "It'll bring much-needed relief to the firefighters and to the air quality, but there's a potential for dangerous mudslides wherever vegetation is burned away on slopes and hills," Burke said. Up to 2 inches of rain is also expected to fall on southern California this week, where the Woolsey Fire claimed at least three lives. That blaze was 88 per cent contained on Sunday, authorities said, with full containment expected on Thanksgiving Thursday. The precise causes of the both fires were under investigation, but electric utilities have reported equipment problems in the vicinity of both blazes around the time they erupted. PG&E Corp has said it could face liability that exceeds its insurance coverage if its equipment were found to have caused the Camp Fire. On Friday, the company reported to regulators a second power-line outage that it experienced in Butte County on the morning of Nov. 8 when the Camp Fire started. During a visit to both fire zones on Saturday, US President Donald Trump blamed the recent spate of wildfires on forest mismanagement, and he said he discussed the issue with California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom. Scientists have said the growing frequency and intensity of wildfires in California and elsewhere across the US West are largely attributable to prolonged drought symptomatic of climate change.

California wildfires: Number of missing falls to 993 from 1,276; search continues

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cia-has-concluded-saudi-crown-prince-ordered-journalists-killing-report-177782">CIA has concluded Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: Report</a>

The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/over-1000-missing-71-dead-in-california-wildfire-177802">Over 1000 missing, 71 dead in California wildfire</a>

The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-explosion-in-karachi-kills-two-injures-eight-177790">Pakistan: Explosion in Karachi kills 2, injures 8</a>

A bomb killed at least two people and wounded eight others in Pakistan's port city of Karachi Friday, police and hospital officials said.

The blast reportedly damaged buildings and triggered panic in the densely populated Malir district.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-embraces-maldives-as-new-leader-mohamed-solih-takes-office-china-out-of-favour-177785">PM Modi embraces </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-embraces-maldives-as-new-leader-mohamed-solih-takes-office-china-out-of-favour-177785">Maldives</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-embraces-maldives-as-new-leader-mohamed-solih-takes-office-china-out-of-favour-177785"> as new leader Mohamed Solih takes office, China out of favour</a>

Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih takes office on Saturday, seeking help from India and the United States to climb out from under a mountain of Chinese debt that his predecessor racked up in a breakneck development of the coral islands.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-orders-white-house-to-restore-press-pass-to-cnns-acosta-177783">US judge orders White House to restore press pass to CNN's Acosta</a>

A US judge on Friday ordered the White House to temporarily restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass, which was revoked after a contentious news conference last week with President Donald Trump.

The White House withdrew Acosta's credentials on November 7 in an escalation of the Republican president's attacks on news organizations, who he has called enemies of the people.

CIA has concluded Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: Report The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved.

CIA has concluded Saudi crown prince ordered journalist's killing: Report The CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a finding that contradicts Saudi government assertions that he was not involved. Over 1000 missing, 71 dead in California wildfire The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers. Pakistan: Explosion in Karachi kills 2, injures 8 A bomb killed at least two people and wounded eight others in Pakistan's port city of Karachi Friday, police and hospital officials said. The blast reportedly damaged buildings and triggered panic in the densely populated Malir district. PM Modi embraces Maldives as new leader Mohamed Solih takes office, China out of favour Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih takes office on Saturday, seeking help from India and the United States to climb out from under a mountain of Chinese debt that his predecessor racked up in a breakneck development of the coral islands. US judge orders White House to restore press pass to CNN's Acosta A US judge on Friday ordered the White House to temporarily restore CNN correspondent Jim Acosta's press pass, which was revoked after a contentious news conference last week with President Donald Trump. The White House withdrew Acosta's credentials on November 7 in an escalation of the Republican president's attacks on news organizations, who he has called enemies of the people.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had soared from 631 on Thursday to 1,011 on Friday as more reports of missing were being sent in and as emergency calls made when the fire broke out on November 8 are being reviewed.

The eight additional victims bring to 71 the number of people who have died in the so-called Camp Fire.

Meanwhile, the White House in a statement said President Trump would visit the state to review the situation. The county town of Paradise in northern California has been worst hit by the wildfire with most of those missing reported to be in the age group of 70s, 80s and 90s.

A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu including Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Pierce Brosnan, Neil Young, Robin Thicke and Shannen Doherty.

California fire department had said that that the wildfire had destroyed 56,655 hectares but was only 40 per cent contained. At least 5,500 firefighters were battling the blaze.

The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers.

The number of people missing in a devastating wildfire in northern California jumped to more than 1,000 on Friday, authorities said, as the remains of eight other victims were found by rescuers. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of missing had soared from 631 on Thursday to 1,011 on Friday as more reports of missing were being sent in and as emergency calls made when the fire broke out on November 8 are being reviewed. The eight additional victims bring to 71 the number of people who have died in the so-called Camp Fire. Meanwhile, the White House in a statement said President Trump would visit the state to review the situation. The county town of Paradise in northern California has been worst hit by the wildfire with most of those missing reported to be in the age group of 70s, 80s and 90s. A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu including Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Pierce Brosnan, Neil Young, Robin Thicke and Shannen Doherty. California fire department had said that that the wildfire had destroyed 56,655 hectares but was only 40 per cent contained. At least 5,500 firefighters were battling the blaze.

Over 1000 missing, 71 dead in California wildfire

Thousands of people displaced by California's most destructive wildfire, including hundreds living in tents and cars, face heavy rains next week that could trigger dangerous floods and mudslides, while helping douse the flames.

At least 300 people who fled the Camp Fire were sheltering on Friday in the flood-prone parking lot of a Walmart in Chico, about 15 miles (24 km) west of where the blaze consumed the mountain town of Paradise on November&nbsp;8.

More than 1,000 are missing, according to police. The remains of at least 71 people have been identified so far.

A rain storm is forecast to hit next week and so authorities are asking people to leave the Walmart lot by Sunday afternoon, said Bryan May, a spokesman for the California Office of Emergency Services.

Hillsides that have been scorched by a wildfire are at risk for mudslides when it rains, experts say. The flames burn away vegetation that holds the soil in place and bake a waxy layer into the earth that prevents water from sinking more than a few inches into the ground.

Authorities say they have enough shelter space to provide a bed for everyone who wants one, but they acknowledge challenges ahead in finding more long-term housing for the displaced.

May said it was not clear exactly how many people are in need of housing, but at the height of the Camp Fire authorities had ordered more than 52,000 people to evacuate.

A survey found only 100 housing units available for rent in all of Butte County, where the fire has been burning, May said.

Already, more than 1,100 people are bunking at shelters in the area, according to the Red Cross, and countless more are staying with friends and family.

The fire forced caregiver Robin Tompkins, 43, and her family from their home in the town of Magalia, north of Paradise. Friends let them stay for a week, but now the family needs to find other accommodation, she said at an evacuee relief station in the Chico Walmart parking lot.

Her husband Timothy, who works as a cook at a Chico cafe, was frustrated by the lack of information about how long he might be kept from returning to Magalia.

"I keep hearing different things: a month, four months, a year. We just want to get home," he said.

Randy Greb, 61, was camping in a tent in the parking lot after his home in Paradise was destroyed.

"I lost everything. I've got the clothes I got, but people have been nice and really helping us," Greb said. "Everybody has been doing their best."

The Walmart tent village is the largest of several outdoor encampments of refugees from the Camp Fire.

Some displaced people prefer to remain outdoors because they want to stay with their pets, which many shelters say they cannot accept, or are concerned about losing their privacy, May said.

But authorities are encouraging them to camp near a shelter so they can access services for hygiene and other needs, such as free diapers and Clorox wipes.

Given the shortage of suitable housing, attention has turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It has said that it is working with state and local officials to evaluate options, and is considering using travel trailers to house some of the displaced.

Last year, after a deadly wildfire destroyed hundreds of homes in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Santa Rosa, FEMA trailers were used to house some of the displaced.

Among the thousands who have applied for help from FEMA is Linda Harned, 63, a retired caregiver who lost the home that she shared with her husband and several relatives in Magalia.

"I'm depressed and upset," Harned said at the relief station outside the Walmart in Chico. "It's hard. I never knew how much I loved my house."

Thousands of people displaced by California's most destructive wildfire, including hundreds living in tents and cars, face heavy rains next week that could trigger dangerous floods and mudslides, while helping douse the flames.

Thousands of people displaced by California's most destructive wildfire, including hundreds living in tents and cars, face heavy rains next week that could trigger dangerous floods and mudslides, while helping douse the flames. At least 300 people who fled the Camp Fire were sheltering on Friday in the flood-prone parking lot of a Walmart in Chico, about 15 miles (24 km) west of where the blaze consumed the mountain town of Paradise on November 8. More than 1,000 are missing, according to police. The remains of at least 71 people have been identified so far. A rain storm is forecast to hit next week and so authorities are asking people to leave the Walmart lot by Sunday afternoon, said Bryan May, a spokesman for the California Office of Emergency Services. Hillsides that have been scorched by a wildfire are at risk for mudslides when it rains, experts say. The flames burn away vegetation that holds the soil in place and bake a waxy layer into the earth that prevents water from sinking more than a few inches into the ground. Authorities say they have enough shelter space to provide a bed for everyone who wants one, but they acknowledge challenges ahead in finding more long-term housing for the displaced. May said it was not clear exactly how many people are in need of housing, but at the height of the Camp Fire authorities had ordered more than 52,000 people to evacuate. A survey found only 100 housing units available for rent in all of Butte County, where the fire has been burning, May said. Already, more than 1,100 people are bunking at shelters in the area, according to the Red Cross, and countless more are staying with friends and family. The fire forced caregiver Robin Tompkins, 43, and her family from their home in the town of Magalia, north of Paradise. Friends let them stay for a week, but now the family needs to find other accommodation, she said at an evacuee relief station in the Chico Walmart parking lot. Her husband Timothy, who works as a cook at a Chico cafe, was frustrated by the lack of information about how long he might be kept from returning to Magalia. "I keep hearing different things: a month, four months, a year. We just want to get home," he said. Randy Greb, 61, was camping in a tent in the parking lot after his home in Paradise was destroyed. "I lost everything. I've got the clothes I got, but people have been nice and really helping us," Greb said. "Everybody has been doing their best." The Walmart tent village is the largest of several outdoor encampments of refugees from the Camp Fire. Some displaced people prefer to remain outdoors because they want to stay with their pets, which many shelters say they cannot accept, or are concerned about losing their privacy, May said. But authorities are encouraging them to camp near a shelter so they can access services for hygiene and other needs, such as free diapers and Clorox wipes. Given the shortage of suitable housing, attention has turned to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It has said that it is working with state and local officials to evaluate options, and is considering using travel trailers to house some of the displaced. Last year, after a deadly wildfire destroyed hundreds of homes in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Santa Rosa, FEMA trailers were used to house some of the displaced. Among the thousands who have applied for help from FEMA is Linda Harned, 63, a retired caregiver who lost the home that she shared with her husband and several relatives in Magalia. "I'm depressed and upset," Harned said at the relief station outside the Walmart in Chico. "It's hard. I never knew how much I loved my house."

Rain storms could bring more misery for California fire evacuees

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/over-600-declared-missing-in-california-wildfire-death-toll-climbs-to-59-177622">Over 600 declared missing in California wildfire, death toll climbs to 63</a>

As rescue operations continued on Friday as the wildfire raged in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise.

The number of missing in California wildfire has jumped past 600, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Earlier the authorities had said over 300 people were missing.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-sanctions-against-saudi-officials-implicated-in-khashoggis-murder-177611">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-imposes-sanctions-against-saudi-officials-implicated-in-khashoggis-murder-177611"> imposes sanctions against Saudi officials implicated in Khashoggi's murder</a>

The United States imposed economic sanctions against seventeen Saudi officials for their role in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi although it said the move to find the killers was a"good first step".

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/iccs-womens-world-t20-mithali-raj-plunders-ireland-india-enter-semi-final-177603">ICC Women's World T20: Mithali Raj plunders Ireland; India enter </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/iccs-womens-world-t20-mithali-raj-plunders-ireland-india-enter-semi-final-177603">semi-final</a>

India booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women's World Twenty20 for the first time since 2010 on Thursday as Mithali Raj scored her second straight half-century in a 52-run thrashing of Ireland.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-friendly-wayne-rooney-says-goodbye-as-england-drub-us-177599">Football friendly: Wayne Rooney says goodbye as England drub </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/football-friendly-wayne-rooney-says-goodbye-as-england-drub-us-177599">US</a>

As England fans said farewell to one of their finest, they also got a glimpse of the future as Gareth Southgate's team beat the United States 3-0 in a Wembley friendly that doubled as Wayne Rooney's tribute game.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-lays-barbed-wire-at-border-as-migrant-caravan-approaches-177615">US military lays barbed wire at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-lays-barbed-wire-at-border-as-migrant-caravan-approaches-177615">border</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-military-lays-barbed-wire-at-border-as-migrant-caravan-approaches-177615"> as migrant caravan approaches</a>

US Marines reinforced a wall at the US-Mexico border with barbed wire on Thursday as hundreds of Central American migrants planning to seek asylum in the United States approached.

Over 600 declared missing in California wildfire, death toll climbs to 63 As rescue operations continued on Friday as the wildfire raged in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise.

Over 600 declared missing in California wildfire, death toll climbs to 63 As rescue operations continued on Friday as the wildfire raged in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise. The number of missing in California wildfire has jumped past 600, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Earlier the authorities had said over 300 people were missing. US imposes sanctions against Saudi officials implicated in Khashoggi's murder The United States imposed economic sanctions against seventeen Saudi officials for their role in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi although it said the move to find the killers was a"good first step". ICC Women's World T20: Mithali Raj plunders Ireland; India enter semi-final India booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women's World Twenty20 for the first time since 2010 on Thursday as Mithali Raj scored her second straight half-century in a 52-run thrashing of Ireland. Football friendly: Wayne Rooney says goodbye as England drub US As England fans said farewell to one of their finest, they also got a glimpse of the future as Gareth Southgate's team beat the United States 3-0 in a Wembley friendly that doubled as Wayne Rooney's tribute game. US military lays barbed wire at border as migrant caravan approaches US Marines reinforced a wall at the US-Mexico border with barbed wire on Thursday as hundreds of Central American migrants planning to seek asylum in the United States approached.

News Brief: Big news of the day

President Donald Trump will fly Saturday to California to meet victims of wildfires that have killed at least 59 people and destroyed the homes of thousands, the White House said Thursday.

At least 300 people are still missing and the death toll is expected to rise as recovery teams conduct house-to-house searches amid the wreckage of the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California.

Trump will "meet with individuals impacted by the wildfires," a White House spokeswoman said.

Fifty-six of the deaths and most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise in northern California, which was decimated by the so-called Camp Fire that erupted a week ago.

Trump initially showed little sympathy for the famously liberal state as the death toll began to mount, blaming poor forest management in a tweet posted on Friday that also threatened to cut federal funding.&nbsp;

"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!" he said.

Virtually every home in Paradise, a town of around 26,000 located 80 miles (130 kilometres) north of the state capital Sacramento, was destroyed by the fire, which was fueled by high winds.

The Butte County Sheriff's Office published a list late Wednesday of about 300 people who are missing. Some may have fled their homes and not been in touch with family and friends but others are believed to have died in the fast-moving Camp Fire.

At the southern end of the state the Woolsey Fire has razed 98,000 acres (39,660 hectares) and has been 57 per cent contained.

A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu as a result of the inferno, including Pierce Brosnan, Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Robin Thicke, Shannen Doherty and Gerard Butler.

President Donald Trump will fly Saturday to California to meet victims of wildfires that have killed at least 59 people and destroyed the homes of thousands, the White House said Thursday.

President Donald Trump will fly Saturday to California to meet victims of wildfires that have killed at least 59 people and destroyed the homes of thousands, the White House said Thursday. At least 300 people are still missing and the death toll is expected to rise as recovery teams conduct house-to-house searches amid the wreckage of the sprawling blazes in northern and southern California. Trump will "meet with individuals impacted by the wildfires," a White House spokeswoman said. Fifty-six of the deaths and most of those unaccounted for are from the Butte County town of Paradise in northern California, which was decimated by the so-called Camp Fire that erupted a week ago. Trump initially showed little sympathy for the famously liberal state as the death toll began to mount, blaming poor forest management in a tweet posted on Friday that also threatened to cut federal funding. "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!" he said. Virtually every home in Paradise, a town of around 26,000 located 80 miles (130 kilometres) north of the state capital Sacramento, was destroyed by the fire, which was fueled by high winds. The Butte County Sheriff's Office published a list late Wednesday of about 300 people who are missing. Some may have fled their homes and not been in touch with family and friends but others are believed to have died in the fast-moving Camp Fire. At the southern end of the state the Woolsey Fire has razed 98,000 acres (39,660 hectares) and has been 57 per cent contained. A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu as a result of the inferno, including Pierce Brosnan, Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, Robin Thicke, Shannen Doherty and Gerard Butler.

Trump to visit California wildfire victims: White House

As rescue operations<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/troops-search-for-130-missing-in-california-wildfire-death-toll-climbs-to-56-177513"> continued on Friday as the wildfire raged </a>in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise.

The number of missing in California wildfire has jumped past 600, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Earlier the authorities had said over 300 people were missing.

The sheriff informed that the number of those missing had more than doubled after authorities checked emergency calls when the wildfires first started over a week ago.

California authorities have taken DNA samples from relatives in order to identify those killed in the wildfire. At least 63 people have so far been killed as a result of the wildfire which has been the biggest in the history of the state.

"Beginning Thursday, anyone who believes a family member perished can provide a DNA sample," Honea said.

Meanwhile, the White House in a statement said President Trump would visit the state to review the situation. County town of Paradise in northern California has been worst hit by the wildfire with most of those missing reported to be in the age group of 70s, 80s and 90s.

A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu including Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Pierce Brosnan, Neil Young, Robin Thicke and Shannen Doherty.

California fire department had said that that the wildfire had destroyed 56,655 hectares but was only 40 per cent contained. At least 5,500 firefighters were battling the blaze.

Authorities, however, added that cooler temperatures had brought welcome relief to firefighting.

The cause of the deadly wildfire is still unknown although a lawsuit has been filed against the local power company, PG&amp;E, by fire victims claiming negligence.

Authorities said it was unclear when residents would be allowed back into the town.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gq1uwLzm3CE" width="560"></iframe>

As rescue operations continued on Friday as the wildfire raged in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise.

As rescue operations continued on Friday as the wildfire raged in California, authorities said 631 people were listed as missing as the death toll continued to rise. The number of missing in California wildfire has jumped past 600, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Earlier the authorities had said over 300 people were missing. The sheriff informed that the number of those missing had more than doubled after authorities checked emergency calls when the wildfires first started over a week ago. California authorities have taken DNA samples from relatives in order to identify those killed in the wildfire. At least 63 people have so far been killed as a result of the wildfire which has been the biggest in the history of the state. "Beginning Thursday, anyone who believes a family member perished can provide a DNA sample," Honea said. Meanwhile, the White House in a statement said President Trump would visit the state to review the situation. County town of Paradise in northern California has been worst hit by the wildfire with most of those missing reported to be in the age group of 70s, 80s and 90s. A number of celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu including Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus, Pierce Brosnan, Neil Young, Robin Thicke and Shannen Doherty. California fire department had said that that the wildfire had destroyed 56,655 hectares but was only 40 per cent contained. At least 5,500 firefighters were battling the blaze. Authorities, however, added that cooler temperatures had brought welcome relief to firefighting. The cause of the deadly wildfire is still unknown although a lawsuit has been filed against the local power company, PG&E, by fire victims claiming negligence. Authorities said it was unclear when residents would be allowed back into the town.

Video: Over 600 declared missing in California wildfire, death toll climbs to 63

Firefighters sleep in cold tents as temperature drops in California

California released a list of over 130 missing people as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-climbs-to-48-in-californias-most-lethal-wildfire-disaster-177208">firefighters battled raging wildfires</a> for a seventh day on Wednesday.

Most of the missing people are to believe from the Butte County town of Paradise.

Paradise, a town of around 26,000 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, was popular with retirees and many of those reported missing by the sheriff's office are elderly -- in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

At least 56 deaths have been reported so far from the deadliest wildfires in California's recent history and body recovery teams were going house-to-house with cadaver dogs in Paradise on Wednesday.

The complaint alleged that the fire began on November 8 when a high voltage transmission line failed, igniting a vegetation fire.

California released a list of over 130 missing people as firefighters battled raging wildfires for a seventh day on Wednesday. Most of the missing people are to believe from the Butte County town of Paradise.

California released a list of over 130 missing people as firefighters battled raging wildfires for a seventh day on Wednesday. Most of the missing people are to believe from the Butte County town of Paradise. Paradise, a town of around 26,000 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, was popular with retirees and many of those reported missing by the sheriff's office are elderly -- in their 70s, 80s and 90s. At least 56 deaths have been reported so far from the deadliest wildfires in California's recent history and body recovery teams were going house-to-house with cadaver dogs in Paradise on Wednesday. The complaint alleged that the fire began on November 8 when a high voltage transmission line failed, igniting a vegetation fire.

56 dead, 130 still missing after California wildfires

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/live-pm-narendra-modi-delivers-the-keynote-address-at-fintech-festival-177192">Live: Fintech can be used to make the world a better place, says PM Modi in Singapore</a>

We are in an age of a historic transition brought about by technology. The character of the global economy is changing. Technology is defining competitiveness and power in the new world. And it is creating boundless opportunities to transform lives: PM Modi in Singapore

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-climbs-to-48-in-californias-most-lethal-wildfire-disaster-177208">Death toll climbs to 48 in California's most lethal wildfire disaster</a>

The remains of six more victims were found on Tuesday in and around a northern California town overrun by flames last week, raising the death toll to 48 in a wildfire disaster already ranked as California's most lethal and destructive in state history.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indians-are-very-good-traders-and-negotiators-says-trump-during-diwali-celebrations-177186">Indians are very good traders and negotiators, says Trump during Diwali celebrations</a>

US President Trump while celebrating Diwali at the White House joked that Indians are "very good traders" and "very good negotiators".

"I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi. We are trying very hard to make better trade deals with India. But they're very good traders. They're very good negotiators, the best," the US president said.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harry-winston-jeweller-buys-pink-legacy-diamond-for-record-50-million-christies-177180">Harry Winston jeweller buys 'Pink Legacy' diamond for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harry-winston-jeweller-buys-pink-legacy-diamond-for-record-50-million-christies-177180">record</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harry-winston-jeweller-buys-pink-legacy-diamond-for-record-50-million-christies-177180"> $50 million</a>

The "Pink Legacy", a diamond weighing just under 19 carats, fetched a record 50.375 million Swiss francs ($50 million), purchased by US-based luxury jeweller Harry Winston, Christie's said on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-to-hold-hearing-on-cnns-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-177175">US judge to hold </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-to-hold-hearing-on-cnns-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-177175">hearing</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-to-hold-hearing-on-cnns-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-177175"> on CNN's lawsuit against Trump administration</a>

A federal judge said he would hold a hearing on Wednesday on CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking the speedy reinstatement of press credentials for White House correspondent Jim Acosta, a frequent target of President Donald Trump.

Live: Fintech can be used to make the world a better place, says PM Modi in Singapore We are in an age of a historic transition brought about by technology. The character of the global economy is changing.

Live: Fintech can be used to make the world a better place, says PM Modi in Singapore We are in an age of a historic transition brought about by technology. The character of the global economy is changing. Technology is defining competitiveness and power in the new world. And it is creating boundless opportunities to transform lives: PM Modi in Singapore Death toll climbs to 48 in California's most lethal wildfire disaster The remains of six more victims were found on Tuesday in and around a northern California town overrun by flames last week, raising the death toll to 48 in a wildfire disaster already ranked as California's most lethal and destructive in state history. Indians are very good traders and negotiators, says Trump during Diwali celebrations US President Trump while celebrating Diwali at the White House joked that Indians are "very good traders" and "very good negotiators". "I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi. We are trying very hard to make better trade deals with India. But they're very good traders. They're very good negotiators, the best," the US president said. Harry Winston jeweller buys 'Pink Legacy' diamond for record $50 million The "Pink Legacy", a diamond weighing just under 19 carats, fetched a record 50.375 million Swiss francs ($50 million), purchased by US-based luxury jeweller Harry Winston, Christie's said on Tuesday. US judge to hold hearing on CNN's lawsuit against Trump administration A federal judge said he would hold a hearing on Wednesday on CNN's lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking the speedy reinstatement of press credentials for White House correspondent Jim Acosta, a frequent target of President Donald Trump.

WION Gravitas: At least 42 dead in California wildfire

Thousands of firefighters spent <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ferocious-winds-whip-california-fires-as-death-toll-rises-to-31-176753">the fifth day Monday digging battle </a>lines to contain California's worst ever wildfire as the wind-whipped flames cleaved a merciless path through the state's northern hills, leaving death and devastation in their wake.

A devastating blaze in northern California has become the deadliest wildfire in the history of the state, with 42 people killed, a sheriff said on Monday.

"As of today, an additional 13 human remains have been recovered, which brings the total number to 42," Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference.

After originally saying it was the deadliest wildland fire in US history, Honea clarified that it was the deadliest ever in California.

As well as the historic loss of life, the blaze is also more destructive than any other on record, having razed 6,500 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map.

Some 4,500 firefighters from as far as Washington and Texas have been working to halt the advance of the inferno as "mass casualty" search teams backed by anthropologists and a DNA lab pick through the charred ruins to identify remains -- sometimes reduced to no more than shards of bone.&nbsp;

On the ground, cars caught in the flames have been reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while piles of debris smoulder where houses once stood, an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining.

The Camp Fire has matched the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles -- until now the single deadliest wildfire on record -- according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Police say 228 people are unaccounted for in the Paradise area, although many may be among the 1,400 in emergency shelters outside of the danger zone.&nbsp;

The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres (34,600 hectares), destroyed at least 177 buildings and was only 15 per cent contained, Cal Fire said.

Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California.

"Completely devestated (sic) by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely &amp; that's all that matters right now," she tweeted.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Liam and his brother Luke were spotted helping out the Malibu communities after the wildfire even after it took Liam’s home. I love this so much! Miley and Liam have the most caring souls on the planet! The Hemsworth brothers are great! Miley’s still overseas 
• 
📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/liamgalehems?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@liamgalehems</a> <a href="https://t.co/FkVrgIfj65">pic.twitter.com/FkVrgIfj65</a>
— MC💕 (@MileyNYCyrus) <a href="https://twitter.com/MileyNYCyrus/status/1062142589946626048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family &amp; friends stand strong," she said.

Thousands of firefighters spent the fifth day Monday digging battle lines to contain California's worst ever wildfire as the wind-whipped flames cleaved a merciless path through the state's northern hills, leaving death and devastation in their wake.

Thousands of firefighters spent the fifth day Monday digging battle lines to contain California's worst ever wildfire as the wind-whipped flames cleaved a merciless path through the state's northern hills, leaving death and devastation in their wake. A devastating blaze in northern California has become the deadliest wildfire in the history of the state, with 42 people killed, a sheriff said on Monday. "As of today, an additional 13 human remains have been recovered, which brings the total number to 42," Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference. After originally saying it was the deadliest wildland fire in US history, Honea clarified that it was the deadliest ever in California. As well as the historic loss of life, the blaze is also more destructive than any other on record, having razed 6,500 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map. Some 4,500 firefighters from as far as Washington and Texas have been working to halt the advance of the inferno as "mass casualty" search teams backed by anthropologists and a DNA lab pick through the charred ruins to identify remains -- sometimes reduced to no more than shards of bone. On the ground, cars caught in the flames have been reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while piles of debris smoulder where houses once stood, an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining. The Camp Fire has matched the 1933 Griffith Park disaster in Los Angeles -- until now the single deadliest wildfire on record -- according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Police say 228 people are unaccounted for in the Paradise area, although many may be among the 1,400 in emergency shelters outside of the danger zone. The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres (34,600 hectares), destroyed at least 177 buildings and was only 15 per cent contained, Cal Fire said. Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California. "Completely devestated (sic) by the fires affecting my community. I am one of the lucky ones. My animals and LOVE OF MY LIFE made it out safely & that's all that matters right now," she tweeted. Liam and his brother Luke were spotted helping out the Malibu communities after the wildfire even after it took Liam’s home. I love this so much! Miley and Liam have the most caring souls on the planet! The Hemsworth brothers are great! Miley’s still overseas • 📸 @liamgalehems pic.twitter.com/FkVrgIfj65 — MC💕 (@MileyNYCyrus) November 13, 2018 × "My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong," she said.

California wildfire death toll climbs to 42; several missing

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise,&nbsp;California&nbsp;looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire.

The "Camp Fire" blaze still raging in northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;has killed at least 42 people. Another 228 have been listed as missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.

Another two people died in the separate Woolsey Fire that has destroyed 435 structures and displaced about 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near Southern&nbsp;California's Malibu coast, west of Los Angeles.

"Camp Fire" - already ranked as the most destructive on record in&nbsp;California&nbsp;in terms of property losses - has consumed more than 7,100 homes and other structures since igniting on Thursday in Butte County's Sierra foothills, about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco.

A total of 150 search-and-recovery personnel were due to arrive on Tuesday, bolstering 13 coroner-led recovery teams in the fire zone, Honea said.

The sheriff said he also has requested three portable morgue teams from the US&nbsp;military, a "disaster mortuary" crew and an unspecified number of cadaver dog units to assist in the search for human remains. Three groups of forensic anthropologists were also called in to help, he said.

The bulk of the destruction and loss of life occurred in and around the town of Paradise, where flames reduced most of the buildings to ash and rubble on Thursday night, just hours after the blaze erupted. Some 52,000 people remained under evacuation orders, the sheriff said.

Honea added that his office had received requests to check on the wellbeing of more than 1,500 people who had not been heard from by loved ones. Of those cases, 231 individuals had turned up safe, he said.

Authorities said on Monday evening that they found the bodies of 13 more victims, increasing the death toll from 29 tallied over the weekend.

The 42 confirmed fatalities marked the highest death toll in history from a single&nbsp;California&nbsp;wildfire, Honea said, far surpassing the previous record of 29 lives lost in 1933 from the Griffith Park blaze in Los Angeles.

The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained firefighting resources while catching many residents by surprise.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires. PG&amp;E Corp (PCG.N), which operates in northern&nbsp;California, and Edison International (EIX.N), the owner of Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;Edison Company, have reported to regulators that they experienced problems with transmission lines or substations in areas where fires were reported, just before or close to the time they started.

The bodies of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out wreckage of vehicles that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night.

More than 15,000 structures were threatened by the Camp Fire on Monday in an area so thick with smoke that visibility was reduced in some places to less than half a mile.

Crews have managed to carve containment lines around 30 percent of the Camp Fire perimeter, an area encompassing 117,000 acres of scorched, smoldering terrain.

To the south, Woolsey Fire has blackened nearly 94,000 acres and was also 30 per cent contained as of Monday night, according to the&nbsp;California&nbsp;Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

Winds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) were expected to continue in Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;through Tuesday, heightening the risk of fresh blazes ignited by scattered embers. CalFire said 57,000 structures were still in harm's way from the Woolsey Fire.

Nearly 9,000 firefighters, many from out of state, were battling to suppress the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire and a handful of smaller Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;blazes, backed by squadrons of water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers.

Some evacuees in Malibu, a seaside community whose residents include a number of Hollywood celebrities, were allowed to return home but were left without power or cellphone service.

California&nbsp;has endured two of the worst wildfire seasons in its history over the past couple of years, a situation experts attribute in large part to prolonged drought across much of the Western United States.

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise, California looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire.

Search teams will fan out across the charred landscape of Paradise, California looking for human remains on Tuesday as authorities prepare for a rise in the deathcount from the state's deadliest wildfire. The "Camp Fire" blaze still raging in northern California has killed at least 42 people. Another 228 have been listed as missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. Another two people died in the separate Woolsey Fire that has destroyed 435 structures and displaced about 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near Southern California's Malibu coast, west of Los Angeles. "Camp Fire" - already ranked as the most destructive on record in California in terms of property losses - has consumed more than 7,100 homes and other structures since igniting on Thursday in Butte County's Sierra foothills, about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco. A total of 150 search-and-recovery personnel were due to arrive on Tuesday, bolstering 13 coroner-led recovery teams in the fire zone, Honea said. The sheriff said he also has requested three portable morgue teams from the US military, a "disaster mortuary" crew and an unspecified number of cadaver dog units to assist in the search for human remains. Three groups of forensic anthropologists were also called in to help, he said. The bulk of the destruction and loss of life occurred in and around the town of Paradise, where flames reduced most of the buildings to ash and rubble on Thursday night, just hours after the blaze erupted. Some 52,000 people remained under evacuation orders, the sheriff said. Honea added that his office had received requests to check on the wellbeing of more than 1,500 people who had not been heard from by loved ones. Of those cases, 231 individuals had turned up safe, he said. Authorities said on Monday evening that they found the bodies of 13 more victims, increasing the death toll from 29 tallied over the weekend. The 42 confirmed fatalities marked the highest death toll in history from a single California wildfire, Honea said, far surpassing the previous record of 29 lives lost in 1933 from the Griffith Park blaze in Los Angeles. The fires have spread with an erratic intensity that has strained firefighting resources while catching many residents by surprise. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fires. PG&E Corp (PCG.N), which operates in northern California, and Edison International (EIX.N), the owner of Southern California Edison Company, have reported to regulators that they experienced problems with transmission lines or substations in areas where fires were reported, just before or close to the time they started. The bodies of some of the Camp Fire victims were found in burned-out wreckage of vehicles that were overrun by walls of fire as evacuees tried to flee, only to be trapped in deadly knots of traffic gridlock on Thursday night. More than 15,000 structures were threatened by the Camp Fire on Monday in an area so thick with smoke that visibility was reduced in some places to less than half a mile. Crews have managed to carve containment lines around 30 percent of the Camp Fire perimeter, an area encompassing 117,000 acres of scorched, smoldering terrain. To the south, Woolsey Fire has blackened nearly 94,000 acres and was also 30 per cent contained as of Monday night, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Winds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 km per hour) were expected to continue in Southern California through Tuesday, heightening the risk of fresh blazes ignited by scattered embers. CalFire said 57,000 structures were still in harm's way from the Woolsey Fire. Nearly 9,000 firefighters, many from out of state, were battling to suppress the Camp Fire, the Woolsey Fire and a handful of smaller Southern California blazes, backed by squadrons of water-dropping helicopters and airplane tankers. Some evacuees in Malibu, a seaside community whose residents include a number of Hollywood celebrities, were allowed to return home but were left without power or cellphone service. California has endured two of the worst wildfire seasons in its history over the past couple of years, a situation experts attribute in large part to prolonged drought across much of the Western United States.

Teams search for bodies in California after wildfire claims 42 lives

Hell in Paradise: Entire town wiped off map after wildfire

A fast-moving Northern California wildfire burned dozens of structures on Thursday, injuring residents and firefighters, as tens of thousands of people fled in a "chaotic" mass evacuation, state authorities said.

Driven by high winds and dry conditions, the blaze dubbed the Camp Fire swept through the town of Paradise, with social media reports that a hospital, high school and K-Mart store were on fire. State fire authorities said they could not confirm the reports.

"The whole town is burning," Bob Van Camp, a resident who escaped on his motorbike, told local TV channel Action News Now.&nbsp;

"We had to ride through flames to get here," he said from the side of a road west of Paradise.

With limited escape routes from the town, which is built on a ridge, traffic accidents turned roads into gridlock, with residents forced to abandon vehicles and run from the flames carrying children and pets, officials said. One woman stuck in traffic went into labour, the Enterprise-Record newspaper reported.

"It’s very chaotic. It’s a very bad fire,” Officer Ryan Lambert of the California Highway Patrol said of the evacuation. "The mass population is trying to be evacuated at once, a fast-moving fire, trying to get everybody evacuated on the roads, a lot of congestion, traffic accidents."&nbsp;

The blaze began early on Thursday and quickly charred 18,000 acres (3,237 hectares), forcing the evacuation of the 27,000 residents of Paradise, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of San Francisco, and other communities, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in a statement.

"It’s got all the right conditions to have grown very large, very quickly," said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart. "There is significant loss of structures, and civilian and firefighter injuries." He said he did not know the number of injuries or how many structures were destroyed.

Wildfire photographer Bernie Deyo tweeted that one of the main buildings at Feather River Hospital in Paradise was on fire.

Fire authorities did not indicate how the blaze started.

California is experiencing one of its worst fire years ever, with 621,743 acres (251,610 hectares) burned through Sunday in areas covered by Cal Fire, nearly twice the amount during the same period of 2017 and nearly triple the five-year average.

The Camp Fire has cut off power to roughly 34,000 customers in Butte and Plumas counties, according to a spokesman for Pacific Gas &amp; Electric.

A fast-moving Northern California wildfire burned dozens of structures on Thursday, injuring residents and firefighters, as tens of thousands of people fled in a "chaotic" mass evacuation, state authorities said.

A fast-moving Northern California wildfire burned dozens of structures on Thursday, injuring residents and firefighters, as tens of thousands of people fled in a "chaotic" mass evacuation, state authorities said. Driven by high winds and dry conditions, the blaze dubbed the Camp Fire swept through the town of Paradise, with social media reports that a hospital, high school and K-Mart store were on fire. State fire authorities said they could not confirm the reports. "The whole town is burning," Bob Van Camp, a resident who escaped on his motorbike, told local TV channel Action News Now. "We had to ride through flames to get here," he said from the side of a road west of Paradise. With limited escape routes from the town, which is built on a ridge, traffic accidents turned roads into gridlock, with residents forced to abandon vehicles and run from the flames carrying children and pets, officials said. One woman stuck in traffic went into labour, the Enterprise-Record newspaper reported. "It’s very chaotic. It’s a very bad fire,” Officer Ryan Lambert of the California Highway Patrol said of the evacuation. "The mass population is trying to be evacuated at once, a fast-moving fire, trying to get everybody evacuated on the roads, a lot of congestion, traffic accidents." The blaze began early on Thursday and quickly charred 18,000 acres (3,237 hectares), forcing the evacuation of the 27,000 residents of Paradise, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of San Francisco, and other communities, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said in a statement. "It’s got all the right conditions to have grown very large, very quickly," said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart. "There is significant loss of structures, and civilian and firefighter injuries." He said he did not know the number of injuries or how many structures were destroyed. Wildfire photographer Bernie Deyo tweeted that one of the main buildings at Feather River Hospital in Paradise was on fire. Fire authorities did not indicate how the blaze started. California is experiencing one of its worst fire years ever, with 621,743 acres (251,610 hectares) burned through Sunday in areas covered by Cal Fire, nearly twice the amount during the same period of 2017 and nearly triple the five-year average. The Camp Fire has cut off power to roughly 34,000 customers in Butte and Plumas counties, according to a spokesman for Pacific Gas & Electric.

'Whole town is burning': Residents flee Northern California wildfire

A fast-moving wildfire devastated a Northern California town of 26,000 people on Thursday with authorities unsure of the casualties as they struggled to contain 150-foot flames.

Driven by strong winds and dry conditions, the blaze dubbed the Camp Fire roared through the town of Paradise, about 85 miles (240 km) north of Sacramento, forcing the population to flee in a chaotic mass evacuation.

Fire ripped through residential areas and flames leapt from hospitals and schools, according to a Reuters witness, who saw a car dealership go up in flames on a street clogged with burned out vehicles and an abandoned police cruiser.

"The town is devastated, everything is destroyed," said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) spokesman Scott Maclean, who spent much of the day in Paradise. "There's nothing much left standing."

The town of Chico, population 93,000, could be next in the path of the wildfire, as flames were driven westward by 35-mile-per hour (56 km-per-hour) winds, said Butte County Fire Chief Darren Read.

"We have received reports of some fatalities. Those reports have not yet been verified," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference.

The fire was the fiercest of several wind-driven blazes across California on Thursday, during one of the state's worst years for wildfires.

"The whole town is burning," Bob Van Camp, a Paradise resident who escaped on his motorbike, told local TV channel Action News Now. "We had to ride through flames to get here," he said from the road between Paradise and Chico.

With the town located on a ridge and limited escape routes, traffic accidents turned roads into gridlock. Residents abandoned vehicles and ran from the flames carrying children and pets, officials said. One woman stuck in traffic went into labor, the Enterprise-Record newspaper reported.

"It's very chaotic. It’s a very bad fire,” Officer Ryan Lambert of the California Highway Patrol said of the evacuation.

The blaze began early on Thursday and had charred 20,000 acres (8,093 hectares) by 8pm (11.00pm ET), said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart.

Rescuers used a bulldozer to push abandoned cars out the way to reach Feather River Hospital and evacuate patients as flames engulfed the building, Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter told reporters.

The hospital was totally destroyed, Mike Mangas, a spokesman for operator Dignity Health, told Action News Now.

Firefighting aircraft were unable to operate due to high winds, which were forecast to strengthen on Friday morning.

"The problem is the winds that pushed the fire so much, so fast," said Maclean, adding that it could be days before authorities knew the full extent of fatalities and destruction.

A fast-moving wildfire devastated a Northern California town of 26,000 people on Thursday with authorities unsure of the casualties as they struggled to contain 150-foot flames.

A fast-moving wildfire devastated a Northern California town of 26,000 people on Thursday with authorities unsure of the casualties as they struggled to contain 150-foot flames. Driven by strong winds and dry conditions, the blaze dubbed the Camp Fire roared through the town of Paradise, about 85 miles (240 km) north of Sacramento, forcing the population to flee in a chaotic mass evacuation. Fire ripped through residential areas and flames leapt from hospitals and schools, according to a Reuters witness, who saw a car dealership go up in flames on a street clogged with burned out vehicles and an abandoned police cruiser. "The town is devastated, everything is destroyed," said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) spokesman Scott Maclean, who spent much of the day in Paradise. "There's nothing much left standing." The town of Chico, population 93,000, could be next in the path of the wildfire, as flames were driven westward by 35-mile-per hour (56 km-per-hour) winds, said Butte County Fire Chief Darren Read. "We have received reports of some fatalities. Those reports have not yet been verified," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told a news conference. The fire was the fiercest of several wind-driven blazes across California on Thursday, during one of the state's worst years for wildfires. "The whole town is burning," Bob Van Camp, a Paradise resident who escaped on his motorbike, told local TV channel Action News Now. "We had to ride through flames to get here," he said from the road between Paradise and Chico. With the town located on a ridge and limited escape routes, traffic accidents turned roads into gridlock. Residents abandoned vehicles and ran from the flames carrying children and pets, officials said. One woman stuck in traffic went into labor, the Enterprise-Record newspaper reported. "It's very chaotic. It’s a very bad fire,” Officer Ryan Lambert of the California Highway Patrol said of the evacuation. The blaze began early on Thursday and had charred 20,000 acres (8,093 hectares) by 8pm (11.00pm ET), said Cal Fire spokesman Rick Carhart. Rescuers used a bulldozer to push abandoned cars out the way to reach Feather River Hospital and evacuate patients as flames engulfed the building, Butte County Supervisor Doug Teeter told reporters. The hospital was totally destroyed, Mike Mangas, a spokesman for operator Dignity Health, told Action News Now. Firefighting aircraft were unable to operate due to high winds, which were forecast to strengthen on Friday morning. "The problem is the winds that pushed the fire so much, so fast," said Maclean, adding that it could be days before authorities knew the full extent of fatalities and destruction.

'Everything destroyed' as wildfire scorches Paradise in California

A wildfire broke out on Tuesday in a Southern&nbsp;California&nbsp;mountain pass and quickly grew to 6,500 acres (2,630 hectares), prompting the closure of part of the main freeway between the Los Angeles area and Las Vegas, officials said.

The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15 between the towns of Crestline and Hesperia, about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles, closing a section of that freeway and forcing a number of local residents to evacuate, according to fire tracking website InciWeb.gov.

&quot;It is a very fast-moving fire, it has wind behind it,&quot; said US&nbsp;Forest Service spokeswoman Lyn Sieliet.

The blaze, whose cause is under investigation, was the latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) of the drought-parched US&nbsp;West.

Sieliet said the Bluecut Fire, despite efforts by 700 firefighters to control it, had damaged structures in the Cajon Pass. She could not immediately say how many.

San Bernardino County sheriff&#39;s deputies were going door-to-door in the community of Wrightwood and nearby areas to tell residents to evacuate, said sheriff&#39;s spokeswoman Cindy Bachman. It was not immediately clear how many homes were evacuated.

The eruption of the Bluecut Fire came as crews more than 600 miles (970 km) to the northwest began to make headway on Tuesday against a Northern&nbsp;California&nbsp;wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses.

The so-called Clayton Fire was 20 percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the California&nbsp;Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has charred more than 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) in and around the community of Lower Lake, forcing hundreds of people to flee.

Authorities on Monday arrested 40-year-old Damin Pashilk on suspicion of setting that blaze and numerous others in the area over the past year. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.

The fire, which threatens some 1,500 structures, was driven by fierce winds after sparking on Saturday evening. There were no reports of casualties.

On Monday,&nbsp;California&nbsp;Governor Jerry Brown declared states of emergency for the Clayton fire and another in Central&nbsp;California, the so-called Chimney fire, allowing local officials to get help from agencies statewide.

The Chimney Fire was just 10 percent contained by Tuesday afternoon after scorching 6,400 acres (2,590 hectares) since erupting on Saturday. It has destroyed 12 structures and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate. 
 
(Reuters)

Although no casualties have been reported, the new blaze has gutted more than 175 homes and businesses

A wildfire broke out on Tuesday in a Southern California mountain pass and quickly grew to 6,500 acres (2,630 hectares), prompting the closure of part of the main freeway between the Los Angeles area and Las Vegas, officials said. The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15 between the towns of Crestline and Hesperia, about 100 miles (160 km) east of Los Angeles, closing a section of that freeway and forcing a number of local residents to evacuate, according to fire tracking website InciWeb.gov. "It is a very fast-moving fire, it has wind behind it," said US Forest Service spokeswoman Lyn Sieliet. The blaze, whose cause is under investigation, was the latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) of the drought-parched US West. Sieliet said the Bluecut Fire, despite efforts by 700 firefighters to control it, had damaged structures in the Cajon Pass. She could not immediately say how many. San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies were going door-to-door in the community of Wrightwood and nearby areas to tell residents to evacuate, said sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Bachman. It was not immediately clear how many homes were evacuated. The eruption of the Bluecut Fire came as crews more than 600 miles (970 km) to the northwest began to make headway on Tuesday against a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses. The so-called Clayton Fire was 20 percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has charred more than 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) in and around the community of Lower Lake, forcing hundreds of people to flee. Authorities on Monday arrested 40-year-old Damin Pashilk on suspicion of setting that blaze and numerous others in the area over the past year. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday. The fire, which threatens some 1,500 structures, was driven by fierce winds after sparking on Saturday evening. There were no reports of casualties. On Monday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared states of emergency for the Clayton fire and another in Central California, the so-called Chimney fire, allowing local officials to get help from agencies statewide. The Chimney Fire was just 10 percent contained by Tuesday afternoon after scorching 6,400 acres (2,590 hectares) since erupting on Saturday. It has destroyed 12 structures and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate. (Reuters)

Fast-moving wildfire in California forces residents to evacuate

Firefighters struggled on Sunday morning to contain a fast-spreading wildfire that has killed at least one person, destroyed 18 homes and forced hundreds of evacuations in the drought-stricken canyons north of Los Angeles, officials said. 
 
The so-called Sand Fire grew overnight to 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares), or more than 34 square miles, fueled by high winds and parched conditions after years of drought.&nbsp;It is threatening a string of small communities near Santa Clarita, just outside the sprawling Angeles National Forest, the Los Angeles County Sheriff&#39;s Department said in a statement.

First reported on Friday afternoon, the blaze has forced at least 1,500 residents to evacuate their homes and at least 18 homes have been destroyed, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement.

All of the affected communities, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, are in or around the rugged San Gabriel Mountains. The area is dotted with multimillion-dollar homes.

Some 100 commercial buildings in the path of the fire are under mandatory evacuation orders, fire officials said.&nbsp;The blaze has belched acrid smoke across a widespread area of Southern California, prompting air quality warnings. 
 
The remains of an unidentified person were found late on Saturday inside a charred vehicle in the path of the blaze. The exact cause of death had not been immediately determined, fire officials said.&nbsp;They added that they expected extreme heat, strong winds and parched rugged terrain to continue to hamper the efforts of the more than 1,600 firefighters battling the blaze. 
 
(Reuters)

The blaze has forced at least 1,500 residents to leave their homes and at least 18 homes have been destroyed

Firefighters struggled on Sunday morning to contain a fast-spreading wildfire that has killed at least one person, destroyed 18 homes and forced hundreds of evacuations in the drought-stricken canyons north of Los Angeles, officials said. The so-called Sand Fire grew overnight to 22,000 acres (8,900 hectares), or more than 34 square miles, fueled by high winds and parched conditions after years of drought. It is threatening a string of small communities near Santa Clarita, just outside the sprawling Angeles National Forest, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. First reported on Friday afternoon, the blaze has forced at least 1,500 residents to evacuate their homes and at least 18 homes have been destroyed, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement. All of the affected communities, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, are in or around the rugged San Gabriel Mountains. The area is dotted with multimillion-dollar homes. Some 100 commercial buildings in the path of the fire are under mandatory evacuation orders, fire officials said. The blaze has belched acrid smoke across a widespread area of Southern California, prompting air quality warnings. The remains of an unidentified person were found late on Saturday inside a charred vehicle in the path of the blaze. The exact cause of death had not been immediately determined, fire officials said. They added that they expected extreme heat, strong winds and parched rugged terrain to continue to hamper the efforts of the more than 1,600 firefighters battling the blaze. (Reuters)

Fast-spreading wildfire north of Los Angeles prompts evacuation

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