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7:20 p.m. Update:
Camp Fire by the numbers:
- 56 fatalities
- 130 people unaccounted for
- 138,000 acres burned
- 35 percent contained
- 52,000 evacuated
- 1,385 sheltered
- 10,321 structures destroyed in total
Butte County officials have confirmed cases of Norovirus at the Neighborhood Church shelter in Chico. Officials the virus is common around this time of year and common in shelter conditions, however, the ill are being treated by nurses and have been separated from those who are well.
No information was available on how many people are currently ill.
Search and rescue efforts
An additional 287 Search and Rescue personnel have been brought in to help with operations, which brings the total of amount of people assisting with the effort to 461; 22 cadaver dogs have also been brought in to help with the search.
To date, 130 people remain unaccounted for.
The Camp Fire’s death toll also increased. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea confirmed that an additional 8 bodies were found, bringing the death toll to 56. Out of the total number of victims, 47 have been tentatively identified, however, officials are waiting on DNA confirmation.
Starting tomorrow, officials say individuals will be able to provide a DNA sample to the Sheriff’s Office between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. if they believe a family member died to the Camp Fire. This operation will be run out of the lobby until a better location is set up.
6:10 p.m. Update:
Authorities have reported eight more fatalities from a blaze in Northern California, bringing the total death toll so far to 56 in the deadliest wildfire in state history.
The sheriff says 130 people are still on missing list.
3:45 p.m. Update:
At least two dozen people who were trapped by a wall of fire in Northern California survived by plunging into a cold lake.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Tuesday that the people plunged into the Concow Reservoir after flames surrounded their homes in a community outside the decimated town of Paradise. At least a dozen were in a caravan of vehicles that got cut off by the fire last Thursday.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Division Chief Garrett Sjolund says firefighters helped fleeing residents, distributing fire shelters to those who couldn't stand the water. The shelters are a last resort for protection against flames.
Concow resident Peggy Moak says she and others pulled people out of the lake with a canoe.
Authorities say several of those in the reservoir were hospitalized, some with serious burns.
12:55 p.m. update
U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is visiting the aftermath of California's deadliest wildfire and says it's not the time to "point fingers."
Zinke lamented the destruction Wednesday and says there are many factors in wildfires, including rising temperatures.
He was visiting the town of Paradise with Gov. Jerry Brown days after President Donald Trump blamed "poor" forest management for the fire. Brown says climate change is the greater source of the problem.
Brown says he spoke with Trump on Wednesday and that the president has pledged "the full resources of the federal government."
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long called the blaze "one of the worst disasters that I've seen in my career."
Brock said people affected by the fire can start requesting federal assistance.
A team of Army National Guard members is looking for bodies at houses where officials have reports of missing people following a massive Northern California wildfire.
Butte County Deputy Sheriff Steve Collins says the number of missing is "fluctuating every day" as people are located or remains are found.
The state's deadliest wildfire has killed dozens of people and largely leveled the town of Paradise.
He urged anyone who had previously contacted the sheriff's department about missing people but had since found their loved ones to call back.
Dozens of soldiers in National Guard uniforms were working Wednesday with anthropological teams. Collins says when anything resembling human remains is found, the coroner's office takes over.
12:15 p.m. update
President Donald Trump is praising firefighters and first responders for an "incredible job" tackling California's deadliest wildfire.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that he had been briefed by Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who are in California.
Trump wrote: "Thank you to the great Firefighters, First Responders and @fema for the incredible job they are doing w/ the California Wildfires. Our Nation appreciates your heroism, courage & genius. God Bless you all!"
Trump previously blamed "poor" forest management for the fires. California Gov. Jerry Brown says federal and state governments must do more forest management but says climate change is the greater source of the problem.
Dozens of people have been confirmed dead in the wildfires, with more still missing.
Original story
A fire official says fire crews aided by cooler weather and diminishing winds have managed to slow the spread of a massive Northern California blaze that killed at least 48 people.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Scott McLean said Wednesday the blaze has charred 210 square miles (544 square kilometers) and that it is one-third contained.
He says strong winds have subsided and humidity is up, helping more than 5,600 firefighters.
McLean says the fire that leveled the town of Paradise "is looking really good at the moment."
Camp Fire: Faces of the Fire
He says aircraft including 21 helicopters are helping in the effort to halt the fire that destroyed 7,600 homes. But McLean says smoke is heavy and low to the ground and that could affect visibility and hamper their efforts.
Authorities on Tuesday reported six more fatalities from the Northern California blaze, bringing the total number of dead so far to 48. They haven't disclosed the total number still missing, but earlier in the week that figure was more than 200.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said a list of the missing would be released soon and that 100 National Guard troops would help teams already looking for remains.
As authorities increased efforts, people waited for any word on those still not found.