Number Of Missing In Camp Fire Soars To Over 1,000; 71 Confirmed Dead
CHICO (KPIX) -- Butte County officials announced that the number of people missing in the Camp Fire jumped once again Friday, with the list of missing growing to 1,011 while the number of bodies recovered climbed to 71.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said eight more sets of human remains were discovered during recovery operations Friday. Authorities have tentatively identified 58 of those people.
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While the number of missing persons grew to alarming new levels, the Sheriff also confirmed that 329 people had been found. Honea said the list of missing was dynamic and could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.
He said the roster probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they've been reported missing.
"We are still receiving calls, we're still reviewing emails," Honea said Friday.
Some on the list have been confirmed as dead by family and friends on social media. Others have been located and are safe, but authorities haven't gotten around to marking them as found.
Authorities compiled the list by going back to listen to all the dispatch calls they received since the fire started, to make sure they didn't miss anyone.
Search crews including many volunteers fanned out to continue the search for remains in burned out buildings.
Friday in Paradise, about 450 workers in white jump suits spread out in teams, going through the rubble of one house after another and meticulously scouring the ruins of each structure.
Anthropologists and grad students from Cal State Chico were on hand to determine whether remains that turn up are human.
Firefighters continued gaining ground against the Camp Fire in Butte County Friday, with crews bringing containment to 50 percent.
Rain in the forecast Tuesday night could help knock down the remaining flames, but will also likely complicate efforts by searchers to find human remains in the ashes. In some cases, search crews are finding little more than bones and bone fragments.
© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
