Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Brock Long visited the sites of major wildfires in California Wednesday to survey the damage and plan recovery operations.
Zinke and Long met with Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown, other state officials and emergency crew workers throughout the day and toured the wreckage of Paradise, a town of about 27,000 that was 95 percent destroyed by the Camp Fire last week. (RELATED: As California Burns, Jerry Brown Takes Heat For Vetoing 2016 Wildfire Mitigation Bill)
Devastation in Paradise, CA. This used to be an elementary school. Heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/0DPgmKTFi2
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
The Camp Fire, driven by Santa Ana winds as high as 80 mph, gutted Paradise. It swept through the community the morning of Nov. 8 and killed dozens that were caught unaware or did not have enough time to escape.
Officials have recovered the bodies of 48 people killed by the Camp Fire so far. Dozens more community members, most above the age of 65, are still missing, CNN reported. Remains were found in the ruins of houses, out in the open and in the husks of burned out cars.
“Every time I come to California I say this is the worst fire I’ve seen. Once again this is the absolute worst,” Zinke said in Wednesday tweet. “Worse than any war zone I saw in Iraq. The heroism of firefighters is amazing.”
Every time I come to California I say this is the worst fire I’ve seen. Once again this is the absolute worst. Worse than any war zone I saw in Iraq. The heroism of firefighters is amazing pic.twitter.com/1qMvLRrNLh
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
WATCH:
Some of the devastation in Paradise, CA. The Camp Fire destroyed the town. I’m told this isn’t even the worst of it. pic.twitter.com/ynJVhWI28O
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 14, 2018
The Camp, Hill and Woolsey wildfires have burned more than 221,000 acres in the past week. The Camp Fire is the most deadly and destructive – in terms of structures destroyed – in California history.
WATCH:
The camp fire passed through here days ago but this tree is still smoking from within. Good reminder that dangerous conditions persist. Stay safe out there. pic.twitter.com/kI7EOEHheQ
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 15, 2018
The melting point of aluminum is more than 1,200 degrees. pic.twitter.com/iPII4Fy4Ff
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) November 15, 2018
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