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'Hurricane of Fire': Massive Destruction at Both Ends of California Claims More Than 30 Lives

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Both ends of California are on fire, and the death toll has risen to more than 30 people, while hundreds of others are still missing.

North of Sacramento, one of the deadliest and most destructive fires in state history is destroying entire towns. To the south, flames tore through Malibu mansions and working class subdivisions, forcing about one-quarter of a million people to evacuate.

The fire in northern California is known as the Camp Fire. It's left massive destruction about 100 miles north of Sacramento.

Concow resident Gary Green said, "They were all around me.... There is nothing left."

The Camp Fire has burned more than 100,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes and buildings.

"There ain't nothing to go back to. We're basically homeless right now," one evacuee said.

The town of Paradise, California, looks nothing like its namesake now, with burned-out vehicles on the roads and even the local hospital destroyed.

Gov. Jerry Brown is calling for a major disaster declaration. "This is not the new normal. This is the new abnormal, and this new abnormal will continue certainly in the next 10 to 15 to 20 years," he said.

President Trump urged California to improve its upkeep of forests, tweeting, "With proper forest management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get smart!"

 

 

As thousands evacuated, more than 200 people remain missing. 

Meanwhile, the Woolsey Fire in southern California rages on, leading to mandatory evacuations for a quarter of a million people. That includes all of Malibu where the wildfire has leveled multi-million dollar homes.

Commander Scott Gage of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said, "Do not return to your homes. The evacuation zones have not been rendered clear or safe by first responders."

Some of the thousands of firefighters battling the southern fire have called it a "hurricane of fire." They've already been fighting the flames for days and are preparing for the situation to get worse.

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About The Author

Mark
Martin

Mark Martin currently serves as a reporter and anchor at CBN News, reporting on all kinds of issues, from military matters to alternative fuels. Mark has reported internationally in the Middle East. He traveled to Bahrain and covered stories on the aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower. Mark also anchors CBN News Midday on the CBN Newschannel and fills in on the anchor desk for CBN News' Newswatch and The 700 Club. Prior to CBN News, Mark worked at KFSM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Fort Smith, Arkansas. There he served as a weekend morning producer, before being promoted to general