Advertisement

Northern California wildfire continues to grow

By Shawn Price
The Soberanes Fire in Northern California has grown to nearly 30,000 acres, destroyed 44 structures and killed one person as of Thursday evening, fire officials said. The fire is only 15 percent contained. Screen shot: Cal Fire Pio Berlant/Twitter
The Soberanes Fire in Northern California has grown to nearly 30,000 acres, destroyed 44 structures and killed one person as of Thursday evening, fire officials said. The fire is only 15 percent contained. Screen shot: Cal Fire Pio Berlant/Twitter

SAN JOSE, Calif., July 28 (UPI) -- The wildfire in Northern California has grown to scorch nearly 30,000 acres, destroy 51 structures and killed one person, fire officials said Thursday.

The Soberanes Fire north of Big Sur has burned 29,877 acres and remains just 15 percent contained while firefighters in Southern California have managed to get the Sand Fire, north of Los Angeles, mostly under control, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Advertisement

More than 3,500 firefighters are battling the Soberanes Fire.

A damage inspection team has found 41 homes and 10 buildings destroyed and four damaged structures. About 2,000 homes remain threatened.

The bulldozer operator killed in the blaze was identified as Robert Reagan III, who was killed in a remote area battling the southeast end of the fire in Garrapata State Park in Carmel, Calif.

Reagan, 35, has a wife and two young children and a GoFundMe account has already raised almost $24,000 to help his family.

Latest Headlines