San Francisco: The death toll from a wildfire in northern California has increased to 83, authorities said.
The number of missing in what is known as “Camp Fire” dropped to 563, 136 fewer than the number counted Tuesday and almost half the figure posted earlier this week, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Wednesday.
Firefighters have controlled 85 per cent of the fire, which has burned 62,052 hectares and is the most catastrophic in terms of fatalities in the history of the state, reports Efe news.
The fire broke out November 8 and in a few hours destroyed the town of Paradise, which had a population of 26,000.
The flames destroyed around 13,500 households and about 500 shops, and still threaten another 5,100 buildings.
President Donald Trump, who visited the affected area last week, urged Congress Tuesday to take measures that “improve forest management and help prevent wildfires”, which, according to the President, “can stop the devastation constantly going on in California”.
IANS