Camp Fire Claims 79 Lives While Nearly 700 People Are Still Missing

The death toll from Northern California’s Camp fire now stands at 79 as search and rescue teams continue to carry out recovery operations following the deadly blaze.

Butte County Sheriff-Coroner Kory L. Honea has said that while 64 individuals have already been “tentatively identified,” confirmation will come only from DNA tests.

The state’s death toll now stands at 82 following the discovery of three bodies in the Woolsey fire in Southern California.

Investigators continue to scour the town of Paradise in their search for additional remains. (Photo: Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)
Investigators continue to scour the town of Paradise in their search for additional remains. (Photo: Justin Sullivan via Getty Images)

Honea pleaded with the public on Saturday to check lists of missing people “and call in and let us know they are safe so that we can begin to get them off the list and devote resources to other areas.”

As of Monday, the current number of unaccounted individuals stands at 699.

Earlier, the list swelled to almost 1,300.

President Donald Trump toured the destruction left by the wildfires on Saturday, telling reporters that “nobody thought this could happen.”

“Hopefully this is going to be the last one of these,” he said, per CNN.

President Donald Trump toured areas affected by the deadly wildfires on Saturday. (Photo: Pool via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump toured areas affected by the deadly wildfires on Saturday. (Photo: Pool via Getty Images)

The deadliest wildfire in California’s history, the Camp fire is responsible for the destruction of more than 11,000 single residences.

According to the latest update from the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, the blaze is 70 percent contained after burning through more than 150,000 acres.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.