It has become the seventh-most destructive in state history, officials said. The wildfire forced many schools to close for days, shut roads and drove hundreds of thousands from their homes. The largest wildfire in state history was the 2003 Cedar blaze in San Diego County that consumed 273,246 acres and caused 15 deaths. Cal Fire engineer Cory Iverson, 32, died on Thursday while battling the flames near the Ventura County community of Fillmore. He died of smoke inhalation and burns, the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s office said.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 17, 2017 03:56 UTC