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SACRAMENTO – A major forest fire that killed dozens of people in northern California and destroyed thousands of homes was completely controlled Sunday after being burned for more than two weeks, officials said. The said Campfire, which began on November 8, eventually burned more than 153,000 acres (240 square miles).
The fire was extinguished by firefighters after rainy days in and around the devastated city of Paradise, virtually consumed in a day. The campfire, the deadliest of the century in the state of Golden, killed at least 85 people and left 249 on a list of missing persons. According to officials, the number of people reported missing has declined in recent days, while more people have been confirmed alive.
Teams continue to search for debris and ashes in search of human remains. Nearly 19,000 buildings, most of them houses, were destroyed.
"It is certainly good to end the containment of this fire, even if there is still a lot of work to be done," said Fire Department spokeswoman Jennifer Erickson.
In southern California, more and more residents have returned to areas affected by the disaster. Woolsey Fire, which was placed under confinement on November 21 after burning for two weeks. Three people died in the fire and about 250,000 people had to flee their homes. A total of 1,643 buildings, most of them houses, were destroyed, according to fire officials.
Firefighters return home after weeks of fighting wildfires
Meanwhile, after spending nearly three weeks on the front lines of the campfire, the Folsom and Sacramento fire departments are just returning home, according to CBS Sacramento.
The Folsom strike team arrived at the campfire this fateful Thursday afternoon, just as the fire was ravaging the city. The Folsom crew was posted to Butte Creek Canyon, just outside Paradise.
Division Head Mark Piacentini (Folsom Fire)
CBS Sacramento
"Our main mission was mainly evacuations and rescue," Cpl. Mark Piacentini told CBS Sacramento, alongside Folsom Fire.
As the flames attacked, the Folsom crew made several daring rescues, but soon found themselves cut off from the world and had to escape quickly.
"We were able to save ourselves so to speak and during this process we found other people trapped by debris and wires and helped to get them out," Piacentini said.
"We put them in our truck, our fire trucks, there were other civilians coming down and we were able to report them."
At the same time, a Sacramento strike team headed for Paradise. Their mission was to save structures in a city already on fire.
"When you get to town and Safeway is on fire, that McDonald's is gone and all the rest is gone." That day, I knew it was a big project and that we were going to stay there for a while, "said Captain Rick Marrs with the Sacramento Fire Department.
With limited resources, the Sacramento crew saved house after house, but it's the ones they could not protect and would remember most.
Captain Rick Marrs (Sacramento Fire Department)
