United States Wildefires: Death Toll Rises to 15 in California, Washington And Oregon Blazes; 500,000 People Evacuated to Safe Locations

Washington, September 11: The death toll in California, and Washington and Oregon wildfires rose to 15 on Friday. According to reports, authorities recovered seven bodies on Friday morning from California taking the fatality toll in the fire to 10. At the same time, five people lost their lives in Washington and Oregon wildfire. Sixteen People are still missing in California wildfires.

The weeks-old fire was about 50 percent contained when winds drove it into explosive growth on Tuesday, driving it through rugged Sierra Nevada foothills and destroying much of the town of Berry Creek. Some 2,000 homes and other buildings officials have burned, fire officials said. California Wildfires: Smoke Turns Skies Orange, Barack Obama Says 'Protecting Our Planet is on the Ballot, Vote like Your Life Depends on It'; View Pics.

The fire is among five this year that have set records for the most land ever burned, including a blaze that broke the mark Thursday as the largest ever. More than 4,800 square miles (12,500 square kilometres) have burned so far this year -- more land than Rhode Island, Delaware and Washington DC combined -- and fall is typically the worst season for fires. California Fire: Over 200 Trapped in Wildfire Airlifted by Military Helicopters.

Meanwhile, half a million have been evacuated so far in Oregon as wildfires raged. Thick smoke has blanketed the region, and some communities in southern Oregon have already been reduced to ashes, reported CNN. Firefighters from across the United States were called in to contain the fires. As per National Interagency Fire Centre, till Thursday, over 100 wildfires across 12 Western states burnt more than 4.3 million acres of land.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 11, 2020 04:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).