Death toll in N. California wildfires hits 41, as some fires weaken

The 17 wildfires in Northern California have claimed at least 41 lives, scorched more than 200,000 acres and destroyed or damaged more than 5,500 homes. A total of 100,000 people have also been displaced. The 51,000-acre Atlas Fire, which destroyed wineries and homes near the Silverado Resort and Spa, northeast of the city of Napa, is now 65 percent contained. Also, the 45,000-acre Tubbs fire, which has killed 18, is 70 percent contained, and was considered on Sunday not to be a threat to the popular tourist town of Calistoga in Napa County, according to officials. On Sunday, all evacuation orders in Calistoga were lifted, and state officials predicted that every active fire in Sonoma County would be fully contained, or surrounded by Friday. Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano stated that 174 people remain unaccounted for in the state, but not all of them are likely to have been killed by the fires. (San Francisco Chronicle)