Large-scale fires now contained in California
It took nearly three weeks for the firefighters to take control of raging forest fires in the north of California.
The disaster has resulted in the death of at least 85 people. More than 200 people are still considered missing. The remains of many victims may never be found. The fire left Paradise town in ruins, where about 27,000 people lived. A quarter of residents were over 65 years old. Many elderly people died during the fire.
The fire, caused by record temperatures, destroyed more than 2,650 hectares of forest. The state governor declared a state of emergency in the district. Several thousand people had to be evacuated from nearby settlements.
On November 25, the state's Department of Forestry and Fire Management reported the fire had been taken under control after several rainy days.
The fire in California has been ongoing since November 8 and has become the most destructive in the history of the state. Almost 14,000 houses were destroyed, and about 62,000 hectares of land were burned. Thousands of people can't get back to their homes. At night they stay in special centers, churches, and schools, as well as in tents and cars. Thousands of firefighters, search teams, planes, and helicopters are involved in fighting the fire.
