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Colorado Firefighters Depart For Destructive Fire In Northern California

/ CBS Colorado

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (CBS4/AP) - Three firefighters and a brush truck from North Metro Fire are heading to northern California to help in the state's most destructive wildfire.

brush truck from North Metro Fire
North Metro Fire Rescue District brush truck in California. (credit: CBS)

The team left Friday afternoon.

The fire has claimed nine lives and has burned nearly 100,000 acres near the town of Paradise.

Rapidly-Spreading Wildfire In California's Butte County Prompts Evacuations
CHICO, CA - NOVEMBER 09: A California Highway Patrol vehicle mans a checkpoint along Highway 32 as the Camp Fire burns in the area on November 9, 2018 in Chico, California. Fueled by high winds and low humidity, the rapidly spreading Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise and has quickly charred 70,000 acres and has destroyed numerous homes and businesses in a matter of hours. The fire is currently at five percent containment. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The dead were found inside their cars and outside vehicles or homes after a desperate evacuation that Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea called "the worst-case scenario." Their identities were not yet known.

Rapidly-Spreading Wildfire In California's Butte County Prompts Evacuations
MAGALIA, CA - NOVEMBER 09: A Cal Fire firefighter sprays water on a home next to a burning home as the Camp Fire moves through the area on November 9, 2018 in Magalia, California. Fueled by high winds and low humidity, the rapidly spreading Camp Fire ripped through the town of Paradise and has quickly charred 70,000 acres and has destroyed numerous homes and businesses in a matter of hours. The fire is currently at five percent containment. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

More than 6,700 structures have burned, a majority of which were homes.

President Donald Trump responded to the massive fire with criticism of forest management.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

© 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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