Rains Help California’s Firefighters Contain Deadliest, Most Destructive Wildfire After 17 Days
But the victory of extinguishing the Camp Fire flames was made bittersweet by the realization that the death count will rise, as well as statistics that show an increase over the past 20 years of deadly and destructive fires. In other news, survivors from earlier blazes relive the horrors and discuss the difficulty of moving on afterwards.
The Washington Post:
Camp Fire, California’s Deadliest Wildfire In History, Has Been Contained
The Camp Fire — the deadliest, most destructive blaze in California history, which has killed 85 people, destroyed 14,000 residences and charred an area the size of Chicago — has been fully contained, authorities announced Sunday. Cal Fire, the state’s forestry and fire protection agency, made the announcement after spending 17 days beating back a blaze that has roared through 153,000 acres of Butte County, which is north of Sacramento. Three straight days of rain helped more than 1,000 firefighters get a foothold. (Wootson, 11/25)
The Wall Street Journal:
Deadliest Fire In California History Deemed Contained
“We’re confident that it’s not going to move out of the containment lines,” said Jennifer Erickson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service. The fire was contained, but it wasn’t completely out, with sections still smoldering. “There definitely are areas of smoke that probably will be going for a while,” Ms. Erickson said. (McWhirter, 11/25)
The Associated Press:
What Makes A California Wildfire The Worst? Deaths And Size
The so-called Camp Fire in Northern California in many ways has become the worst wildfire in the history of a state whose topography and climate have long made it ripe for devastating blazes. With terrain ranging from steep, tree-topped mountains to dry, brush-covered hillsides, and matched with a climate that frequently varies from light rainy seasons to drought years, California has been home to deadly, destructive wildfires since record-keeping began in the early 20th century. (Rogers, 11/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
In California, Last Year’s Wildfire Victims Struggle To Recover
Wendy Haynes lives 150 miles from the Camp Fire that has killed more than 80 people, but the smell of smoke and reports of devastation have rekindled memories of when flames raced toward her a year ago. “There’s a sense of reliving everything,” said the 63-year-old physical therapist. Ms. Haynes’s home was one of the few left standing after the 36,807-acre Tubbs Fire roared through Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park neighborhood on Oct. 8, 2017. But she suffered emotional trauma from running for her life as fist-sized embers rained around her. By the time it was all over, more than 5,100 homes in this bedroom city north of San Francisco were lost and 22 people were killed. (Carlton, 11/25)
