Officials lower death toll from Paradise wildfire to 85
Reporting from PARADISE, Calif. — Northern California authorities have lowered the death toll from the state’s most devastating wildfire on record to 85 people.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that remains from last year’s Camp fire thought to be from two people were from the same individual.
The Sheriff’s Office also released the names of two more victims, bringing the total number of identified dead to 71.
They are 69-year-old Chris Maltby and 75-year-old Ronald Schenk, both of Paradise.
The office also dropped the number of people unaccounted for from three to two. John Demianew had an active warrant out for his arrest and was found by Sacramento police.
The wildfire wiped out more than 14,000 homes, most of them in the town of Paradise.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
