New missing persons list released by Butte Co. sheriff
PARADISE, Calif. - Some are in their 90s and others are in their 20s.
The majority lived in Paradise and Magalia but a few made their homes in nearby communities.
There’s nothing that binds the list of 297 people together except one thing: they are all missing.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea late Wednesday released an updated list of those reported missing in the Camp Fire, California's deadliest fire in state history.
Read the list here:
The majority of missing people on the list are senior citizens, many in their 80s and 90s. The Sheriff’s Office will update the list as information becomes available, but is also asking for the public’s help.
“In an effort to better inform the public, this list of reported missing persons is being provided," a message on the sheriff's website says. "If you see anyone on the list who is no longer missing please contact us so their name can be removed."
Honea has stressed that his office is working as hard as possible to get the most accurate information available about residents who are unaccounted for amid the massive fire debris in Butte County.
The task has been monumental. His office has received more than 1,500 calls requesting welfare checks on people since the fire broke out and evacuations began early last Thursday morning.
Paradise Mayor Jody Jones on Wednesday reflected on what could have been done differently to get the initial evacuation message out to residents.
Jones said those who only have a cell phone must sign up for the emergency alert system in order to receive the automated messages that are generated in an emergency. Residents who have land lines receive the messages without signing up for them.
"We did several drives to get people (with only cell phones) to opt in, but I think we should be more persistent because if they haven't opted in, they aren't going to get that notification. And I've heard from a lot of people that they didn't," Jones said.
Fifty-six people have been confirmed dead from the wildfire that has now scorched 140,000 acres and destroyed more than 8,700 homes and 260 commercial buildings.
The new death toll far surpasses the number of people who were killed in the 1933 Griffith Park Fire in Los Angeles. That fire killed 29 people.
The Camp Fire was 40 percent contained Thursday with nearly 5,500 firefighters battling the flames. There is no estimated time for containment. The fire continues to threaten more than 15,000 structures.
Mayor Jones said she remains hopeful that Paradise will eventually recover and be even stronger than before the fire.
"This is going to be the most challenging thing I've ever done and I've had challenging jobs before," she said Wednesday. "But we are up to it. We are a close, strong community and we are going to do it,"
Anyone with information about missing people should call the Butte County Sheriff’s Office Missing Person Call Center. The numbers are: 530-538-6570, 530-538-7544 and 530-538-7671.