The death toll from the California Wildfires continues to climb bringing the current total to 34 lives lost. Firefighters are working around the clock to combat the many deadly blazes even gaining enough ground for authorities to consider allowing around 25,000 evacuees to return home. Dangerous winds and dry conditions continue to escalate the threat facing the communities in California.
<img src="https://8ch.net/file_store/e705979c096c1262f9e5734110f9e9f1eb7470ef7d5775d5bc8116d8648a7bf2.jpg" style="max-height:640px;max-width:360px;">
<span style="margin-top:15px;rgba(42,51,6,0.7);font-size:12px;">Credit: Stephen Lam</span>
Deputy chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Bret Gouve gave an update at press conference this afternoon, "We've challenged the troops to get out there and secure mainly the south parts of these fires in preparation for those strong north winds." As of the time this statement was made, over 17 major wildfires were still burning out of control, many of which are composed of several smaller blazes.
Authorities investigating the wildfires are contemplating the possibility that power lines toppled by gale-force winds on the first night the fires started may have caused the blazes. California fire officials say 5,700 homes have already been destroyed, much of the devastation is centered around the Sonoma County town of Santa Rosa which has been all but reduced to smoke and ashes.
This years wildfire season has burned nearly 8.6 million acres and there is still no sign of the fires burning out.
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Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-14/california-wildfires-at-least-34-dead-250-missing/9050148
