More than 600 people are missing and 63 have died as a result of what is now being called the most deadly fire to ever break out in California, local officials announced late Thursday.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea told reporters Thursday evening the number of people missing had more than doubled overnight, from 297 on Wednesday to 631.
The number of fatalities from the Camp Fire in Northern California’s Butte County also jumped from 56 to 63.
Camp Fire Incident Update 11.15.18 PM#CampFire #ButteCounty @ButteSheriff @CountyofButte @townofparadise @chicofd @chicopolice @CHP_Valley @CHP_Oroville @CHP_Chico #ButteCounty @CAL_FIRE pic.twitter.com/ghg6YrPYbM
— CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) November 16, 2018
The fire has now stripped 140,000 acres and only 40 percent are contained.
Approximately 9,700 single-family homes have been destroyed and 2,100 additional structures have been compromised.
Honea did not cite a cause of the fire. However, Pacific Gas & Electric said in a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week that faulty equipment may have sparked the blaze.
