Flames erupted on Sunday night when gale force winds toppled power lines across the region, possibly igniting one of the deadliest wildfire outbreaks in California history. Flames were spread rapidly by hot, dry "Diablo" winds - similar to Southern California's Santa Ana winds - that blew into northern California toward the Pacific on Sunday night. More than 550 people were still reported unaccounted for in Sonoma County on Wednesday morning, said Jennifer Laroque, a county emergency operations centre spokeswoman. Obliterated neighbourhoodsThe Sonoma County town of Santa Rosa, the largest city in the wine country region, was particularly hard hit by the Tubbs fire. It is the deadliest single California wildfire since 2003, when the so-called Cedar fire killed 15 people in San Diego, according to state data.

Source: bd News24 October 12, 2017 05:03 UTC