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The disastrous blazes have claimed at least 38 lives, forcing reportedly nearly 100,000 people to evacuate their homes. Gusts of strong wind have fanned the flames threatening advances firefighters previously made.
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| Photo: AP |
Number of fatalities in the wildfires in the US state of Californiahas reached 38, the Public Information Office of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) said.
"Lates death toll has sadly grown to 38," the office wrote on Twitter.
The fires started last Sunday, with thousands of people reportedly having been evacuated across the state as California’s Governor Jerry Brown declared the state of emergency in the areas hit by the disaster.
On Thursday, the US House of Representatives approved a $36.5 billion disaster relief bill for several states, including California.
Massive blazes, which have persisted in the area since last Sunday, have scorched some 330 square miles in seven counties, including California's legendary Napa and Sonoma valleys, destroying around 3,500 homes. The wildfires are now the most deadly in California history.
