California Wildfires: Several fires rapidly spreading, death toll as high as 42

World
Europe

02:33

The death toll is rising from devastating wildfires in California. 42 people have died since the fires broke out on Friday. More than 200 are still missing. A trio of blazes is consuming the state from both ends, fanned by strong winds. Authorities warn the risk of even more fires breaking out is high. Our correspondent May Lee has more southern California.

Fire crews from throughout California and several other states are working round the clock to get the worst wildfires in the state's history under control.

In Thousand Oaks, in Southern California, fires swept through leaving behind random trails of destruction.

Mike Graham barely got out of his house in time. He thought all would be lost.

"This was cracked from the heat from the fire."

Miraculously, his house sustained no other damage, even though everything around it, including his truck, was consumed by the fire.

MIKE GRAHAM RESIDENT OF THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA "I said Oh my God I find the grace of God my house is still standing."

Just next door, this home was burned to the ground. The owner, who didn't want to speak on camera, says he and his father had no warning and managed to escape with just minutes to spare.

For business owners like Joshua Juarez, Monday was the first full day of business since forced evacuations four days ago, which came on the heels of the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill late Wednesday night that left 12 people and the gunman dead.

JOSHUA JUAREZ BUSINESS OWNER "It felt like hell was raining on us unfortunately, but we are a very tight knit community and everyone came out in support."

Local fire crews, too, had to cope with the double tragedies.

RAUL GARCIA CAPTAIN, VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT "Our department has gone through a lot too. Especially for some of the guys that were on the mass shooting the very first day, on that same day right onto this so we got some fatigue too."

MAY LEE THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA "Evacuation orders for part of Thousand Oaks as well as a few other communities are slowly being lifted and that's allowed the displaced to go back home, but for some they'll come back to very little or nothing at all to come home too. California's governor and many other officials warn will become the new 'abnormal'. May Lee, CGTN, Thousand Oaks, California."