Forest fires in California: 31 dead and 150,000 people displaced by the torch | American News

The camp fire in northern California has become the most destructive fire in the state's history, cremating the city of Paradise and displacing more than 50,000 people, while other fires continue. rabies further south.

At least 29 people were killed in the camp's fire, making it one of the deadliest in California's history. The California Department of Forests and Fire Protection said Monday that the camp's fire had increased to three square miles to reach 177 square kilometers and that it was under control at 25 percent.

Two people also died in the Woolsey fire, a major fire around Los Angeles, bringing to 31 the total number of deaths in that state.

On Monday, officials said the Woolsey fire burned 91,572 acres and destroyed 370 structures. That was 20% of content. On Sunday evening, some neighborhoods allowed the evacuees to return and the US 101 road to the west of LA was reopened.

Across the state, 150,000 people have been displaced and more than 8,000 fire brigades are deployed. Authorities reported that 228 people were not found.

Strong winds and dry conditions are threatening more areas for the rest of the week, fire officials warned.

According to Cal Fire spokesman Steve Kaufman, approximately 1,300 people have taken refuge in evacuation shelters, which include several shelters in Butte County and some in Sutter, Glenn and Plumas counties. But this is only a fraction of the total number of displaced people from Paradise, Magalia, Concow and other towns in the foothills of the Sierra.

Many converged on Chico, a town of about 90,000 located just 20 minutes from paradise. Chico hotels are at full capacity with people evacuated by fire and some, but not all, shelters are full. Others have stayed with friends, relatives or even in their cars, wanting to stay close enough to be able to return home at any time, even if it could take months.

A Walmart in Chico has become an unofficial refugee camp for people displaced by the fire. On Sunday, more than a dozen tents were lined up in an empty field next to the store, while the parking lot was filled day and night with trailers and cars filled with objects such as toys, pillows and family photos.

Without the comfort of a traditional shelter, fire refugees on the parking lot have not been forgotten. The owners of local food trucks were there to provide free food and religious groups all over the state were preparing and distributing meals. Chico residents provided clothes, toys and equipment free of charge.

Evacuees stated that they could not find space in a nearby shelter, did not want to separate from their animals, or did not feel comfortable in a shelter.

In this unofficial evacuation center, stories of generosity from the most affected people have emerged. Tammy Mezera and her friend Daryl Merritt spent three nights in a tent outside the store after the fire forced them to save their lives. When they discovered that a neighbor, Matthew Flanagan, had slept under a taco truck, they left him extra space under their tents.

"It's like an instant family," said Mezera while stroking her dog. "We are all taking care of each other."

The three friends made friends with strangers like Andrew Duran, who sleeps right in front of their tent in a sleeping bag. And despite the darkness and the loss, they showed endless generosity to each other. Taking their breakfast together on Sunday morning, they shared a few laughs while dancing on Bill Withers' Lean on Me.

This is the kind of gathering that the community will need, said Mezera, after the loss of more than 6,400 homes.

Meanwhile, as firefighters and law enforcement agencies seek to protect the city and its citizens from deadly flames, they lost their own homes. The fire destroyed the homes of 17 police officers in Paradise, Chief Eric Reinbold said. None of the officers missed a day of work since the start of the fire, he added.

At least 38 firefighters fighting the fire have lost their homes, said Tim Aboudara, representative of the International Fire Fighters Association. This number was to increase.

The association worked with the Firefighters Foundation of the CDF and California firefighters and to help these firefighters and their families. Several have already been placed in temporary housing, said Aboudara.

Along with the loss of their homes, many firefighters are devastated. They were unable to curb the rapid spread of the fire before it overtook the city of Paradise, Aboudara said.

"Our job is to put out the fire and we can not stop it," Aboudara said. "We could not do anything."

No long-term project to house the evacuees, who may not be allowed to return home for months, has been announced, but Congressman Doug LaMalfa said Sunday that he's expecting a White House disaster declaration in the coming days, subject of calls by the governor, Jerry Brown.

"It's really a tragedy that all Californians can understand and respond to," Brown told reporters Sunday. "It's time to recover and overcome these tragedies."

Once federal assistance is approved, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) will visit the region to begin working with local residents and business owners on recovery.