Firefighters faced another round of dry, windy conditions as they battled wildfires that have killed at least 31 people in Northern California and left hundreds missing in the heart of wine country.
The most lethal wildfire event in California’s history has killed people while they sleep in their beds and prompted authorities to evacuate thousands of residents, warning anyone deciding to wait it out: “You are on your own.”
The toll from the more than 20 fires raging across eight counties could climb, with more than 400 people in Sonoma County alone still listed as missing.
With 3,500 homes and businesses incinerated, the so-called North Bay fires have reduced whole neighbourhoods in the city of Santa Rosa to smouldering ruins dotted with charred trees and burned-out cars.
