California wildfires: Camp Fire kills 42 to become deadliest in state history as Trump approves major disaster declaration
Fires across state have killed 44 in total with hundreds still missing
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Your support makes all the difference.The total death toll from wildfires across California has risen to 44, after 13 more people were found dead in what is now the deadliest single fire in state history.
The blaze dubbed Camp Fire in northern California has incinerated more than 7,100 homes and businesses - particularly in the town of Paradise. Its death toll exceeds that of the Griffith Park Fire in 1933, the deadliest wildfire on record in California. At least 228 people were still missing, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea.
Speaking on CNN, Mr Honea said that while he holds out hope that many people listed as missing will turn up safe, “given what we’ve dealt with so far with casualties as a result of this fire, I have concerns that it [the death toll] will rise”.
Late on Monday, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration for the state, which will allow it to access more federal funds. Mr Trump said he "wanted to respond quickly", although calls for the declaration have been coming for a number of days.
Hundreds of thousands of evacuation orders have been issued, while countless residents have shared images online of missing loved ones, begging people to help them find displaced relatives and friends.
In southern California, the Woolsey Fire has scorched at least 91,000 acres and destroyed 370 structures. At least two people have died in that fire, and more than 57,000 buildings still at risk.
You can find our latest report on the California wildfires here. For more on how the events of Monday unfolded, please see our now-closed live blog, below.
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Among those their homes in the Camp Fire is the mayor of Paradise, where more than 6,700 homes and businesses have been destroyed.
"It took a long time to get out, and there was fire on both sides of the car. You could feel the heat coming in through the car. You could see the telephone poles burning and trees and structures and flames 30 feet in the air. It was scary," Mayor Jody Jones told CNN of the fire, which broke out while she was running an errand.
She told that news network that she is now living in her motor home.
"That is fine for now. We have a bed and we have a roof. We're good, but that's not good for the long term. So yes, we've started looking for a more permanent place to live," she said.
One of the hardest hit areas in California has been Paradise, where 6,700 homes or businesses have been destroyed.
And, to get an idea of one of myriad reasons why: The city has not seen rain in 210 days.
That's according to Jonathan Pangburn, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Some of the first responders in California are struggling through more than one form of trauma at the moment.
Several of the firefighters who responded last week when a gunman opened fire at a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, are now working on fighting the fires devastating the area, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Frank Lima.
"They've been 48 to 72 hours on shift, doing what we do. We go there, we risk our lives. Our fire fighters are out there. Meanwhile many of them have lost their own homes and have been displaced, but they're still serving the community," Mr Lima told CNN.
Here are some photos of the efforts to save California and stop the wildfires raging throughout the state.
Photos of the wildfires in California would be breath taking if they were not so deadly and destructive.
Lady Gaga has visited an American Red Cross shelter in Pacific Palisades, providing encouragement to evacuees and volunteers.
In a video on website TMZ, Lady Gaga told the audience during the visit on Sunday: "I know this is not easy" and encouraged people to talk to mental health workers on site if needed.
"I know that a lot of you are feeling a lot of pain right now, and a lot of shock," she said. "I feel kind of in a daze, and I'm not really sure when or how this is going to hit me."
A Northern California man who led a caravan of vehicles that was overcome by flames from a wildfire says he saw his friend die.
Greg Woodcox told The Associated Press that he heard his friend scream as the heat blew out windows. Four other people in the vehicles died.
They were among at least 29 people who have lost their lives in a wildfire that decimated the town of Paradise.
Mr Woodcox said he followed a fox to a path down a steep embankment, and he survived by submerging himself in a stream for nearly an hour.
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