Camp Fire Death Toll at 48 and Expected to Climb [Maps, Photos]

Volunteer organizations, including @NVADG, have been working to relocate and shelter animals from the fire area. We couldn’t have accomplished as much as we have over the past week without their help.

“Volunteer organizations, including @NVADG, have been working to relocate and shelter animals from the fire area,” tweeted Butte Cal Fire. “We couldn’t have accomplished as much as we have over the past week without their help.” [Photo tweeted by Butte Cal Fire]

The Camp Fire raging in Butte County is now known to have claimed 48 lives–six were found yesterday in residences that had been overrun by flames. The number is expected to rise as teams comb through ashes in search of those not yet accounted for nearly a week later.

Around 7,600 homes and around 260 businesses have been destroyed. More have been damaged. Check out the online Camp Fire Structure Status map for more.

Overnight the fire continued to grow but calmer winds moderated its spread.  Today, it is estimated to have reached 135,000 acres and is about 35% contained.

Over 52,000 people have been evacuated many of them with no homes to return to once the fire is out.

Below we have maps and a breakdown of what to expect.

The Plan:

Humboldt County Strike team getting briefed.

Humboldt County Strike team getting briefed. [Photo from Strike Team Leader Kent Hulbert]

The fire is continuing to creep to the north, east, and south. The west along the Hwy 99 containment line is holding.

Firefighters have been putting in dozer lines and doing backfiring. They are working particularly hard to keep the wildfire from reaching Stirling City and into Paradise Pines on the north.

While this may look like a monstrous fire bearing down on the town of Stirling City, it is actually a protective wall of backfire that has been put in place with the help of local firefighter Diana Totten who is a Division U Supervisor.

While this may look like a monstrous fire bearing down on the town of Stirling City, it is actually a protective wall of backfire that has been put in place with the help of local firefighter Diana Totten who is a Division U Supervisor.

“We use fire to fight fire,” explained Humboldt County resident Diana Totten who is the Division U Supervisor. “Those backfires are a very good strategy…Now the fuels are gone ahead of the coming fire.”

Several factors helped, Totten said. “The northeast winds were in our favor.”

She said, “We work with a lot of dynamics–the fuel, the weather, the topography, and the personnel [when using backfires].” Each of them have to have the right conditions for the backfires work correctly, she said. “The biggest dynamic needed for success is having people who are really well trained. It takes hundreds of people all going with one goal in mind.”

She said her crews are doing phenomenal work.

However, the destruction and horror of the catastrophic wildfire can be hard on crews in the area, she said. “I’m still finding animals that have been locked in houses and horses with phone numbers spray-painted on their side.”

The burned buildings, the animals suffering, and the weight of knowing how much fellow humans have lost is difficult, she explained. “After driving through the devastation in the town of Paradise, it helps to have the successes of places like Stirling City so that when we drive home at night we feel hope,” she said.

Images:

Trinity, Mendocino, and Humboldt County crews are in Butte County helping. Like soldiers, the images they so often send home are of the good times not the horrific experiences that may haunt them for months.

Strike Team 3275c members briefing the locals on today's operations. There will be no horsing around.

Trinity County’s Weaverville Fire Department posted this and said, “Strike Team 3275c members briefing the locals on today’s operations. There will be no horsing around.” [Photo from the Facebook page of Weaverville Fire]

Mendocino County Sheriff posted this image stating, "Our Search and Rescue Team volunteers never cease to amaze. They are up north today helping Butte County in their search for missing persons related to the #CampFire."

Mendocino County Sheriff posted this image stating, “Our Search and Rescue Team volunteers never cease to amaze. They are up north today helping Butte County in their search for missing persons related to the #CampFire.” [Crop of a photo posted on the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Facebook page]

Miranda Firefighter David Felt with a dog that adopted the crew yesterday. [Photo provided by Strike Team leader Kent Hulbert]

Humboldt County’s Strike Team sent us this photo of Miranda Firefighter David Felt with a dog that adopted the crew yesterday. [Photo provided by Strike Team leader Kent Hulbert]

The Weather:  

Though the fire wasn’t quite as active yesterday, relatively low humidity today (14-20% minimums) and dry vegetation have the potential to feed the fire and cause rapid growth.

However, winds are expected to be light during the day. Tonight gusts could reach 15 mph (20 mph in the Feather River drainage) and increase the danger of spotting.

The Roads:

Caltrans District 3 is reporting these closures: (For the most recent information go to http://QuickMap.dot.ca.gov)Cal trans closure graphic for CAMP FIRENumerous county roads are also closed.

The Maps:

  • Camp Fire Public Information Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.CAMP PIO 6
  • Camp Fire Operations Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.CAMP OPS 5.
  • Camp Fire KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or, for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program. Warning this imagery was captured around 5:50 p.m. last night and does not show the latest borders.CAMP HEAT 6

Evacuation Information:

For the most up to date information, click here. Scroll down once there to find an excellent evacuation map.

Earlier Chapters: 

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20 Comments
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Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

So many rising to the occasion in so many ways. Thank you again Kym.

CLAUDIA Johnson
Guest
CLAUDIA Johnson
5 years ago

I don’t even know what to say anymore 48 people dead almost 8,000 homes gone so glad to see that you’re helping the animals they’re so defenseless please fire fighters be very careful we need you and we care for you God bless everyone in need

Willie Caso-Mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

Thank you agian Kym for keeping us updated on this, please try and get some rest.

unbridled philistine
Guest
unbridled philistine
5 years ago

So many elderly and retirees in the lower pines along the golf course…. Death count will be much higher I am afraid. Upper pines also full of retirees. Just neighborhood after neighborhood up there are nothing but older people. I seen a picture of my wifes parents house burnt to ground and they have’nt mapped their area yet. Alot destroyed there not reported yet.

Gypsy Rose
Guest
Gypsy Rose
5 years ago

A good friend of my family lived in Paradise. He rescued horses from all over the states but mainly Texas. Before all of this he had just rescued a horse that was wild and thank god it still was when this fire started. He had three other horses that he had to release with the wild one but he knew the wild one still had it’s survival instincts and was hoping that the other 3 would follow it. He lost everything including a goat and some cats. On the day they would let him go back to where his place had been, he went looking for his horses and found them with the wild one. That made him so happy because he had been in a fire in Oroville and had lost his home and everything there, so this fire hit him pretty hard. Not because of his home being gone but because of his goat cats and horses. He loves any and all things that have life.

The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
Guest
The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
5 years ago
Reply to  Gypsy Rose

Thank you for sharing this anecdote. It helps.

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
5 years ago

I have been trying to get my Airbnb open to evacuees for free for 4 days. Airbnb arbitrarily sets up a geographic area the deem appropriate for doing this and it is way to small for a disaster of this magnitude, 52,000 homeless is mindboggling. If you are anywhere not in the geographic area on this page

https://www.airbnb.com/welcome/evacuees/buttecounty

and want to open your Airbnb for free to these people, contact Airbnb and tell them to expand their geographic area for this disaster to include you. Especially if you have room for animals.

Willie caos- mayhem
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

Some just want to stay close to what they use to call home.

Z
Guest
Z
5 years ago

Chuck U, Thank you so much for offering this!!!

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
5 years ago
Reply to  Z

Airbnb has now officially refused to expand the geographic area so we can’t get listed as a free resource. The cutoff line runs right though our property but the rental is 200yds on the wrong side. So stupid, especially since we can accommodate animals. I’ll contact the Red Cross. If anyone knows someone leave contact info.

The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
Guest
The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

If you require compensation for providing refuge to Camp Fire victims, perhaps you should consider setting up a GoFundMe?

Willie caos- mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

That’s not what she’s asking. She just trying to let the victims know that they have space for them. She hasn’t talked money just heart freely given.

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
5 years ago

Don’t want any compensation at all, I just want to be listed on the Airbnb Camp Fire free housing page. Also if you are in that program you get all the legal protections and insurance.

The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
Guest
The Hermit of Grizzly Mountain
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

Cool. Thanks for clarifying. I did not understand.

nines
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

May sound crazy, but James Woods is getting people in contact with their families, posting openings for animal shelter, AND tweeting out offers for accommodating fire refugees:

https://twitter.com/RealJamesWoods

https://twitter.com/hashtag/CampFireJamesWoods

Willie caos- mayhem
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  nines

Thank you for those links.

Martin Stockel
Guest
Martin Stockel
5 years ago

David Felt and your crew please be safe. I know the people from that area really appreciate all the help they can obtain. The pictures just take my breath away. I am deeply saddened for all the wonderful lives that have been lost. May God bless them.
Marty Stockel

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
5 years ago

56 now

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

“We do know that electric company PG&E experienced a problem with an electrical transmission line near the site of the fire, minutes before it broke out,” according to CBS News, and now criminal Governor has signed a bill allowing the company to CHARGE its customers whatever is necessary to pay for all of the lawsuits and losses that are coming.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHIqycFgCBc&feature=em-uploademail 10:59 Nov. 14