Coroner: 80-year-old identified as 2nd man killed in Butte Fire

I contributed to The Modesto Bee’s coverage of that fire and found acts of kindness and bravery by the firefighters, residents and neighbors then just as the Butte fire victims and evacuees are experiencing today. ‘And we see what’s happened on the news and our family’s been affected and what started as a small plea on Facebook for my cousins that have lost three homes turned into something much bigger than me’. The group is led by the school’s Veterinary Emergency Response Team (VERT) and is comprised of veterinarians from the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Center for Equine Health, and worldwide Animal Welfare Training Institute.

California fires (not shown) have been destroying homes in high volumes over the summer, with intense weather contributing to its scorching power. Kevin Merrill, national amphibious aircraft manager for the Forest Service, said the planes were most recently called on to assist with the Butte Fire, as well as the Lumpkin fire – north of Sacramento.

One person has been confirmed dead, and others were unaccounted for, but authorities said they could be staying with relatives, on vacation or elsewhere and not impacted by the fire. More than 7,400 homes continue to be threatened by the Valley fire, and many areas are still under mandatory evacuation orders.

A retired woman, living on a fixed income, stopped by Attenberry’s office on Tuesday, she said, and made a cash donation. “The firefighters are all in good spirits, though they are being treated for second degree burns”. He also taught piano and chamber music classes at two Northern California colleges. As of Friday morning, according to Cal Fire (the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection), the Butte fire has burned 71,000 acres and is now 60 percent contained.

Firefighter response includes close to 4,000 personnel from 54 crews, 258 fire engines, eight helicopters, 31 bulldozers and 67 water tenders.

Another road closure was placed at the entrance of James Creek Road. “If you look at what it’s done to a town like Mountain Ranch, it’s like Armageddon up there”.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

It’s the third body found this week in two different Northern California fires. An additional 330 outbuildings have been destroyed, and 47 structures have been damaged.

Some evacuations were lifted for residents in the town of San Andreas and some parts of Calaveras County Tuesday night. The Morongo and Pechanga tribes – which have their own fire departments – also sent firefighters.