The devastating damage of the tragedy that killed 85 and destroyed 14,000 homes
The town of Paradise was completely destroyed by the Camp Fire last month, killing 85 people and razing 14,000 homes in the process to become the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history.
Use your mouse to look around the 360 degree video
Many will return to homes that have been reduced to piles of ash and skeletons of what once stood there.
Titled 'Aftermath,' Cooper's video captures just that - the vast rubble, melted cars and shells of former homes that populate the desolate town.
Cooper traveled throughout town in his SUV and filmed the video using an Insta360 Pro camera on top of a 360 filming rig.
Steve Cooper , a former executive with 360-degree camera company Lytro, filmed the video in the area on November 13th and 14th - days after the wildfire began tearing through Northern California on November 8th and was contained weeks later
Cooper drove through the town of Paradise in his Toyota Rav 4 (pictured), shooting the footage from a 360-degree camera strapped to the top of his vehicle. At the time, Cooper said Paradise was still thick with smoke and covered in fresh rubble
Cooper filmed the video using an Insta360 Pro camera on top of a 360 filming rig. The result is a seven-minute video filmed in 8K that shows what was left in the wake of the fires
Filming it with a 360-degree view gives the viewer the ability to see the wreckage from all angles and experience it as if they were actually on the ground.
As Cooper explored the town, much of the destruction was still fresh, with the smoke still thick and visibility at about a half mile or so.
He drives down tree-lined roads and through abandoned neighborhoods in Paradise, which tragically appears as a hazy wasteland, full of wrecked metal structures poking out of rubble, abandoned cars and charred trees.
'You could see across multiple neighborhoods in every direction; an uninterrupted view that would have been impossible before the fire,' Cooper told Engadget.
'What was chilling was to see massive steel gun safes which were sagging like they were made of wax and left out in the sun.
'And it was utterly quiet,' Cooper added.
Amid the destruction, the only thing that seemed to be left was chimneys and concrete sculptures, such as garden gnomes or concrete deer, Cooper told Business Insider.
'The spiritual shot through the heart that this town took because of this fire was just indescribable,' he added.
Making things even more emotional for him, Cooper used the footage to help some friends locate homes owned to three of their relatives.
Firefighters battle flames at a burning apartment complex. The deadliest and most destructive fire in California's history was brought under control more than two weeks after it erupted. Tens of thousands of residents were displaced as a result
Scorched wheelchairs outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home destroyed by the Camp Fire. Cooper said he was tasked with helping friends locate homes of their relatives. In the end, two were destroyed and he couldn't find the third
In the end, two of the homes were destroyed, while he was unable to locate the third.
The task left him in tears, Cooper told Engadget.
'It was so brutally and surreally immersive it brought back those disconnected emotions,' he said.
TENT CITY OF 'WALLYWOOD' ARISES AS VICTIMS OF WILDFIRE ARE MADE HOMELESS OVERNIGHT
Trump stands in the devastating ruins of Paradise and takes a tour of neighborhood incinerated by worst wildfire in state's history as more than 1,000 people are feared missing and death toll hits 74
- At least 74 people have died in the California wildfires - 13 of whom are yet to be identified
- A further 1,011 people are still missing in and around Paradise in Northern California
- Recovery teams with cadaver dogs carried away deceased victims in body bags on Friday
- Trump said some bodies were 'burned beyond recognition' ahead of his Saturday visit to Paradise
- President will make two stops in California and meet with the governor and first responders
- He may not receive a warm welcome after he angered Californians by blaming fire on forest mismanagement
- He landed at the Beale Air Force base in Yuba County at 1pm EST (10am PST) but says he'll return to the White House around four in the morning
- Trump walked through the charred wreckage of Paradise alongside Mayor Jody Jones
- The number of names on the missing list swelled by more than 400 since Thursday night
Donald Trump appears to be speechless as he finally walks through the charred wreckage left behind by the Northern California wildfires that have decimated and scorched the town of Paradise and left 74 in the state dead.
The president landed at the Beale Air Force base in Northern California hours after he blamed the deadly wildfires on poor forest management yet again, re-igniting fury among West Coast residents and firefighters.
But he was quiet as he walked side by side with Paradise Mayor Jody Jones and surveyed the devastation of the once lively-town in person.
After landing in Yuba County, near the Camp Fire aftermath, around 1pm Eastern time (10am Pacific time), Trump was given a 30-minute helicopter tour of the area flying through the thick haze of smoke then headed out on foot to see rescue crews and the incinerated remains of the town.
The president later held a press conference in Chico, California where he deemed the wildfires 'total devastation'. When reporters pressed him twice about climate change's role in the fatal fires, he said 'we're looking at a lot of factors', then he turned to forest management and deforestation saying having money in the farm bill will help address those concerns.
When asked if his opinions on climate change - which he's notoriously claimed is a myth created by China - he said they haven't. He added that officials are working together on creating preventative measures to avoid another blaze like this from wreaking havoc in the future.
With his arms crossed the president looked serious as Mayor Jones explained the extent of the horrific fires that razed through over 140,000 acres of land, killed 74 people in the state, and left more than 1,000 people missing
An American flag is pictured hanging on a burnt remains of a devastated neighborhood impacted by the deadly Camp Fire
The Mayor, Gov. Jerry Brown (second right) and Gov. elect Gavin Newson (left) gave Trump the lowdown on the damage
Taking it all in: The president was given a tour of what's left of the ashen town of Paradise, escorted by Major Jones and California Gov. Jerry Brown (second from right) and Gov. elect Gavin Newsom (left)
Trump watched his step as he walked through the charred trees and debris of singed houses. Speaking from the area that was once the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park he said: 'Nobody would have ever thought this could have happened'
Trump raised his first as a sign of solidarity with California after he witnessed the devastating damage of the wildfires
FEMA Administrator Brock Long pointed to a map showing Trump the details of their rescue operations
An officer shows Trump a progression map of the fires after Trump spoke at a press conference and skirted the issue of climate change saying he's considering 'a lot of factors'
Trump also shared a brief message while standing in the wreckage of the charred Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park in Paradise, saying 'Nobody would have ever thought this could have happened. The federal government is behind you. We're all behind each other.'
'This is very sad to see. As far as the lives are concerned, nobody knows quite yet. We're up to a certain number but we have a lot of people who aren't accounted for. This isn't even as bad as some areas, some areas are even beyond this - they're just charred,' he added.
The president started off his morning by speaking to the press from the White House South Lawn before taking off for California where he plans to make two stops and will speak with first responders, FEMA representatives, California governor Jerry Brown and governor elect Gavin Newsom.
'It seems many more people are missing than anyone thought even possible. And I want to be with the firefighters and the FEMA and first responders,' Trump said prior to takeoff.
'We have a lot of things to talk about. We will be talking about forest management. I've been saying that for a long time. This could have been a lot different situation... Very expensive issue but very inexpensive when you compare it to even one of these horrible fires and will save lots of lives in addition to a lot of money,' he said.
However, he commended the team of more than 9,000 'unbelievably brave' firefighters on the scene.
Trump has been heavily criticized for blaming the fires on the 'gross mismanagement' of forests before sharing condolences for wildfire victims. He even threatened to cut off unspecified federal aid to California if they don't take action.
His financial threat sparked outrage and he subsequently approved a federal disaster declaration to send aid to the smoldering state.
His controversial comments have won him the support of national logging organizations as well as heat from environmentalists who say the president's attack is a back-handed effort to help logging companies clear-cut forests.
Officials announced that the death toll in California has reached 74 and the number of people missing has mounted from 631 on Thursday night to 1,011 on Friday, making the fire one of the most lethal blazes in the U.S.
Trump will only be in California for a day but may have an unwelcome reception in the charred state.
President Donald Trump landed at the Beale Air Force base in Yuba County, California at 1pm EST (10am PST), near the 140,000 acres of land charred in the aftermath of the Camp Fire
He deplaned at the California Air Force Base and shook hands with California Gov. Jerry Brown (center) and Gov. elect Gavin Newsom (left) waiting to greet him. The itinerary for his trip is not clear but he intends to meet with the state's governor and with first responders
Children wearing breathing masks and holding onto an American flag stood on the side of the road as Trump's motorcade drove through Chico
Prior to taking off he spoke with reporters from White House South Lawn to detail his trip to the West Coast
Trump said his journey will be a quick one and he'll likely return to the White House around 4am Eastern time. During his quick trip he'll be meeting with FEMA representatives and firefighters
Remains of at least 71 people have been recovered so far in and around the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise that was ravaged by the deadly Camp Fire and an additional three deceased victims were found in the Woolsey Fire. The aftermath in Paradise is seen above
Search and rescue teams say they are focused on finding victims both dead and alive and scoured the blackened ruins of Paradise for signs of survivors on Friday. Yuba and Butte County sheriff deputies pictured carrying a body bag with a deceased victim
A total of 74 one people have died so far in the fires and 13 of those victims have not been identified. Trump tweeted on Friday that some bodies were 'burned beyond recognition'
Some firefighters tirelessly tackling the flames on 24-hour shifts say that Trump's visit is a sign of support for first responders, 'no matter what you think about him', according to firefighter Joshua Watson.
But Michael Baldwin, a CalFire captain from Mendocino County, said Trump's forest management comments are 'ill-informed' and came at the wrong time.
A car with the words 'Paradise Strong' painted on the window drives through a Walmart parking lot where Camp Fire evacuees have been staying
'If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade,' Maggie Crowder, of Magalia, said outside of a makeshift tent camp in a Walmart parking lot in Chico.
'I would tell him that this fire has nothing to do with forest mismanagement. Thousands and thousands of homes got destroyed with no trees around,' local woman Roslyn Roberts said to Reuters.
Some think that seeing the crisis up-close and personal is just what the president needs for a wake-up call.
'I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like "Oh my goodness" and it might start opening people's eyes,' Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said.
'I think that the biggest message and the biggest takeover will be the president saying, "We’re here," and thankfully the president's got big shoulders, and I think he’s going to go there to offer them up to people that need somebody to lean on,' White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Friday.
When the president lands he'll see the recovery teams dressed in white protective gear and cadaver dogs searching for more victims in the flame-ravaged town of Paradise.
Several human remains were taken away from charred wreckage sites in body bags during Friday's search.
The missing people list were posted on to Butte County Sheriff's Office website Friday evening and people who find their names on the list are urged to call the sheriff's office.
Sheriff deputies pictured above carrying a body bag of human remains away from a home left in ruin following the Camp Fire
Harrowing images from Paradise on Friday show the heartbreaking search and rescue efforts where county deputies carried off deceased victims in body bags as the number of missing people mounted to over 1,000
Firefighters carry away a body bag with human remains they discovered at a mobile home park that was ravaged in the Camp Fire in Paradise
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea it's 'certainly within the realm of possibility that we will never know' the exact number of people killed in the blaze
But Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the list is imperfect and will fluctuate in number because it is raw data that needs to be refined. He said it could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.
He said the list probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they've been reported missing. It's also possible some of those listed as missing are safe, but have not checked in with authorities.
Honea admitted it's 'certainly within the realm of possibility that we will never know' the exact number of people killed in the blaze.
'It is my sincere hope that we identify everybody who is missing and identify any remains,' he added according to the Washington Post. 'But that is the nature of this tragedy... This is a massive, massive undertaking.'
The sheriff asked relatives of the missing to submit DNA samples to hasten identification of the dead.
'The chaos that we were dealing with was extraordinary,' Honea said of the crisis.
People across the nation are now scrambling to find their loved ones.
A search and rescue team combs through the debris for possible human remains at Paradise Gardens with the help of sniffer dogs
Rescue workers shake a burned mattress as they search for bone fragments while collecting human remains from a home destroyed by the Camp Fire in Paradise
A firefighter searches for human remains in a trailer park destroyed in the Camp Fire in Paradise on Friday
Volunteer rescue workers search for human remains in the rubble of homes burned in the Camp Fire in Paradise
A search crew member and rescue dog search for human remains at a charred and abandoned car in Paradise on Friday
Rescue crews searched through a myriad of wrecked cars and charred home remains for signs of victims
A sign warning to looters sits in the foreground of burned properties in the aftermath of the Camp fire that tore through Paradise
Tammie Konicki, 34, says she drove 2,400 miles from Cleveland, Ohio, to Paradise to search from her mother of Sheila Santos, 64, who was last seen in her trailer home in a Paradise retirement community just over seven days ago. She's the only member of the 15-strong family to have not made contact, joining the list of about 1,011 missing people.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of people who died now stands at 74 while the number of people who remain unaccounted for now stands at more than 1,011
Konicki has been scouring local hospitals and shelters, but to no avail.
'I left Friday night and I drove here and got here Monday. The whole family's up here. I've got about 15 family members and a twin sister. When the fire started we were missing four. We found one here at the shelter, we found two at a hotel and now we're just missing my mom,' she said to DailyMail.com.
'She could be in a car somewhere, we don't know yet. We haven’t heard from her roommate and from my understanding, it’s pretty sure that he’s deceased. Nothing is confirmed yet,' she added.
Like thousands of others in the area, the fire has destroyed her family.
'We’re in limbo right now and being in limbo is miserable and so we just want to know one way or the other. I have 15 family members here and every single person’s house is gone. The whole family is destroyed,' Konicki said.
Remains of at least 74 people have been recovered so far in California. 71 of the victims are from the Camp Fire around the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise and three are from the Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles. Of the dead, 13 victims are yet to be identified.
The once picturesque town was home to nearly 27,000 residents before it was largely incinerated by the deadly Camp Fire on the night of November 8.
More than a week later, a team of more than 9,000 firefighters have managed to carve containment lines around 45 percent of the blaze's perimeter, up from 35 percent a day earlier. The powerful fire razed through more than 142,000 acres in a little over a week.
Sherrif Kory Honea and members of his department visit a makeshift hospital in Paradise
Nearly 12,000 homes and buildings, including most of the town of Paradise, were incinerated hours after the blaze erupted, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has said.
Thousands of additional structures are still threatened by the Camp Hill fire, and as many as 50,000 people were under evacuation orders at the height of the blaze.
But the blaze isn't over just yet. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning in the Camp Fire region for Saturday evening into Sunday warning high winds could cause the flames to spread rapidly. The number of fire crews in the area was bolstered to help prevent the fire from gaining traction.
On the eve of a trip to California to survey wildfire damage, Trump told 'Fox News Sunday' that he'd spoken with another state's governor about how to control the spread of fires.
'You need forest management. It has to be. I’m not saying that in a negative way, a positive - I’m just saying the facts. And I’ve really learned a lot,' he explained.
'Nobody’s ever seen what’s going on over there and now they’re saying it could be as many as 600, this just came out before we met, could be as many as 600 people killed, up by 400,' he added on the fires.
'It’s incredible what’s going on,' he said of the missing persons count. 'And burned beyond recognition, they can’t even see the bodies, it’s incredible.'
His comments won his support from the American Loggers Council, a coalition of state and regional associations representing contract loggers.
'President Trump blamed poor forest management for wildfires in California and throughout the West, and there is truth to statements he has made,' American Loggers Council executive vice president Daniel Dructor said.
A small dog sits on top of a Camp Fire evacuee's personal property in a car at a Walmart parking lot
Tents are seen pitched on Friday in a field next to a Walmart parking lot where Camp Fire evacuees have been staying
People drop off freshly baked cookies and cupcakes to Camp Fire evacuees who are living in a Walmart parking lot
'It’s time to rise above political posturing and recognize that active forest management — including logging, thinning, grazing and controlled burning — are tools that can and must be used to reduce fire risks and help mitigate the impacts to landscapes,' he added.
Climate change advocates have hit back at the president saying that the globe's rising temperatures amplifies the threat of wildfires in California and the fires were not related to forest management.
The Pasadena Fire Association fired back at the president saying the inferno was not caused by forest management at all.
'Mr. President, with all due respect, you are wrong. The fires in So. Cal are urban interface fires and have NOTHING to do with forest management. Come to SoCal and learn the facts & help the victims,' the association said.
Many refugees from the fire have taken up temporary residence with friends and family, while others have pitched tents or were camping out of their vehicles.
More than 1,100 evacuees were being housed in 14 emergency shelters set up in churches, schools and community centers around the region, American Red Cross spokeswoman Greta Gustafson said.
The disaster already ranks among the deadliest wildfires in the United States since the turn of the last century
Firefighters worked to keep flames from spreading through the Shadowbrook apartment complex as a wildfire burns through Paradise
A home burns as the Camp Fire rages through Paradise, California on November 8
Authorities said more than 47,000 people in all remain under evacuation orders in the region.
Search teams, meanwhile, combed through charred, rubble-strewn expanses of burned-out neighborhoods looking for bodies - or anything else that might carry human DNA for identification purposes.
Authorities attribute the death toll partly to the speed with which flames raced through the town with little advance warning, driven by howling winds and fueled by drought-desiccated scrub and trees.
The Butte County disaster coincided with a flurry of smaller blazes in southern California, including the Woolsey Fire.
The Woolsey fire has been linked with three fatalities and has destroyed at least 500 structures in the mountains and foothills near the Malibu coast west of Los Angeles.
The latest blazes have capped two deadly wildfire seasons in California that scientists largely attribute to prolonged drought they say is symptomatic of climate change.
The cause of the fires are under investigation. But two electric utilities have said they sustained equipment problems close to the origins of the blazes around the time they were reported.
President Donald Trump visited Malibu on Saturday to survey the damage wrought by the Woolsey Fire - his second stop on his tour of the Golden State as authorities continue to search for more than 1,200 missing in and around Paradise.
Palm trees stood scorched and some homes were burned to the ground on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu.
The President toured the damaged areas alongside California Governor Jerry Brown and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom.
After Air Force One landed at Naval Air Station Point Mugu at 3:11pm local time, the President was given a tour of the wreckage as his motorcade drove along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Trump was accompanied on Air Force One by Brown and Newsom.
President Donald Trump speaks with a fire fighter as he tours an area destroyed by a wildfire in Malibu on Saturday
Trump is accompanied by FEMA Administrator Brock Long as they survey the damage caused by the Woolsey Fire in a neighborhood of Malibu on Saturday
Trump listens as local and state authorities offer an update on the situation in Malibu on Saturday
The Woolsey Fire began in Ventura County on November 8. It then spread to Los Angeles County, destroying nearly 100,000 acres
As of Saturday morning, it was 82 per cent contained. At least 836 structures have been destroyed and 242 others have been damaged
A number of locals in Southern California expressed anger at Trump, saying he was not welcome after his initial tweets last week in which he blamed the wildfires on forest mismanagement
Trump is seen with federal, state, and local officials outside a cliffside home in Malibu that was destroyed by the fire
Trump is seen walking along Dume Drive in Malibu on Saturday, where homes were leveled by the Woolsey Fire
Trump is seen above answering reporters' questions. Standing to the right is Governor Jerry Brown. Governor-elect Gavin Newsom is seen far left
White House Chief of Staff John Kelly looks over the scene as Trump surveys damaged homes in Malibu on Saturday
Trump's entourage included White House senior adviser Jared Kushner (left) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (right)
After Air Force One landed at Naval Air Station Point Mugu at 3:11pm local time, the President was given a tour of the wreckage as his motorcade drove along the Pacific Coast Highway
Firefighters watch the motorcade of President Trump as he travels to view damage from the Woolsey Fire in Malibu
Trump is seen speaking to the press at Naval Air Station Point Mugu in California before departing back to Washington, D.C.
During his trip, Trump also met with families and friends of the victims of the November 7 mass shooting in Thousand Oaks
Trump awkwardly shook hands with Newsom at Point Dume, which provides bluff viewpoints of the Malibu area.
The three men stood near the front door of a cliffside home. While the entrance door remained, the entire house was destroyed.
Trump also met with the mayor of Thousand Oaks, Andrew Fox.
Thousand Oaks has had to deal with two major tragedies in recent days - the Woolsey Fire and the November 7 mass shooting at a bar which left 12 people dead.
'I’m certainly glad he’s coming to visit,' Fox told the Orange County Register on Saturday.
'Taking a tour of the fire area and seeing the devastation will give him an idea of how much we’re going to need in federal assistance.'
'We’re thankful he already issued a major disaster declaration,' Fox said.
Trump also met Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean.
The Woolsey Fire began in Ventura County on November 8. It then spread to Los Angeles County, destroying nearly 100,000 acres.
As of Saturday morning, it was 82 per cent contained.
At least 836 structures have been destroyed and 242 others have been damaged.
A number of locals in Southern California expressed anger at Trump, saying he was not welcome after his initial tweets last week in which he blamed the wildfires on forest mismanagement.
'To say what he says, to tweet what he tweets, then to come and act like he cares about what is going on here is absurd,' Carrie Armstrong, 57, of Topanga, told the Los Angeles Times.
'He’s still the president. He shouldn’t speak so badly about people [in crisis]. He hates California.'
Armstrong was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she survive, but her home remains intact.
She waited out the fires by staying with her niece in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles. Armstrong left her home with her cat and dog.
Ryan Victor, 47, who also evacuated Topanga, also had some choice words for Trump.
'The idiotic things that comes out of his mouth doesn’t register much anymore,' he said.
'But I’m outraged over the hypocrisy.'
Earlier on Saturday, Trump appeared to be speechless as he walked through the charred wreckage left behind by the Northern California wildfires that have left 74 in the state dead.
Meanwhile, dozens of Camp Fire evacuees in Chico have been given a deadline of 1pm on Sunday to dismantle a large tent city that they built in a Walmart parking lot, according to KPIX-TV.
People drop off freshly baked cookies and cupcakes to Camp Fire evacuees who are living in a Walmart parking lot
Tents are seen pitched on Friday in a field next to a Walmart parking lot where Camp Fire evacuees have been staying
A small dog sits on top of a Camp Fire evacuee's personal property in a car at a Walmart parking lot
Authorities have given the evacuees in the Chico tent city a deadline of Sunday at 1pm to leave the area
Jackie Wineland, 74, one of the thousands who have been made homeless by the Camp Fire, uses an oxygen tank at the tent city
Volunteers wear masks while setting up clothes racks in the tent city in Chico
Tammy Mezera ponders an uncertain future at a growing tent city of homeless Camp Fire victims living in the parking lot of a Chico Walmart
A makeshift address is seen on a tent at an evacuee encampment in a Walmart parking lot in Chico
Camp Fire evacuee Kelly Boyer plays guitar in front of his tent next to a Walmart parking lot on Friday
With the Sunday deadline approaching, tent city dwellers are unsure of where they will be housed
Randy Greb, who lost his house in Paradise in the Camp Fire, talks with employees of the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services near his tent
Donation bins and portable bathrooms that were set up for residents who were forced to flee their homes will be removed.
More than 100 people are camping out in the tent city. They do not know where they are going to go as temporary housing facilities have not been made available to them.
'They’re taking everything on Sunday, the bathrooms, the lights, everything,' one evacuee, Carol Whiteburn, said.
'I don’t know what we are going to do.'
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened a disaster recovery center, but no arrangements for temporary housing have been made.
'What do you tell people who are sleeping in a parking lot and still have to wait 5-7 days to even get an answer from FEMA?' Whiteburn said.
It is expected to take days to process requests for emergency housing. Meanwhile, a number of local shelters have had to contend with an outbreak of novovirus.
Since shelters have been open, more than 140 people have fallen ill with vomiting or diarrhea, according to CNN.
Butte County health officials have been working with state and federal agencies to try to contain the novovirus outbreak.
At least two dozen people have been taken to hospital.
As a result of the outbreak, evacuees have preferred to remain in tents even though the air above Chico is still filled with smoke.
As if that weren't enough, rain is forecast for the coming days, which will pose a problem for many evacuees.
'We have weather coming,' said one of the organizers of the tent city, Luigi Balsamo.
'It’s going to rain. What happens when it rains on all this stuff, or the flood zone where these people there tents are camped out over here?
'We’re going to have a major crisis on our hands for the community here of Chico if these people have to go hit the streets.'
The president landed at the Beale Air Force base in Northern California hours after he blamed the deadly wildfires on poor forest management yet again, re-igniting fury among West Coast residents and firefighters.
But he was quiet as he walked side by side with Paradise Mayor Jody Jones and surveyed the devastation of the once lively-town in person.
After landing in Yuba County, near the Camp Fire aftermath, around 1pm Eastern time (10am Pacific time), Trump was given a 30-minute helicopter tour of the area flying through the thick haze of smoke then headed out on foot to see rescue crews and the incinerated remains of the town.
The president later held a press conference in Chico, California where he deemed the wildfires 'total devastation'.
When reporters pressed him twice about climate change's role in the fatal fires, he said 'we're looking at a lot of factors', then he turned to forest management and deforestation saying having money in the farm bill will help address those concerns.
When asked if his opinions on climate change - which he's notoriously claimed is a myth created by China - he said they haven't. He added that officials are working together on creating preventative measures to avoid another blaze like this from wreaking havoc in the future.
Earlier on Saturday, Trump surveyed the wreckage from the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. With his arms crossed the president looked serious as Mayor Jones explained the extent of the horrific fires that razed through over 140,000 acres of land, killed 74 people in the state, and left more than 1,200 people missing
An American flag is pictured hanging on a burnt remains of a devastated neighborhood impacted by the deadly Camp Fire
The Mayor, Gov. Jerry Brown (second right) and Gov. elect Gavin Newson (left) gave Trump the lowdown on the damage
Taking it all in: The president was given a tour of what's left of the ashen town of Paradise, escorted by Major Jones and California Gov. Jerry Brown (second from right) and Gov. elect Gavin Newsom (left)
Trump watched his step as he walked through the charred trees and debris of singed houses. Speaking from the area that was once the Skyway Villa Mobile Home and RV Park he said: 'Nobody would have ever thought this could have happened'
Trump raised his first as a sign of solidarity with California after he witnessed the devastating damage of the wildfires
FEMA Administrator Brock Long pointed to a map showing Trump the details of their rescue operations
An officer shows Trump a progression map of the fires after Trump spoke at a press conference and skirted the issue of climate change saying he's considering 'a lot of factors'
'This is very sad to see. As far as the lives are concerned, nobody knows quite yet. We're up to a certain number but we have a lot of people who aren't accounted for. This isn't even as bad as some areas, some areas are even beyond this - they're just charred,' he added.
The president started off his morning by speaking to the press from the White House South Lawn before taking off for California.
'We have a lot of things to talk about. We will be talking about forest management. I've been saying that for a long time. This could have been a lot different situation... Very expensive issue but very inexpensive when you compare it to even one of these horrible fires and will save lots of lives in addition to a lot of money,' he said.
However, he commended the team of more than 9,000 'unbelievably brave' firefighters on the scene.
Trump has been heavily criticized for blaming the fires on the 'gross mismanagement' of forests before sharing condolences for wildfire victims. He even threatened to cut off unspecified federal aid to California if they don't take action.
His financial threat sparked outrage and he subsequently approved a federal disaster declaration to send aid to the smoldering state.
His controversial comments have won him the support of national logging organizations as well as heat from environmentalists who say the president's attack is a back-handed effort to help logging companies clear-cut forests.
Officials announced that the death toll in California has reached 74 and the number of people missing has mounted from 631 on Thursday night to 1,011 on Friday, making the fire one of the most lethal blazes in the U.S.
Trump will only be in California for a day but may have an unwelcome reception in the charred state.
President Donald Trump landed at the Beale Air Force base in Yuba County, California at 1pm EST (10am PST), near the 140,000 acres of land charred in the aftermath of the Camp Fire
He deplaned at the California Air Force Base and shook hands with California Gov. Jerry Brown (center) and Gov. elect Gavin Newsom (left) waiting to greet him. The itinerary for his trip is not clear but he intends to meet with the state's governor and with first responders
Children wearing breathing masks and holding onto an American flag stood on the side of the road as Trump's motorcade drove through Chico
Prior to taking off he spoke with reporters from White House South Lawn to detail his trip to the West Coast
Trump said his journey will be a quick one and he'll likely return to the White House around 4am Eastern time. During his quick trip he'll be meeting with FEMA representatives and firefighters
Remains of at least 71 people have been recovered so far in and around the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise that was ravaged by the deadly Camp Fire and an additional three deceased victims were found in the Woolsey Fire. The aftermath in Paradise is seen above
Search and rescue teams say they are focused on finding victims both dead and alive and scoured the blackened ruins of Paradise for signs of survivors on Friday. Yuba and Butte County sheriff deputies pictured carrying a body bag with a deceased victim
A total of 74 one people have died so far in the fires and 13 of those victims have not been identified. Trump tweeted on Friday that some bodies were 'burned beyond recognition'firefighters tirelessly tackling the flames on 24-hour shifts say that Trump's visit is a sign of support for first responders, 'no matter what you think about him', according to firefighter Joshua Watson.
But Michael Baldwin, a CalFire captain from Mendocino County, said Trump's forest management comments are 'ill-informed' and came at the wrong time.
A car with the words 'Paradise Strong' painted on the window drives through a Walmart parking lot where Camp Fire evacuees have been staying
'If you insult people, then you go visit them, how do you think you're going to be accepted? You're not going to have a parade,' Maggie Crowder, of Magalia, said outside of a makeshift tent camp in a Walmart parking lot in Chico.
'I would tell him that this fire has nothing to do with forest mismanagement. Thousands and thousands of homes got destroyed with no trees around,' local woman Roslyn Roberts said to Reuters.
Some think that seeing the crisis up-close and personal is just what the president needs for a wake-up call.
'I think by maybe seeing it he's going to be like "Oh my goodness" and it might start opening people's eyes,' Stacy Lazzarino, who voted for Trump, said.
'I think that the biggest message and the biggest takeover will be the president saying, "We’re here," and thankfully the president's got big shoulders, and I think he’s going to go there to offer them up to people that need somebody to lean on,' White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Friday.
When the president lands he'll see the recovery teams dressed in white protective gear and cadaver dogs searching for more victims in the flame-ravaged town of Paradise.
Several human remains were taken away from charred wreckage sites in body bags during Friday's search.
The missing people list were posted on to Butte County Sheriff's Office website Friday evening and people who find their names on the list are urged to call the sheriff's office.
Sheriff deputies pictured above carrying a body bag of human remains away from a home left in ruin following the Camp Fire
Harrowing images from Paradise on Friday show the heartbreaking search and rescue efforts where county deputies carried off deceased victims in body bags as the number of missing people mounted to over 1,200
Firefighters carry away a body bag with human remains they discovered at a mobile home park that was ravaged in the Camp Fire in Paradise
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea it's 'certainly within the realm of possibility that we will never know' the exact number of people killed in the blaze
But Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the list is imperfect and will fluctuate in number because it is raw data that needs to be refined.
He said it could easily contain duplicate names and unreliable spellings of names.
He said the list probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they've been reported missing. It's also possible some of those listed as missing are safe, but have not checked in with authorities.
Honea admitted it's 'certainly within the realm of possibility that we will never know' the exact number of people killed in the blaze.
'It is my sincere hope that we identify everybody who is missing and identify any remains,' he added according to the Washington Post.
'But that is the nature of this tragedy... This is a massive, massive undertaking.'
The sheriff asked relatives of the missing to submit DNA samples to hasten identification of the dead.
'The chaos that we were dealing with was extraordinary,' Honea said of the crisis.
People across the nation are now scrambling to find their loved ones.
A search and rescue team combs through the debris for possible human remains at Paradise Gardens with the help of sniffer dogs
Rescue workers shake a burned mattress as they search for bone fragments while collecting human remains from a home destroyed by the Camp Fire in Paradise
A firefighter searches for human remains in a trailer park destroyed in the Camp Fire in Paradise on Friday
Volunteer rescue workers search for human remains in the rubble of homes burned in the Camp Fire in Paradise
A search crew member and rescue dog search for human remains at a charred and abandoned car in Paradise on Friday
Rescue crews searched through a myriad of wrecked cars and charred home remains for signs of victims
A sign warning to looters sits in the foreground of burned properties in the aftermath of the Camp fire that tore through Paradise
Tammie Konicki, 34, says she drove 2,400 miles from Cleveland, Ohio, to Paradise to search for the mother of Sheila Santos, 64, who was last seen in her trailer home in a Paradise retirement community just over seven days ago.
She's the only member of the 15-strong family to have not made contact, joining the list of about 1,276 missing people.
Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the number of people who died now stands at 74 while the number of people who remain unaccounted for now stands at more than 1,011
Konicki has been scouring local hospitals and shelters, but to no avail.
'I left Friday night and I drove here and got here Monday. The whole family's up here. I've got about 15 family members and a twin sister. When the fire started we were missing four. We found one here at the shelter, we found two at a hotel and now we're just missing my mom,' she said to DailyMail.com.
'She could be in a car somewhere, we don't know yet. We haven’t heard from her roommate and from my understanding, it’s pretty sure that he’s deceased. Nothing is confirmed yet,' she added.
Like thousands of others in the area, the fire has destroyed her family.
'We’re in limbo right now and being in limbo is miserable and so we just want to know one way or the other. I have 15 family members here and every single person’s house is gone. The whole family is destroyed,' Konicki said.
Remains of at least 74 people have been recovered so far in California.
Seventy-one of the victims are from the Camp Fire around the Sierra foothills hamlet of Paradise and three are from the Woolsey Fire near Los Angeles. Of the dead, 13 victims are yet to be identified.
The once picturesque town was home to nearly 27,000 residents before it was largely incinerated by the deadly Camp Fire on the night of November 8.
More than a week later, a team of more than 9,000 firefighters have managed to carve containment lines around 45 percent of the blaze's perimeter, up from 35 percent a day earlier. The powerful fire razed through more than 142,000 acres in a little over a week.
Sherrif Kory Honea and members of his department visit a makeshift hospital in Paradise
Nearly 12,000 homes and buildings, including most of the town of Paradise, were incinerated hours after the blaze erupted, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has said.
Thousands of additional structures are still threatened by the Camp Hill fire, and as many as 50,000 people were under evacuation orders at the height of the blaze.
But the blaze isn't over just yet. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning in the Camp Fire region for Saturday evening into Sunday warning high winds could cause the flames to spread rapidly. The number of fire crews in the area was bolstered to help prevent the fire from gaining traction.
On the eve of a trip to California to survey wildfire damage, Trump told 'Fox News Sunday' that he'd spoken with another state's governor about how to control the spread of fires.
'You need forest management. It has to be. I’m not saying that in a negative way, a positive - I’m just saying the facts. And I’ve really learned a lot,' he explained.
'Nobody’s ever seen what’s going on over there and now they’re saying it could be as many as 600, this just came out before we met, could be as many as 600 people killed, up by 400,' he added on the fires.
'It’s incredible what’s going on,' he said of the missing persons count. 'And burned beyond recognition, they can’t even see the bodies, it’s incredible.'
His comments won his support from the American Loggers Council, a coalition of state and regional associations representing contract loggers.
'President Trump blamed poor forest management for wildfires in California and throughout the West, and there is truth to statements he has made,' American Loggers Council executive vice president Daniel Dructor said.
'It’s time to rise above political posturing and recognize that active forest management — including logging, thinning, grazing and controlled burning — are tools that can and must be used to reduce fire risks and help mitigate the impacts to landscapes,' he added.
Climate change advocates have hit back at the president saying that the globe's rising temperatures amplifies the threat of wildfires in California and the fires were not related to forest management.
The Pasadena Fire Association fired back at the president saying the inferno was not caused by forest management at all.
'Mr. President, with all due respect, you are wrong. The fires in So. Cal are urban interface fires and have NOTHING to do with forest management. Come to SoCal and learn the facts & help the victims,' the association said.
Many refugees from the fire have taken up temporary residence with friends and family, while others have pitched tents or were camping out of their vehicles.
More than 1,100 evacuees were being housed in 14 emergency shelters set up in churches, schools and community centers around the region, American Red Cross spokeswoman Greta Gustafson said.
The disaster already ranks among the deadliest wildfires in the United States since the turn of the last century
Firefighters worked to keep flames from spreading through the Shadowbrook apartment complex as a wildfire burns through Paradise
A home burns as the Camp Fire rages through Paradise, California on November 8
Authorities said more than 47,000 people in all remain under evacuation orders in the region.
No comments:
Post a Comment