Fire in a camp: the rain stops a catastrophic forest fire but complicates the search for remains

PARADISE, Calif. – After several days of rain, the catastrophic fire that is raging in northern California is almost over, but researchers are still performing the meticulous task of searching the ashes and muddy debris in search traces of human remains. The teams resumed hard work on Saturday as the rain disappeared from the devastated city of Paradise.

Some were looking through neighborhoods destroyed for the second time while hundreds of people were still missing. They were looking for revealing fragments, bones, or anything that might look like a pile of cremated ashes.

The country's deadliest fire in a century has killed at least 84 people and 475 of them are on the list of missing persons. The flames caught fire on 8 November in the arid foothills of the Sierra Nevada and quickly spread over 620 square kilometers (240 km 2), destroying most of the paradise in one day.

The fire destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings, including most homes, and displaced thousands of people, announced the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The two weeks of fighting had a positive impact on the first major winter storm in California. According to Hannah Chandler-Cooley of the National Weather Service, he dropped about 18 centimeters of rain over the burning area in three days without causing significant landslides.

The rain helped quench hotspots in the brood areas, and containment increased to 95%. Despite the bad weather, more than 800 volunteers continued to search for remains.

Crews worked intermittently during a Friday downpour. While the rain made everyone colder and wetter, they kept the mission in mind, said Chris Stevens, a research volunteer who wore five layers of clothing to keep warm.

"It does not change the morale of the guys who work," he said. "Everyone here is very committed to helping people here."

In southern California, more and more residents returned to areas evacuated by a destructive fire, while crews repaired the utilities of electricity, telephone and gas.

Officials of the Los Angeles County Sheriff said they were in the final phase of restocking Malibu and unincorporated areas of the county. At the height of the fire, 250,000 fled their homes.

The flames erupted on November 8 just west of Los Angeles and burned through suburban communities and natural parks up to the ocean. Three people died and 1,643 buildings, most of them houses, were destroyed, officials said.

In northern California, researchers have tried to keep their minds on the task rather than the tragic situation.

"The guys will never say that it's hard," said David Kang, a member of the crew. "But he is."

Meanwhile, survivors are recovering from serious injuries. Bill Blevins entrusted to CBS News from his hospital bed while he was still recovering from the third-degree burns he suffered while trying to escape the fire.

The flames had surrounded the house he was visiting – and the only way out was to cross them.

"I watched all the houses around us just burn," said Blevins. "Then all of a sudden, it's written as follows:" Oh my God, I'm badly burned, the skin melts from my hands. "

Despite the burns, Blevins and his friend managed to keep the fire at bay long enough for the firefighters to finally rescue them.

"I think we are very lucky to be alive today because many people have not managed to get out of it," Blevins said. "They died at home or in their car trying to get out."