Mourners bury toddler whose Yemeni mom fought Trump's travel ban

A man was arrested for allegedly killing an Indian-origin police officer in California's Newman County when he was planning to flee to his native Mexico, police said.

The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Gustavo Perez Arriaga and living illegally, was arrested from a home in the Kern County, about 200 miles south from the place of the shooting, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson was quoted as saying in the CNN.&nbsp;

Corporal Ronil Singh, 33, pulled over the suspect just before 1 am on Wednesday and a few moments later he called out "shot fired" over the radio.

Other officers who reached the spot found Singh shot and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Singh was a native of Fiji and joined the force in July 2011.

Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said at a Friday news conference that this has never happened in the history of the 12-member department.

Arriaga came to the US illegally and was believed to have been fleeing to Mexico, he said, adding the suspect was arrested twice previously for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and has known gang affiliation.

Arriaga's brother, Adrian Virgen, 25, and coworker, Erik Razo Quiroz, 32,&nbsp;were arrested Thursday for a felony. Virgen was arrested in Hanford and Quiroz in Modesto, Christianson said.

He said they were trying to protect Arriaga, who was trying to go to Mexico.Christianson said Virgen and Quiroz were also in the US illegally.Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said two men and a woman were also arrested from the home where Arriaga was found.

The three have been identified as Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59; Erasmo Villegas, 36; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, he was quoted in as saying in the report.

Youngblood said he could not confirm whether the three were in the country illegally.At the news conference, Christianson had strong words about immigration and border security.

"We can't ignore the fact that this could have been preventable," he said, adding that California Senate Bill 54 -- which became law last year — prohibited his department "from sharing any information with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) about this criminal gang member."

The bill bars law enforcement agencies from detaining a person due to a hold request, responding to federal immigration enforcement's requests for notification or providing information about a person's release date unless that's already available publicly.

It also requires notification to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of scheduled releases of people who have been convicted of violent felonies.

"This is a criminal illegal alien with prior criminal activity that should have been reported to USICE," Christianson said.&nbsp;

"Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh. I am suggesting that the outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasn't restricted, prohibited or had their hands tied because of political interference."

A man was arrested for allegedly killing an Indian-origin police officer in California's Newman County when he was planning to flee to his native Mexico, police said.

A man was arrested for allegedly killing an Indian-origin police officer in California's Newman County when he was planning to flee to his native Mexico, police said. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Gustavo Perez Arriaga and living illegally, was arrested from a home in the Kern County, about 200 miles south from the place of the shooting, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson was quoted as saying in the CNN. Corporal Ronil Singh, 33, pulled over the suspect just before 1 am on Wednesday and a few moments later he called out "shot fired" over the radio. Other officers who reached the spot found Singh shot and took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Singh was a native of Fiji and joined the force in July 2011. Newman Police Chief Randy Richardson said at a Friday news conference that this has never happened in the history of the 12-member department. Arriaga came to the US illegally and was believed to have been fleeing to Mexico, he said, adding the suspect was arrested twice previously for driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs and has known gang affiliation. Arriaga's brother, Adrian Virgen, 25, and coworker, Erik Razo Quiroz, 32, were arrested Thursday for a felony. Virgen was arrested in Hanford and Quiroz in Modesto, Christianson said. He said they were trying to protect Arriaga, who was trying to go to Mexico.Christianson said Virgen and Quiroz were also in the US illegally.Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said two men and a woman were also arrested from the home where Arriaga was found. The three have been identified as Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, 59; Erasmo Villegas, 36; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, he was quoted in as saying in the report. Youngblood said he could not confirm whether the three were in the country illegally.At the news conference, Christianson had strong words about immigration and border security. "We can't ignore the fact that this could have been preventable," he said, adding that California Senate Bill 54 -- which became law last year — prohibited his department "from sharing any information with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) about this criminal gang member." The bill bars law enforcement agencies from detaining a person due to a hold request, responding to federal immigration enforcement's requests for notification or providing information about a person's release date unless that's already available publicly. It also requires notification to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement of scheduled releases of people who have been convicted of violent felonies. "This is a criminal illegal alien with prior criminal activity that should have been reported to USICE," Christianson said. "Law enforcement was prohibited because of sanctuary laws and that led to the encounter with Officer Singh. I am suggesting that the outcome could have been different if law enforcement wasn't restricted, prohibited or had their hands tied because of political interference."

Man arrested for allegedly killing Indian-origin police officer Ronil Singh in California

Yemeni mother arrives in US to visit her dying son

Yemeni mother granted visa to visit dying son in California

Amazon.com Inc has agreed not to sell foie gras in California from birds that have been force fed and pay $100,000 in penalties and costs as part of a lawsuit settlement, a prosecutor said Friday.

The lawsuit filed by prosecutors in Los Angeles, Monterey and Santa Clara counties accused the world`s largest online retailer of violating a 2004 state law banning sales of the fatty duck and goose liver if it was produced by force-feeding poultry.

A judge approved the settlement on Thursday between Amazon and the three prosecutors, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement.

Amazon declined comment.

To produce foie gras, ducks and geese are force-fed over a period of days by having metal pipes pushed down their throats so grain and fat can be pumped into their stomachs. Prosecutors said the process was cruel and painful.

Prosecutors contacted Amazon several years ago regarding their concerns and the company took step to stop foie gras sales. As the parties were in negotiations, the foie gras industry launched a lawsuit against California's ban and a US&nbsp;court blocked it in 2015.

A federal appeals court overturned that ruling in 2017 and said the state was free to enforce it. North American foie gras producers have now asked the US Supreme Court to take up their case.

Amazon.com Inc has agreed not to sell foie gras in California from birds that have been force fed and pay $100,000 in penalties and costs as part of a lawsuit settlement, a prosecutor said Friday.

Amazon.com Inc has agreed not to sell foie gras in California from birds that have been force fed and pay $100,000 in penalties and costs as part of a lawsuit settlement, a prosecutor said Friday. The lawsuit filed by prosecutors in Los Angeles, Monterey and Santa Clara counties accused the world`s largest online retailer of violating a 2004 state law banning sales of the fatty duck and goose liver if it was produced by force-feeding poultry. A judge approved the settlement on Thursday between Amazon and the three prosecutors, Los Angeles County District Attorney Jackie Lacey said in a statement. Amazon declined comment. To produce foie gras, ducks and geese are force-fed over a period of days by having metal pipes pushed down their throats so grain and fat can be pumped into their stomachs. Prosecutors said the process was cruel and painful. Prosecutors contacted Amazon several years ago regarding their concerns and the company took step to stop foie gras sales. As the parties were in negotiations, the foie gras industry launched a lawsuit against California's ban and a US court blocked it in 2015. A federal appeals court overturned that ruling in 2017 and said the state was free to enforce it. North American foie gras producers have now asked the US Supreme Court to take up their case.

Foie gras off Amazon.com's menu in California after settlement

A Southern California mountain lion that crossed freeways dozens of times, evading potentially deadly traffic, has died after burning its paws during a wildfire, officials said on Friday.

The 4-year-old mountain lion, which biologists had tracked with a GPS collar and had named P-64, was roaming in the Simi Hills, northwest of Los Angeles, when the fire broke out nearby, Jeff Sikich, a biologist for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said in a statement.

It apparently crossed an area burned by the Woolsey Fire, which erupted on Nov. 8 and scorched 97,000 acres (39,000 hectares) before being fully contained nearly two weeks later.&nbsp;

Biologists later followed P-64`s movements over several miles before it hunkered down. On Dec. 3, Sikich discovered P-64`s remains, paws burned, near the cat`s last known GPS location.&nbsp;

The predator`s exact cause of death was not known. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was set to conduct a necropsy.

The mountain lion could have escaped the fire`s path by venturing into the streets of Oak Park, a suburb between Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks, but instead, P-64 stepped into a fresh burn area in its wildland habitat, officials said.

Mountain lions rarely venture into urban areas, and P-64`s actions demonstrate they prefer to stay clear of populated areas, even in the midst of a disaster, National Park Service spokeswoman Kate Kuykendall said by phone.&nbsp;

P-64 may have avoided homes, but was famous for braving traffic.&nbsp;

It was the only big cat biologists had observed consistently crossing the 101 Freeway to escape and re-enter the Santa Monica Mountains, Kuykendall said. It had traversed the 101 Freeway 14 times and crossed the 118 Freeway further north 27 times.

P-64 is believed to have fathered four cubs born in May, the National Park Service said in a statement. Biologists have not been able to confirm whether the cubs or their mother survived the fire.&nbsp;

Since 2002, biologists have been tracking a number of mountain lions, including P-64, to study how they survive in a natural environment where human habitats are encroaching.&nbsp;

"It`s very unfortunate that he was seemingly so successful surviving in this fragmented landscape and then died in the aftermath of a devastating wildfire," Sikich said.

A Southern California mountain lion that crossed freeways dozens of times, evading potentially deadly traffic, has died after burning its paws during a wildfire, officials said on Friday.

A Southern California mountain lion that crossed freeways dozens of times, evading potentially deadly traffic, has died after burning its paws during a wildfire, officials said on Friday. The 4-year-old mountain lion, which biologists had tracked with a GPS collar and had named P-64, was roaming in the Simi Hills, northwest of Los Angeles, when the fire broke out nearby, Jeff Sikich, a biologist for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said in a statement. It apparently crossed an area burned by the Woolsey Fire, which erupted on Nov. 8 and scorched 97,000 acres (39,000 hectares) before being fully contained nearly two weeks later. Biologists later followed P-64`s movements over several miles before it hunkered down. On Dec. 3, Sikich discovered P-64`s remains, paws burned, near the cat`s last known GPS location. The predator`s exact cause of death was not known. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife was set to conduct a necropsy. The mountain lion could have escaped the fire`s path by venturing into the streets of Oak Park, a suburb between Los Angeles and Thousand Oaks, but instead, P-64 stepped into a fresh burn area in its wildland habitat, officials said. Mountain lions rarely venture into urban areas, and P-64`s actions demonstrate they prefer to stay clear of populated areas, even in the midst of a disaster, National Park Service spokeswoman Kate Kuykendall said by phone. P-64 may have avoided homes, but was famous for braving traffic. It was the only big cat biologists had observed consistently crossing the 101 Freeway to escape and re-enter the Santa Monica Mountains, Kuykendall said. It had traversed the 101 Freeway 14 times and crossed the 118 Freeway further north 27 times. P-64 is believed to have fathered four cubs born in May, the National Park Service said in a statement. Biologists have not been able to confirm whether the cubs or their mother survived the fire. Since 2002, biologists have been tracking a number of mountain lions, including P-64, to study how they survive in a natural environment where human habitats are encroaching. "It`s very unfortunate that he was seemingly so successful surviving in this fragmented landscape and then died in the aftermath of a devastating wildfire," Sikich said.

Mountain lion that crossed freeways died after California wildfire

Heavy rains wreak havoc in California

The rains that have drenched northern California for days were forecast to diminish on Saturday, giving way to clear skies as teams continue their search for the remains of victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state`s history.

The so-called Camp Fire all but obliterated the town of Paradise, 175 miles (280 km) northeast of San Francisco, on November 8, killing at least 84 people and destroying nearly 14,000 homes.&nbsp;

Some 475 people from Paradise and surrounding communities remain unaccounted for, according to a list from the Butte County Sheriff`s Office. Drone footage provided by Paradise to help residents see if their homes survived showed how the fire leapt from house to house in the mountain community of 27,000.

Paradise was a popular destination for retirees, and two-thirds of the victims named so far were aged over 65.

The 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) of rain that fell in the area during the last few days turned ash from the thousands of homes that were destroyed into slurry, complicating the work of finding bodies reduced to bone fragments.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has warned that remains of victims may be "very small bone fragments," and some may never be found.

Firefighting teams had contained 95 per cent of the blaze, which torched 154,000 acres - an area five times the size of San Francisco, said Andrew Freeborn, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire.&nbsp;

Thousands of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico, or with friends or relatives in nearby towns.&nbsp;

The rains that have drenched northern California for days were forecast to diminish on Saturday, giving way to clear skies as teams continue their search for the remains of victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state`s history.

The rains that have drenched northern California for days were forecast to diminish on Saturday, giving way to clear skies as teams continue their search for the remains of victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state`s history. The so-called Camp Fire all but obliterated the town of Paradise, 175 miles (280 km) northeast of San Francisco, on November 8, killing at least 84 people and destroying nearly 14,000 homes. Some 475 people from Paradise and surrounding communities remain unaccounted for, according to a list from the Butte County Sheriff`s Office. Drone footage provided by Paradise to help residents see if their homes survived showed how the fire leapt from house to house in the mountain community of 27,000. Paradise was a popular destination for retirees, and two-thirds of the victims named so far were aged over 65. The 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) of rain that fell in the area during the last few days turned ash from the thousands of homes that were destroyed into slurry, complicating the work of finding bodies reduced to bone fragments. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has warned that remains of victims may be "very small bone fragments," and some may never be found. Firefighting teams had contained 95 per cent of the blaze, which torched 154,000 acres - an area five times the size of San Francisco, said Andrew Freeborn, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Thousands of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico, or with friends or relatives in nearby towns.

Rain ends in northern California as search for wildfire victims continues

More rain is forecast for northern California over the weekend, boosting firefighters` efforts to extinguish the last of the wildfires that have raged there for two weeks, but raises the risk of flash floods and landslides in the scorched Sierra Nevada foothills.

The wet weather is also expected to complicate efforts to locate victims of what is called the Camp Fire, which virtually obliterated the city of Paradise, 175 miles (280 km) northeast of San Francisco, on November 8.

Between 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) of rain is expected to fall between Friday and Sunday, adding to the 3 inches that already fell this week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.&nbsp;

"Flash floods and debris flows will be a particular threat in the wildfire burn areas," the NWS said in a notice warning of the risk of flash floods through late Friday afternoon. "Heavy rainfall at times is possible over the burn areas with the greatest threat expected today."

That risk is low for thousands of evacuees who have fled the Camp Fire and are sheltering outside areas prone to mudslides.&nbsp;

At least 84 people died in the Camp Fire which started more than two weeks ago, making it one of the deadliest US wildfires in the last 100 years. Paradise was a popular destination for retirees and two-thirds of the victims named so far were aged over 65.

As many as 560 people are still unaccounted for. That number has fluctuated widely over the past week, hitting a high of more than 1,200 over last weekend.

The fire was 95 per cent contained across 154,000 acres, officials said late Thursday.

"All containment lines continued to hold throughout the day with the rain assisting in extinguishing hot spots and smoldering fire," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said late Thursday.

More than 800 volunteers and police officers spent the Thanksgiving holiday combing through the wreckage, searching for the remains of victims killed in the blaze as the ongoing rains looked set to complicate their work.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has said the rain would make going through debris more difficult, but he was less concerned about remains washing away than the headaches posed by mud.

He has also warned that as all that remains of victims may be "very small bone fragments," some of them may never be found.

The county has crews working around the clock laying sand bags and bags of hay to prevent debris from burnt homes being washed into streams and polluting the water supply.

"We`re doing everything we can to prepare for this," Butte County assistant director for public works Radley Ott told KRCR TV.

Hundreds of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico. Celebrity chef Jose Andres was among the volunteers bringing some festive cheer by cooking Thanksgiving meals for evacuees.

The cause of the Camp Fire, which destroyed more than 13,500 homes, remains under investigation.

A separate California wildfire - the Woolsey Fire, which killed three people and threatened the wealthy beachfront enclave of Malibu near Los Angeles - was declared 100-percent contained on Wednesday.

More rain is forecast for northern California over the weekend, boosting firefighters` efforts to extinguish the last of the wildfires that have raged there for two weeks, but raises the risk of flash floods and landslides in the scorched Sierra Nevada foothills.

More rain is forecast for northern California over the weekend, boosting firefighters` efforts to extinguish the last of the wildfires that have raged there for two weeks, but raises the risk of flash floods and landslides in the scorched Sierra Nevada foothills. The wet weather is also expected to complicate efforts to locate victims of what is called the Camp Fire, which virtually obliterated the city of Paradise, 175 miles (280 km) northeast of San Francisco, on November 8. Between 1 to 3 inches (2.5-7.5 cm) of rain is expected to fall between Friday and Sunday, adding to the 3 inches that already fell this week, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. "Flash floods and debris flows will be a particular threat in the wildfire burn areas," the NWS said in a notice warning of the risk of flash floods through late Friday afternoon. "Heavy rainfall at times is possible over the burn areas with the greatest threat expected today." That risk is low for thousands of evacuees who have fled the Camp Fire and are sheltering outside areas prone to mudslides. At least 84 people died in the Camp Fire which started more than two weeks ago, making it one of the deadliest US wildfires in the last 100 years. Paradise was a popular destination for retirees and two-thirds of the victims named so far were aged over 65. As many as 560 people are still unaccounted for. That number has fluctuated widely over the past week, hitting a high of more than 1,200 over last weekend. The fire was 95 per cent contained across 154,000 acres, officials said late Thursday. "All containment lines continued to hold throughout the day with the rain assisting in extinguishing hot spots and smoldering fire," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said late Thursday. More than 800 volunteers and police officers spent the Thanksgiving holiday combing through the wreckage, searching for the remains of victims killed in the blaze as the ongoing rains looked set to complicate their work. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea has said the rain would make going through debris more difficult, but he was less concerned about remains washing away than the headaches posed by mud. He has also warned that as all that remains of victims may be "very small bone fragments," some of them may never be found. The county has crews working around the clock laying sand bags and bags of hay to prevent debris from burnt homes being washed into streams and polluting the water supply. "We`re doing everything we can to prepare for this," Butte County assistant director for public works Radley Ott told KRCR TV. Hundreds of people forced to flee Paradise spent Thanksgiving in warehouses in the nearby city of Chico. Celebrity chef Jose Andres was among the volunteers bringing some festive cheer by cooking Thanksgiving meals for evacuees. The cause of the Camp Fire, which destroyed more than 13,500 homes, remains under investigation. A separate California wildfire - the Woolsey Fire, which killed three people and threatened the wealthy beachfront enclave of Malibu near Los Angeles - was declared 100-percent contained on Wednesday.

Rain helps douse California fires, but raises landslide risk

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

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz

It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire.

And so, we residents of the state find ourselves again facing late fall wildfires that have scorched drought-parched vegetation while the rainy season evades its highly anticipated start. As the death toll and structure loss from fires burning in the northern and southern parts of the state continue to surpass records set not even a year ago, it is crucial to understand the role winds play in California fires.

Predictable but future unclear

Across California, late fall winds – called by various names including Santa Anas, Diablos and sundowners – blow hot, dry air from the interior of the state out toward the coasts. The winds often intensify as they are channelled through mountain passes and then blasted across dry vegetation and steep surfaces to create the perfect conditions for fire. Given an ignition, those same winds then help to spread fire very quickly.

While these winds are in many ways predictable, they are also altering fire hazard in ways that researchers don’t fully understand. As the climate changes, bringing warmer temperatures and increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, more of these extreme wind events may occur during times that are highly conducive to fire.

It is also conceivable that climate change will cause shifts in the pressure patterns that spawn extreme wind events, to begin with. Therefore, it is possible that in the future we may see extreme winds in new regions or during unexpected times of the year. A deeper understanding of the controls on these events is emerging, but relatively little is known about what the future will hold.

Wind and fire risk

Fire hazard is determined by a variety of factors that include vegetation, topography and weather. Add people and homes, and you get fire risk. While wind is one of the biggest factors in fire spread, it also generates flying embers far ahead of the fire itself.

It is this storm of burning embers that often shower neighbourhoods and ignite homes after finding vulnerable parts of landscaping and structures. Under the worst circumstances, wind-driven home-to-home fire spread then occurs, causing risky, fast-moving “urban conflagrations” that can be almost impossible to stop and extremely dangerous to evacuate.

Managing the type and amount of vegetation, or “fuel,” in an area provides a set of tools for altering fire behaviour in wildland fires. But during wind-driven urban conflagrations, homes are usually a major – if not the main – source of fuel.

Although defensible space immediately around homes is certainly important, vegetation management cannot be the sole solution. Fire-prone communities must also intensify urban and evacuation planning efforts that make the built environment and those living there less vulnerable to fires and the extreme winds that drive them.

Looking ahead 
 
The most recent fires in California are sounding alarm bells that simply cannot be ignored, lest we fall into the trap of normalising the incredible loss of lives and devastated communities year after year. Indeed, fire has become a critical public health and safety issue in this state.

As residents and researchers who have worked extensively on fire in California, we believe the state and its newly elected leadership face a formidable challenge and an opportunity to reinvest in a robust, interdisciplinary approach to wildfire risk reduction that combines the best of both research and practice. It must integrate both new (and potentially controversial) urban planning reforms as well as novel thinking about evacuation alternatives.

As it stands, California is failing to keep up with what we know about fire hazard and risk, and losing time as we struggle against rapidly changing climate conditions. Simply put: There is no time to waste. 
 
(Faith Kearns is Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources, University of California; Max Moritz is&nbsp;Cooperative Extension Wildfire Specialist at the University of California Forest Research and Outreach)

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-fierce-fall-and-winter-winds-help-fuel-california-fires-106985">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire.

By Faith Kearns and Max Moritz It doesn’t take long in California to develop a feel for “fire weather.” When it’s hot and dry and the winds blow a certain way, there can be no doubt that, as in the past, landscapes will continue to be forged in fire. And so, we residents of the state find ourselves again facing late fall wildfires that have scorched drought-parched vegetation while the rainy season evades its highly anticipated start. As the death toll and structure loss from fires burning in the northern and southern parts of the state continue to surpass records set not even a year ago, it is crucial to understand the role winds play in California fires. Predictable but future unclear Across California, late fall winds – called by various names including Santa Anas, Diablos and sundowners – blow hot, dry air from the interior of the state out toward the coasts. The winds often intensify as they are channelled through mountain passes and then blasted across dry vegetation and steep surfaces to create the perfect conditions for fire. Given an ignition, those same winds then help to spread fire very quickly. While these winds are in many ways predictable, they are also altering fire hazard in ways that researchers don’t fully understand. As the climate changes, bringing warmer temperatures and increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, more of these extreme wind events may occur during times that are highly conducive to fire. It is also conceivable that climate change will cause shifts in the pressure patterns that spawn extreme wind events, to begin with. Therefore, it is possible that in the future we may see extreme winds in new regions or during unexpected times of the year. A deeper understanding of the controls on these events is emerging, but relatively little is known about what the future will hold. Wind and fire risk Fire hazard is determined by a variety of factors that include vegetation, topography and weather. Add people and homes, and you get fire risk. While wind is one of the biggest factors in fire spread, it also generates flying embers far ahead of the fire itself. It is this storm of burning embers that often shower neighbourhoods and ignite homes after finding vulnerable parts of landscaping and structures. Under the worst circumstances, wind-driven home-to-home fire spread then occurs, causing risky, fast-moving “urban conflagrations” that can be almost impossible to stop and extremely dangerous to evacuate. Managing the type and amount of vegetation, or “fuel,” in an area provides a set of tools for altering fire behaviour in wildland fires. But during wind-driven urban conflagrations, homes are usually a major – if not the main – source of fuel. Although defensible space immediately around homes is certainly important, vegetation management cannot be the sole solution. Fire-prone communities must also intensify urban and evacuation planning efforts that make the built environment and those living there less vulnerable to fires and the extreme winds that drive them. Looking ahead The most recent fires in California are sounding alarm bells that simply cannot be ignored, lest we fall into the trap of normalising the incredible loss of lives and devastated communities year after year. Indeed, fire has become a critical public health and safety issue in this state. As residents and researchers who have worked extensively on fire in California, we believe the state and its newly elected leadership face a formidable challenge and an opportunity to reinvest in a robust, interdisciplinary approach to wildfire risk reduction that combines the best of both research and practice. It must integrate both new (and potentially controversial) urban planning reforms as well as novel thinking about evacuation alternatives. As it stands, California is failing to keep up with what we know about fire hazard and risk, and losing time as we struggle against rapidly changing climate conditions. Simply put: There is no time to waste. (Faith Kearns is Academic Coordinator, California Institute for Water Resources, University of California; Max Moritz is Cooperative Extension Wildfire Specialist at the University of California Forest Research and Outreach) (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How fierce fall and winter winds help fuel California fires

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials.

The strikes claimed the lives of at least three and wounded dozens of others.

The latest barrage of hypersonic projectiles fired by Moscow comes less than a week after Kyiv cautioned that it only had sufficient ammunition to withstand a few more powerful attacks amid Russia's intense bombardment.

"The enemy launched dozens of missiles at peaceful cities and villages of Ukraine," Ukraine's deputy head of the presidency Oleksiy Kuleba said, adding that 33 were injured.

Some of the Ukrainian targets hit by the Russian projectiles were high-rise buildings and a shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown Kryvyi Rig, claiming the life of at least one, said Kuleba.

"In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work," he said.

Separate "explosions" in the western region of Khmelnytsky, far from the frontlines in the east, he said, killed one person.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-personally-ordered-belgorod-attack-claims-russian-state-media-675579"> </a><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/zelensky-personally-ordered-belgorod-attack-claims-russian-state-media-675579">Zelensky personally ordered Belgorod attack, claims Russian state media</a>

<h2>Around 300 evacuated from Belgorod over Ukraine strikes, says Russia</h2>

Russia said that it has evacuated nearly 300 residents of Belgorod over strikes by Ukraine.

The governor of the Belgorod region, which is a city near the Ukrainian border, on Monday, released a statement saying that the ones evacuated have been moved to temporary shelter centres.

"Some 300 residents of Belgorod, who decided to temporarily evacuate, are at the moment being housed in temporary shelter centres in Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district" which are further from the border, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on Telegram.

"Over the past 24 hours we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city, in other regions," he said.

The evacuation from Belgorod, which is less than 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the Ukrainian border, is so far the largest of a major Russian city ever since Moscow began its offensive against Kyiv in Feb 2022.

Ukraine launched strikes on the Russian city on Dec 30 claiming the lives of at least 25 people. 
 
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

(With inputs from agencies)

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials.

Ukraine on Monday (Jan 8) came under a fresh wave of Russian missile attacks that struck near the front lines of fighting in the east, western as well as central parts of the country, said the officials. The strikes claimed the lives of at least three and wounded dozens of others. The latest barrage of hypersonic projectiles fired by Moscow comes less than a week after Kyiv cautioned that it only had sufficient ammunition to withstand a few more powerful attacks amid Russia's intense bombardment. "The enemy launched dozens of missiles at peaceful cities and villages of Ukraine," Ukraine's deputy head of the presidency Oleksiy Kuleba said, adding that 33 were injured. Some of the Ukrainian targets hit by the Russian projectiles were high-rise buildings and a shopping centre in President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown Kryvyi Rig, claiming the life of at least one, said Kuleba. "In Kryvyi Rig, there are many breakages in power grids, there are power outages, and electric transport does not work," he said. Separate "explosions" in the western region of Khmelnytsky, far from the frontlines in the east, he said, killed one person. Also read: Zelensky personally ordered Belgorod attack, claims Russian state media Around 300 evacuated from Belgorod over Ukraine strikes, says Russia Russia said that it has evacuated nearly 300 residents of Belgorod over strikes by Ukraine. The governor of the Belgorod region, which is a city near the Ukrainian border, on Monday, released a statement saying that the ones evacuated have been moved to temporary shelter centres. "Some 300 residents of Belgorod, who decided to temporarily evacuate, are at the moment being housed in temporary shelter centres in Stary Oskol, Gubkin and the Korochansky district" which are further from the border, Belgorod region governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on Telegram. "Over the past 24 hours we received 1,300 requests to send Belgorod children to school camps away from the city, in other regions," he said. The evacuation from Belgorod, which is less than 20 miles (32 kilometres) from the Ukrainian border, is so far the largest of a major Russian city ever since Moscow began its offensive against Kyiv in Feb 2022. Ukraine launched strikes on the Russian city on Dec 30 claiming the lives of at least 25 people. Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos (With inputs from agencies)

Search on for 1,276 now missing after California's deadliest wildfire killed 76

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump left for California early Saturday morning (November 17) to assess the damage from deadly wildfires that have killed at least 70 people and displaced hundreds on the US&nbsp;west coast.

Recovery teams are scouring the flamed-ravaged northern California town of Paradise for more victims as authorities sought clues to the fate of about 1,000 people reported missing in the state's deadliest wildfire on record.

Authorities attribute the Camp Fire's high death toll partly to the speed with which flames raced through the town with little advance warning, driven by howling winds and fueled by drought-desiccated scrub and trees.

Trump, who has taken to Twitter to blame the recent spate of fires on forest mismanagement, doubled down on Saturday, telling reporters at the White House he would discuss the issue of forest management during his visit.

Trump is due to tour the fire zones to meet residents displaced by the giant blaze. Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom are expected to join Trump on his tour.

This is Trump's second visit to California since taking office.

US President Donald Trump left for California early Saturday morning (November 17) to assess the damage from deadly wildfires that have killed at least 70 people and displaced hundreds on the US west coast.

US President Donald Trump left for California early Saturday morning (November 17) to assess the damage from deadly wildfires that have killed at least 70 people and displaced hundreds on the US west coast. Recovery teams are scouring the flamed-ravaged northern California town of Paradise for more victims as authorities sought clues to the fate of about 1,000 people reported missing in the state's deadliest wildfire on record. Authorities attribute the Camp Fire's high death toll partly to the speed with which flames raced through the town with little advance warning, driven by howling winds and fueled by drought-desiccated scrub and trees. Trump, who has taken to Twitter to blame the recent spate of fires on forest mismanagement, doubled down on Saturday, telling reporters at the White House he would discuss the issue of forest management during his visit. Trump is due to tour the fire zones to meet residents displaced by the giant blaze. Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom are expected to join Trump on his tour. This is Trump's second visit to California since taking office.

Trump heads to California to visit wildfire victims

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

US National Guard troops scoured the ruins of the town of Paradise on Thursday for any sign of 130 people still missing in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/search-continues-for-over-100-missing-after-california-wildfires-177397">California's deadliest wildfire</a> on record as authorities said the death toll had risen to 56.

The "Camp Fire" blaze obliterated the Sierra foothills town of Paradise, once home to 27,000 people, last Thursday. Most of those still missing in and around town, which lies about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco, are above the age of 65.

The surface area of the fire had grown to 135,000 acres (55,000 hectares) by of Wednesday evening, even as diminished winds and rising humidity helped firefighters shore up containment lines around more than a third of the perimeter.

Still, the ghostly expanse of empty lots covered in ash and strewn with twisted wreckage and debris made a strong impression on Governor Jerry Brown, US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and other officials who toured the devastation on Wednesday.

"This is one of the worst disasters I've seen in my career, hands down," Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told reporters in Chico.

"It looks like a war zone. It is a war zone," Brown said.

No finger pointing

After visiting some of California's earlier wildfire zones in August, Zinke blamed "gross mismanagement of forests" because of timber harvest restrictions that he said were supported by "environmental terrorist groups."

Pressed by reporters on Wednesday, Zinke demurred. "Now is really not the time to point fingers," he said. "It is a time for America to stand together."

The blaze, fueled by thick, drought-desiccated scrub, has capped two back-to-back catastrophic wildfire seasons in California that scientists largely attribute to prolonged drought they say is symptomatic of climate change.

Lawyers for some of the victims claimed in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday that lax equipment maintenance by an electric utility was the proximate cause of the fire, which officially remains under investigation.

The Butte County disaster coincided with a flurry of blazes in Southern California, most notably the Woolsey Fire, which has killed at least two people, destroyed more than 500 structures and displaced about 200,000 people west of Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the body of a possible third victim was found. Cal Fire officials said that blaze was 52 per cent contained as of Wednesday night.

In Butte County, the search for more human remains kicked into high gear as a National Guard contingent of 50 military police officers joined dozens of search-and-recovery workers and at least 22 cadaver dogs, Sheriff Kory Honea said.

The remains of eight more fire victims were found on Wednesday, raising the official number of fatalities to 56 - far exceeding the previous record from a single wildfire in California history - 29 people killed by the Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles in 1933.

The Camp Fire also stands as one of the deadliest US wildfires since the turn of the last century. More than 80 people perished in the Big Burn firestorm that swept the Northern Rockies in August of 1910.

Tracking the missing

Butte County Sheriff's spokeswoman Megan McMann said the list of 130 missing would fluctuate from day to day as more names are added and others are removed, either because they turn up safe or end up identified among the dead.

Sheriff Honea invited relatives of the missing to provide DNA samples to compare against samples taken from newly recovered remains in hopes of speeding up identification of the dead. He said it was possible some of the missing might never be found.

Authorities attributed the magnitude of casualties to the staggering speed with which the fire struck Paradise. Wind-driven flames roared through town so swiftly that residents were forced to flee for their lives. Some victims were found in or around the burned-out wreckage of their vehicles.

US National Guard troops scoured the ruins of the town of Paradise on Thursday for any sign of 130 people still missing in California's deadliest wildfire on record as authorities said the death toll had risen to 56.

US National Guard troops scoured the ruins of the town of Paradise on Thursday for any sign of 130 people still missing in California's deadliest wildfire on record as authorities said the death toll had risen to 56. The "Camp Fire" blaze obliterated the Sierra foothills town of Paradise, once home to 27,000 people, last Thursday. Most of those still missing in and around town, which lies about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco, are above the age of 65. The surface area of the fire had grown to 135,000 acres (55,000 hectares) by of Wednesday evening, even as diminished winds and rising humidity helped firefighters shore up containment lines around more than a third of the perimeter. Still, the ghostly expanse of empty lots covered in ash and strewn with twisted wreckage and debris made a strong impression on Governor Jerry Brown, US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and other officials who toured the devastation on Wednesday. "This is one of the worst disasters I've seen in my career, hands down," Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told reporters in Chico. "It looks like a war zone. It is a war zone," Brown said. No finger pointing After visiting some of California's earlier wildfire zones in August, Zinke blamed "gross mismanagement of forests" because of timber harvest restrictions that he said were supported by "environmental terrorist groups." Pressed by reporters on Wednesday, Zinke demurred. "Now is really not the time to point fingers," he said. "It is a time for America to stand together." The blaze, fueled by thick, drought-desiccated scrub, has capped two back-to-back catastrophic wildfire seasons in California that scientists largely attribute to prolonged drought they say is symptomatic of climate change. Lawyers for some of the victims claimed in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday that lax equipment maintenance by an electric utility was the proximate cause of the fire, which officially remains under investigation. The Butte County disaster coincided with a flurry of blazes in Southern California, most notably the Woolsey Fire, which has killed at least two people, destroyed more than 500 structures and displaced about 200,000 people west of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the body of a possible third victim was found. Cal Fire officials said that blaze was 52 per cent contained as of Wednesday night. In Butte County, the search for more human remains kicked into high gear as a National Guard contingent of 50 military police officers joined dozens of search-and-recovery workers and at least 22 cadaver dogs, Sheriff Kory Honea said. The remains of eight more fire victims were found on Wednesday, raising the official number of fatalities to 56 - far exceeding the previous record from a single wildfire in California history - 29 people killed by the Griffith Park fire in Los Angeles in 1933. The Camp Fire also stands as one of the deadliest US wildfires since the turn of the last century. More than 80 people perished in the Big Burn firestorm that swept the Northern Rockies in August of 1910. Tracking the missing Butte County Sheriff's spokeswoman Megan McMann said the list of 130 missing would fluctuate from day to day as more names are added and others are removed, either because they turn up safe or end up identified among the dead. Sheriff Honea invited relatives of the missing to provide DNA samples to compare against samples taken from newly recovered remains in hopes of speeding up identification of the dead. He said it was possible some of the missing might never be found. Authorities attributed the magnitude of casualties to the staggering speed with which the fire struck Paradise. Wind-driven flames roared through town so swiftly that residents were forced to flee for their lives. Some victims were found in or around the burned-out wreckage of their vehicles.

Troops search for 130 missing in California wildfire, death toll climbs to 56

48 Dead in California wildfires

The remains of six more victims were found on Tuesday in and around a northern <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/everything-destroyed-as-wildfire-scorches-paradise-in-california-176328">California town overrun by flames last week</a>, raising the death toll to 48 in a wildfire disaster already ranked as California's most lethal and destructive in state history.

The latest tally of casualties from the Camp Fire was announced by Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea as forensic teams with cadaver dogs combed through a ghostly landscape strewn with ash and charred debris in Paradise, California, in the Sierra foothills about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco.

The intensified effort to locate victims came on the sixth day of a blaze that incinerated over 7,000 homes and other buildings, including most of Paradise, a town once home to 27,000 people.

Honea had previously said that 228 people were listed as missing, and his office also was working to determine the fate of nearly 1,300 individuals whose loved ones had requested "well-being checks" on their behalf.

By Tuesday, the killer blaze dubbed the Camp Fire had blackened 125,000 acres (50,500 hectares) of drought-parched scrub, up 8,000 acres from the night before, but crews had carved containment lines around nearly a third of the fire's expanding perimeter.

More than 50,000 area residents remained under evacuation orders and 15,500 structures were still listed as threatened by the blaze.

However, diminished winds and higher humidity levels allowed crews to make headway against the flames, fire officials said.

The news was likewise more upbeat on the southern end of California's wildfire front, where a blaze called the Woolsey Fire has killed two people, destroyed over 400 structures and displaced some 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles.

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.

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. The latest tally of casualties from the Camp Fire was announced by Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea as forensic teams with cadaver dogs combed through a ghostly landscape strewn with ash and charred debris in Paradise, California, in the Sierra foothills about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco. The intensified effort to locate victims came on the sixth day of a blaze that incinerated over 7,000 homes and other buildings, including most of Paradise, a town once home to 27,000 people. Honea had previously said that 228 people were listed as missing, and his office also was working to determine the fate of nearly 1,300 individuals whose loved ones had requested "well-being checks" on their behalf. By Tuesday, the killer blaze dubbed the Camp Fire had blackened 125,000 acres (50,500 hectares) of drought-parched scrub, up 8,000 acres from the night before, but crews had carved containment lines around nearly a third of the fire's expanding perimeter. More than 50,000 area residents remained under evacuation orders and 15,500 structures were still listed as threatened by the blaze. However, diminished winds and higher humidity levels allowed crews to make headway against the flames, fire officials said. The news was likewise more upbeat on the southern end of California's wildfire front, where a blaze called the Woolsey Fire has killed two people, destroyed over 400 structures and displaced some 200,000 people in the mountains and foothills near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles.

Death toll climbs to 48 in California's wildfire disaster

Watch: WION Gravitas, 13th November, 2018

WION Gravitas: At least 42 dead in California wildfire

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

Watch: WION Gravitas, 12th November, 2018

Watch: WION Fineprint, 12th November, 2018

Watch: WION Dispatch, 12th November, 2018

The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds.

The "Camp Fire" -- in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento -- is the largest and most destructive of several infernos that have broken out.

The flames have sent 250,000 people fleeing their homes across the tinder-dry state and razed 6,400 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map.

Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced the new death toll at a news conference Sunday, adding that all were found in Paradise area.

At least 31 people have died in fire zones in north and south California, where acrid smoke blanketed the sky for miles, the sun barely visible.&nbsp;

On the ground, cars caught in the flames were reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while homes were left as smoldering piles of debris, with an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining.

Some 200 people remained unaccounted for in the Paradise area alone, officials said. Several fire-affected areas were left without cell phone service.

The fire 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).

At the southern end of the state, the "Woolsey Fire" has destroyed mansions and mobile homes in the coastal celebrity redoubt of Malibu, where the death toll has been limited to two victims found in a vehicle on a private driveway.

The National Weather Service has issued a "Red Flag" alert for fire-affected Los Angeles and Ventura County.

The service warned of "EXTREMELY CRITICAL Fire Weather Conditions through Tuesday."

It said winds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were expected in the coastal region, and up to 60 mph (96 kph) in mountainous areas.

'The new abnormal'&nbsp;

The "Camp Fire" has scorched&nbsp;111,000 acres (45,000 hectares) and is 25 percent contained, Cal Fire said. So far, three of the more than 4,000 firefighters deployed have been injured.

Evacuation orders have been issued to more than a quarter of a million people across California.

While some Malibu-area residents were allowed to return home late Sunday, the entire city of Calabasas -- just northeast of Malibu -- came under evacuation orders.

"This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal. And this new abnormal will continue, certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," California Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday.

"Unfortunately, the best science is telling us that the dryness, warmth, drought, all those things, they're going to intensify."

&nbsp;'Dangerously wrong'&nbsp;

President Donald Trump drew fierce criticism for an unsympathetic reaction to the devastation.

"There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," Trump tweeted, threatening to withdraw federal support.

Brian Rice, the head of the California Professional Firefighters, slammed the tweet as "ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines."

He said the president's claim that forest policies were mismanaged "is dangerously wrong."

Celebrity aid for pets&nbsp;

The "Woolsey Fire" engulfed parts of Thousand Oaks, where the community is still shell-shocked after a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday.

The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres, destroyed at least 177 buildings and was 15 percent contained, Cal Fire said.

Singer Miley Cyrus's home was one of the buildings destroyed in southern California.&nbsp;

"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.&nbsp;

"My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family &amp; friends stand strong."

Many of the southern California area's residents own horses, and for the past days Twitter has been filled with messages of people seeking and offering help.

Actor James Woods, a rare political conservative in liberal Hollywood, has made new friends by using his Twitter account to help find missing people and getting help for pets, including horses.

"Please think about fostering #pets while evacuees are dealing with the crisis. Los Angeles #animal shelters are mostly filled, so follow my hashtags, and see if someone in need is someone you can help!" read one of his tweets.

The Ventura County Humane Society said it was "deeply humbled by a $100,000 donation from (actress) Sandra Bullock and family" to rescue and care for animals evacuated from the fires.

The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds.

The death toll in a raging California wildfire has reached 29, matching the deadliest in the state's history as firefighters battling blazes at both ends of the state on Monday braced for strong winds. The "Camp Fire" -- in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Sacramento -- is the largest and most destructive of several infernos that have broken out. The flames have sent 250,000 people fleeing their homes across the tinder-dry state and razed 6,400 homes in the town of Paradise, effectively wiping it off the map. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea announced the new death toll at a news conference Sunday, adding that all were found in Paradise area. At least 31 people have died in fire zones in north and south California, where acrid smoke blanketed the sky for miles, the sun barely visible. On the ground, cars caught in the flames were reduced to scorched metal skeletons, while homes were left as smoldering piles of debris, with an occasional brick wall or chimney remaining. Some 200 people remained unaccounted for in the Paradise area alone, officials said. Several fire-affected areas were left without cell phone service. The fire 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). At the southern end of the state, the "Woolsey Fire" has destroyed mansions and mobile homes in the coastal celebrity redoubt of Malibu, where the death toll has been limited to two victims found in a vehicle on a private driveway. The National Weather Service has issued a "Red Flag" alert for fire-affected Los Angeles and Ventura County. The service warned of "EXTREMELY CRITICAL Fire Weather Conditions through Tuesday." It said winds of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per hour were expected in the coastal region, and up to 60 mph (96 kph) in mountainous areas. 'The new abnormal' The "Camp Fire" has scorched 111,000 acres (45,000 hectares) and is 25 percent contained, Cal Fire said. So far, three of the more than 4,000 firefighters deployed have been injured. Evacuation orders have been issued to more than a quarter of a million people across California. While some Malibu-area residents were allowed to return home late Sunday, the entire city of Calabasas -- just northeast of Malibu -- came under evacuation orders. "This is not the new normal, this is the new abnormal. And this new abnormal will continue, certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," California Governor Jerry Brown said Sunday. "Unfortunately, the best science is telling us that the dryness, warmth, drought, all those things, they're going to intensify." 'Dangerously wrong' President Donald Trump drew fierce criticism for an unsympathetic reaction to the devastation. "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," Trump tweeted, threatening to withdraw federal support. Brian Rice, the head of the California Professional Firefighters, slammed the tweet as "ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines." He said the president's claim that forest policies were mismanaged "is dangerously wrong." Celebrity aid for pets The "Woolsey Fire" engulfed parts of Thousand Oaks, where the community is still shell-shocked after a Marine Corps veteran shot dead 12 people in a country music bar on Wednesday. The blaze has consumed around 85,500 acres, destroyed at least 177 buildings and was 15 percent 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. "My house no longer stands but the memories shared with family & friends stand strong." Many of the southern California area's residents own horses, and for the past days Twitter has been filled with messages of people seeking and offering help. Actor James Woods, a rare political conservative in liberal Hollywood, has made new friends by using his Twitter account to help find missing people and getting help for pets, including horses. "Please think about fostering #pets while evacuees are dealing with the crisis. Los Angeles #animal shelters are mostly filled, so follow my hashtags, and see if someone in need is someone you can help!" read one of his tweets. The Ventura County Humane Society said it was "deeply humbled by a $100,000 donation from (actress) Sandra Bullock and family" to rescue and care for animals evacuated from the fires.

California wildfire toll matches deadliest ever with 29 victims

California wildfire: At least 31 killed; firefighters struggle to contain wildfire

Severe hot and dry "devil winds" kicked up on Sunday in fire ravaged Southern California and more winds were expected in the north, fanning the flames of wild fires that have killed at least 25 people, officials said.

"This is getting bad," said meteorologist Marc Chenard, with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park Maryland.

"We'll get sustained winds of up to 40 mph and gusts between 60 mph and 70 mph," he said early Sunday of the Santa Ana "devil wind" hitting the Los Angeles area where the Woolsey Fire has been burning since Thursday in the tinder-dry canyon of Ventura County and claimed at least 2 lives.

The air-masses blowing across the western U.S. deserts including Death Valley toward the coast are expected to bring the sustained high winds at least through Tuesday, he said.

"It's nothing but bad news," said Chenard.

Additional 40 mph winds will blow across the Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California near Sacramento where the so-called Camp Fire has claimed at least 23 lives.

The Camp Fire burned down more than 6,700 homes and businesses in Paradise, more structures than any other California wildfire on record, and the death toll, which could rise, also makes it one of the deadliest.

Only the Griffith Park Fire in 1933 and Tunnel Fire in 1991 have claimed more lives.

Several of the bodies discovered earlier this week were found in or near burned out cars, police have said. The flames descended on Paradise so fast that many people were forced to abandon their vehicles and run for their lives down the sole road through the mountain town.

An additional 35 people have been reported missing and three firefighters have been injured. It was not immediately clear if any of the missing were among those found dead.

As of Saturday night, the Camp Fire had blackened more than 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) at the edge of the Plumas National Forest. Crews had cut containment lines around about 20 percent of the blaze.

About 500 miles (800 km) to the south, the Woolsey Fire burning in the foothills above Malibu doubled in size from Friday night into Sunday threatening thousands of homes after triggering mandatory evacuation orders for a quarter million people in the upscale beach city as well as other communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The fire has destroyed at least 177 homes and other structures with a full count still underway, and has charred more than 83,000 acres as of late Saturday, officials said.

"Our firefighters have been facing some extreme, tough fire conditions that they said they've never seen in their lives," said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby.

President Donald Trump, weighed in on the emergency during a trip to France, and said in a Twitter post early Sunday, "With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!"

Trump, a Republican, has previously blamed California officials for fires and threatened to withhold funding, saying the state should do more to remove rotten trees and other debris that fuel blazes.

State officials have blamed climate change and say many of the burn areas have been in federally-managed lands.

Severe hot and dry "devil winds" kicked up on Sunday in fire ravaged Southern California and more winds were expected in the north, fanning the flames of wild fires that have killed at least 25 people, officials said.

Severe hot and dry "devil winds" kicked up on Sunday in fire ravaged Southern California and more winds were expected in the north, fanning the flames of wild fires that have killed at least 25 people, officials said. "This is getting bad," said meteorologist Marc Chenard, with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park Maryland. "We'll get sustained winds of up to 40 mph and gusts between 60 mph and 70 mph," he said early Sunday of the Santa Ana "devil wind" hitting the Los Angeles area where the Woolsey Fire has been burning since Thursday in the tinder-dry canyon of Ventura County and claimed at least 2 lives. The air-masses blowing across the western U.S. deserts including Death Valley toward the coast are expected to bring the sustained high winds at least through Tuesday, he said. "It's nothing but bad news," said Chenard. Additional 40 mph winds will blow across the Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California near Sacramento where the so-called Camp Fire has claimed at least 23 lives. The Camp Fire burned down more than 6,700 homes and businesses in Paradise, more structures than any other California wildfire on record, and the death toll, which could rise, also makes it one of the deadliest. Only the Griffith Park Fire in 1933 and Tunnel Fire in 1991 have claimed more lives. Several of the bodies discovered earlier this week were found in or near burned out cars, police have said. The flames descended on Paradise so fast that many people were forced to abandon their vehicles and run for their lives down the sole road through the mountain town. An additional 35 people have been reported missing and three firefighters have been injured. It was not immediately clear if any of the missing were among those found dead. As of Saturday night, the Camp Fire had blackened more than 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) at the edge of the Plumas National Forest. Crews had cut containment lines around about 20 percent of the blaze. About 500 miles (800 km) to the south, the Woolsey Fire burning in the foothills above Malibu doubled in size from Friday night into Sunday threatening thousands of homes after triggering mandatory evacuation orders for a quarter million people in the upscale beach city as well as other communities in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The fire has destroyed at least 177 homes and other structures with a full count still underway, and has charred more than 83,000 acres as of late Saturday, officials said. "Our firefighters have been facing some extreme, tough fire conditions that they said they've never seen in their lives," said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby. President Donald Trump, weighed in on the emergency during a trip to France, and said in a Twitter post early Sunday, "With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!" Trump, a Republican, has previously blamed California officials for fires and threatened to withhold funding, saying the state should do more to remove rotten trees and other debris that fuel blazes. State officials have blamed climate change and say many of the burn areas have been in federally-managed lands.

Severe 'devil winds' expected to whip up deadly California blazes

A liberal-leaning California-based federal appeals court that has often ruled against President Donald Trump dealt him another setback this week in a major immigration case and soon could be asked to weigh in on a pipeline project he has championed.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, has been a thorn in Trump`s side since he took office last year and has drawn the Republican president`s ire for its decisions in high-profile cases.

His latest setback before the 9th Circuit came on Thursday when a three-judge panel rejected his bid to rescind a program launched by his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants brought into the country as children.

The 9th Circuit has handed him defeats on his travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries and his bid to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation on immigration enforcement. It also is set to rule on the administration`s appeal of a judge`s order blocking Trump`s move to put restrictions on transgender people serving in the US military.

The 9th Circuit would hear any appeal by Trump`s administration of the ruling late on Thursday by a federal judge in Montana blocking construction for environmental reasons of the Keystone XL pipeline project that is designed to carry heavy crude oil from Canada to the United States.

The Justice Department said on Friday it is reviewing the Keystone XL ruling to decide its next step. TransCanada Corp said it remains committed to building the $8 billion, 1,180-mile (1,900-km) pipeline.

"The 9th Circuit is an easy punching bag for Trump because not only has it been traditionally liberal but California is its beating heart, and we all know how Trump fares in California," said Barry McDonald, a law professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu. "He probably sees much of the West Coast as a nemesis for him."

California, the most populous US state, is a liberal bastion that is unfriendly political territory for Trump.

"A fair decision"

The president regularly belittles the 9th Circuit, as he did on Friday after the court`s ruling preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

"The DACA will now hopefully go to the Supreme Court where it will be given a fair decision," Trump told reporters.

Trump already has appointed two justices to the nine-member Supreme Court, solidifying its 5-4 conservative majority.

The 9th circuit has 16 judges who were appointed by Democratic presidents and seven who were named by Republican presidents. Democratic presidents tend to appoint more liberal jurists while Republican presidents favour more conservatives judges.

It is one of the series of powerful regional federal appeals courts that are one step below the Supreme Court. These circuit courts often provide the last word in a legal dispute because the Supreme Court hears only a limited number of cases.

The 9th Circuit hears appeals in federal cases spanning a huge region in terms of both geography and population, covering the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.

Trump already has named two judges to the 9th Circuit, with six other vacancies waiting to be filled. Trump will not be able to create a conservative majority on the 9th Circuit, however, without additional vacancies caused when actively presiding judges retire.&nbsp;

Aided by fellow Republicans in the US Senate, Trump has made it a top priority to rapidly appoint judges in a bid to make the federal judiciary more conservative.

Trump has suggested his policies do not get a fair shake in the 9th Circuit and has touted the idea of breaking up that court. Trump last year decried the 9th Circuit`s "ridiculous" ruling on the travel ban, and said that court has "a terrible record of being overturned" by the Supreme Court - an often-made charge that the 9th Circuit`s chief judge took issue with in congressional testimony.

A liberal-leaning California-based federal appeals court that has often ruled against President Donald Trump dealt him another setback this week in a major immigration case and soon could be asked to weigh in on a pipeline project he has championed.

A liberal-leaning California-based federal appeals court that has often ruled against President Donald Trump dealt him another setback this week in a major immigration case and soon could be asked to weigh in on a pipeline project he has championed. The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, has been a thorn in Trump`s side since he took office last year and has drawn the Republican president`s ire for its decisions in high-profile cases. His latest setback before the 9th Circuit came on Thursday when a three-judge panel rejected his bid to rescind a program launched by his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, that protects from deportation hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants brought into the country as children. The 9th Circuit has handed him defeats on his travel ban targeting people from several Muslim-majority countries and his bid to withhold federal funds from so-called sanctuary cities that limit cooperation on immigration enforcement. It also is set to rule on the administration`s appeal of a judge`s order blocking Trump`s move to put restrictions on transgender people serving in the US military. The 9th Circuit would hear any appeal by Trump`s administration of the ruling late on Thursday by a federal judge in Montana blocking construction for environmental reasons of the Keystone XL pipeline project that is designed to carry heavy crude oil from Canada to the United States. The Justice Department said on Friday it is reviewing the Keystone XL ruling to decide its next step. TransCanada Corp said it remains committed to building the $8 billion, 1,180-mile (1,900-km) pipeline. "The 9th Circuit is an easy punching bag for Trump because not only has it been traditionally liberal but California is its beating heart, and we all know how Trump fares in California," said Barry McDonald, a law professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu. "He probably sees much of the West Coast as a nemesis for him." California, the most populous US state, is a liberal bastion that is unfriendly political territory for Trump. "A fair decision" The president regularly belittles the 9th Circuit, as he did on Friday after the court`s ruling preserving the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "The DACA will now hopefully go to the Supreme Court where it will be given a fair decision," Trump told reporters. Trump already has appointed two justices to the nine-member Supreme Court, solidifying its 5-4 conservative majority. The 9th circuit has 16 judges who were appointed by Democratic presidents and seven who were named by Republican presidents. Democratic presidents tend to appoint more liberal jurists while Republican presidents favour more conservatives judges. It is one of the series of powerful regional federal appeals courts that are one step below the Supreme Court. These circuit courts often provide the last word in a legal dispute because the Supreme Court hears only a limited number of cases. The 9th Circuit hears appeals in federal cases spanning a huge region in terms of both geography and population, covering the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Trump already has named two judges to the 9th Circuit, with six other vacancies waiting to be filled. Trump will not be able to create a conservative majority on the 9th Circuit, however, without additional vacancies caused when actively presiding judges retire. Aided by fellow Republicans in the US Senate, Trump has made it a top priority to rapidly appoint judges in a bid to make the federal judiciary more conservative. Trump has suggested his policies do not get a fair shake in the 9th Circuit and has touted the idea of breaking up that court. Trump last year decried the 9th Circuit`s "ridiculous" ruling on the travel ban, and said that court has "a terrible record of being overturned" by the Supreme Court - an often-made charge that the 9th Circuit`s chief judge took issue with in congressional testimony.

California-based appeals court has been thorn in Trump's side

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The killers of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi poured his remains down the drain after dissolving him in acid, a Turkish newspaper reported Saturday.

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<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-economic-growth-held-back-due-to-demonetisation-gst-raghuram-rajan-176545">India's economic growth held back due to demonetisation, GST: Raghuram Rajan&nbsp;</a>

Demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are the two major headwinds that held back India's economic growth last year, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said, asserting that the current seven per cent growth rate is not enough to meet the country's needs.

Saudi journalist Khashoggi's corpse went down the drains: Report The killers of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi poured his remains down the drain after dissolving him in acid, a Turkish newspaper reported Saturday.

Saudi journalist Khashoggi's corpse went down the drains: Report The killers of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi poured his remains down the drain after dissolving him in acid, a Turkish newspaper reported Saturday. Samples taken from the drains at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul showed traces of acid, pro-government daily Sabah said, without quoting sources. No reason for these massive forest fires in California except that management is so poor: Trump Two monster wildfires burned out of control on Saturday in northern and southern California, having already killed at least nine people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. US presses China to halt militarization of South China Sea Standing side by side, top US officials urged their Chinese counterparts on Friday to halt militarization of the disputed South China Sea, drawing a rebuke from the Chinese for sending US warships close to islands claimed by Beijing. Pak anti-graft body arrests PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif in another corruption case Pakistan's anti-graft body on Saturday arrested opposition leader and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif in another corruption case and had his physical remand extended till November 24. India's economic growth held back due to demonetisation, GST: Raghuram Rajan Demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) are the two major headwinds that held back India's economic growth last year, former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said, asserting that the current seven per cent growth rate is not enough to meet the country's needs.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Two monster wildfires burned out of control on Saturday in northern and southern California, having already killed at least nine people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

President Donald Trump blamed the fires on forest mismanagement and threatened to withdraw related federal funding.

In Los Angeles County, the 35,000-acre (14,164 hectares) Woolsey Fire was threatening 75,000 homes and more than 200,000 people were under mandatory evacuation early on Saturday.

Some of the evacuation orders were for residents within the City of Los Angeles in the West Hills area. It was unclear how many homes have been evacuated within the City of Los Angeles.

About 500 miles (800 km) to the north, nine people were found dead in and around the Northern California town of Paradise, where more than 6,700 homes and businesses were burned down by the Camp Fire. That made it one of the most destructive blazes in state history, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire protection data.

"This event was the worst-case scenario. It was the event we have feared for a long time," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said at a Friday evening press conference. "Regrettably, not everybody made it out."

Trump early on Saturday tweeted that "gross mismanagement of forests" was to blame for the two unchecked wildfires.

"There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," he wrote in a Twitter post.

"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 added.

The remains of five of the victims in Northern California were discovered in or near burned out cars, three outside residences and one inside a home, Butte County's Honea said.

Another 35 people had been reported missing and three firefighters had been injured.

The flames descended on Paradise so quickly that many people were forced to abandon their cars and run for their lives down the sole road through the mountain town.

The Camp Fire, which broke out on Thursday at the edge of the Plumas National Forest northeast of Sacramento, has since blackened more than 90,000 acres and was only 5 per cent contained as of nightfall on Friday.

FIRE BURNS TOWARD MALIBU

The Woolsey Fire broke out on Thursday and quickly jumped the 101 Freeway, a major north-south artery, in several places. On Friday, it moved over the Santa Monica Mountains toward Malibu, where flames driven by hot Santa Ana winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour (80 kph) raced down hillsides and through canyons toward multi-million dollar homes.

Thousands of residents took to the Pacific Coast Highway to head south or took refuge on beaches, along with their horses and other pets.

Among those forced to flee were celebrities including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian, who said on Twitter that flames had damaged the home she shares in nearby Calabasas with Kanye West.

"Fire is now burning out of control and heading into populated areas of Malibu," the city said in a statement online. "All residents must evacuate immediately."

Some 95,000 residents have been evacuated in Ventura County alone, the county's fire department said on Twitter on Friday night.

The blaze also threatened parts of the nearby town of Thousand Oaks, where a gunman killed 12 people earlier this week in a shooting rampage.

Elsewhere, the Hill Fire in Ventura County's Santa Rosa Valley had charred about 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) as of Friday evening, according to Cal Fire.

In Los Angeles, another, smaller fire in Griffith Park forced the Los Angeles Zoo to evacuate a number of show birds and some small primates on Friday as flames came within less than 2 miles (3 km) of the facility, zoo officials said in a statement.

Two monster wildfires burned out of control on Saturday in northern and southern California, having already killed at least nine people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

Two monster wildfires burned out of control on Saturday in northern and southern California, having already killed at least nine people and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. President Donald Trump blamed the fires on forest mismanagement and threatened to withdraw related federal funding. In Los Angeles County, the 35,000-acre (14,164 hectares) Woolsey Fire was threatening 75,000 homes and more than 200,000 people were under mandatory evacuation early on Saturday. Some of the evacuation orders were for residents within the City of Los Angeles in the West Hills area. It was unclear how many homes have been evacuated within the City of Los Angeles. About 500 miles (800 km) to the north, nine people were found dead in and around the Northern California town of Paradise, where more than 6,700 homes and businesses were burned down by the Camp Fire. That made it one of the most destructive blazes in state history, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire protection data. "This event was the worst-case scenario. It was the event we have feared for a long time," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said at a Friday evening press conference. "Regrettably, not everybody made it out." Trump early on Saturday tweeted that "gross mismanagement of forests" was to blame for the two unchecked wildfires. "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor," he wrote in a Twitter post. "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 added. The remains of five of the victims in Northern California were discovered in or near burned out cars, three outside residences and one inside a home, Butte County's Honea said. Another 35 people had been reported missing and three firefighters had been injured. The flames descended on Paradise so quickly that many people were forced to abandon their cars and run for their lives down the sole road through the mountain town. The Camp Fire, which broke out on Thursday at the edge of the Plumas National Forest northeast of Sacramento, has since blackened more than 90,000 acres and was only 5 per cent contained as of nightfall on Friday. FIRE BURNS TOWARD MALIBU The Woolsey Fire broke out on Thursday and quickly jumped the 101 Freeway, a major north-south artery, in several places. On Friday, it moved over the Santa Monica Mountains toward Malibu, where flames driven by hot Santa Ana winds gusting up to 50 miles per hour (80 kph) raced down hillsides and through canyons toward multi-million dollar homes. Thousands of residents took to the Pacific Coast Highway to head south or took refuge on beaches, along with their horses and other pets. Among those forced to flee were celebrities including Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian, who said on Twitter that flames had damaged the home she shares in nearby Calabasas with Kanye West. "Fire is now burning out of control and heading into populated areas of Malibu," the city said in a statement online. "All residents must evacuate immediately." Some 95,000 residents have been evacuated in Ventura County alone, the county's fire department said on Twitter on Friday night. The blaze also threatened parts of the nearby town of Thousand Oaks, where a gunman killed 12 people earlier this week in a shooting rampage. Elsewhere, the Hill Fire in Ventura County's Santa Rosa Valley had charred about 6,000 acres (2,428 hectares) as of Friday evening, according to Cal Fire. In Los Angeles, another, smaller fire in Griffith Park forced the Los Angeles Zoo to evacuate a number of show birds and some small primates on Friday as flames came within less than 2 miles (3 km) of the facility, zoo officials said in a statement.

No reason for these massive forest fires in California except that management is so poor: Trump

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/we-all-just-trampled-california-bar-shooting-survivor-recalls-176330"> fatal shooting of a dozen people</a> at a Western-themed bar in Thousand Oaks, California, inspired hundreds of area residents to line up for hours on Thursday to donate blood for the wounded.

The blood drive drew at least 300 people to a trailer parked outside a Catholic high school. The line snaked down the driveway and along the street.

The blood drive has been scheduled before the massacre late on Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, which had a reputation as one of the country`s safest cities.&nbsp;

The big turnout followed a call for donations after the shooting. On a normal day, fewer than 60 people might be expected to turn out, school officials said.

“It just shows great community spirit, it shows people helping people, it doesn’t matter the color of their skin, where they’re from, it doesn’t matter,” said Steven Peisner, 56.

Law enforcement officials said 10 to 15 people went to hospitals with injuries, including at least one with gunshot wounds. The suspected shooter was found inside the bar with a fatal gunshot wound.

Peisner, a regular blood donor from nearby Calabasas, wore a leather vest festooned with metal pins commemorating the dozens of gallons of blood platelets he has donated over the years.

A number of young people in line said they had some connection to the victims or survivors of the shooting.

Delaney Kenney, 17, who was in line, said her brother was a friend of a woman who died in the shooting.

“He’s pretty devastated,” said Kenney, who attends a local high school.

&nbsp;Aaron Lacombe, 23, of Thousand Oaks, said he thought he might have known one of the victims from his days at California Lutheran University. He also has been to the bar, which he described as an “upbeat” place.&nbsp;

“I grew up in this community, went to school in this community, so I kind of felt the obligation to get out here and do what I could,” Lacombe said.

The fatal shooting of a dozen people at a Western-themed bar in Thousand Oaks, California, inspired hundreds of area residents to line up for hours on Thursday to donate blood for the wounded.

The fatal shooting of a dozen people at a Western-themed bar in Thousand Oaks, California, inspired hundreds of area residents to line up for hours on Thursday to donate blood for the wounded. The blood drive drew at least 300 people to a trailer parked outside a Catholic high school. The line snaked down the driveway and along the street. The blood drive has been scheduled before the massacre late on Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, which had a reputation as one of the country`s safest cities. The big turnout followed a call for donations after the shooting. On a normal day, fewer than 60 people might be expected to turn out, school officials said. “It just shows great community spirit, it shows people helping people, it doesn’t matter the color of their skin, where they’re from, it doesn’t matter,” said Steven Peisner, 56. Law enforcement officials said 10 to 15 people went to hospitals with injuries, including at least one with gunshot wounds. The suspected shooter was found inside the bar with a fatal gunshot wound. Peisner, a regular blood donor from nearby Calabasas, wore a leather vest festooned with metal pins commemorating the dozens of gallons of blood platelets he has donated over the years. A number of young people in line said they had some connection to the victims or survivors of the shooting. Delaney Kenney, 17, who was in line, said her brother was a friend of a woman who died in the shooting. “He’s pretty devastated,” said Kenney, who attends a local high school. Aaron Lacombe, 23, of Thousand Oaks, said he thought he might have known one of the victims from his days at California Lutheran University. He also has been to the bar, which he described as an “upbeat” place. “I grew up in this community, went to school in this community, so I kind of felt the obligation to get out here and do what I could,” Lacombe said.

Hundreds line up to donate blood after California bar shooting

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