President Obama declares major disaster in California fire

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. (AP) — President Barack Obama declared a major disaster Tuesday in a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed at least 1,200 homes and killed at least three people.

The declaration issued for the fire that broke out in Lake County 90 miles north of San Francisco releases federal money for recovery and cleanup, including grant money for temporary housing and home repairs.

The devastating wildfire that started Sept. 12 ranks among California's most destructive and stands at 79 percent contained with 118 square miles scorched. Thousands of people fled their homes at the peak of the fire, and two men remain missing, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday.

Authorities are searching for Robert Litchman, 61, of Middletown and Robert Fletcher, 66, of Cobb.

FULL story at link.



FILE- This Sept. 21, 2015, file photo shows shows remains of homes and vehicles scorched by a wildfire in Middletown, Calif. President Barack Obama declared a major disaster Tuesday, Sept. 22, in a deadly Northern California wildfire that has destroyed thousands of homes. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/d882bc63054a4e32b37a7f7b84cb0b79/president-obama-declares-major-disaster-california-fire

[riversedge]

1. whow.

[vkkv]

2. These houses aren't exactly built in remote mountains either, close to Napa Valley.

I used to drive through Middletown often every summer to go boating up at Clear Lake. The entire town looks GONE.

Lot's of conservatives there will be very happy to get some Big Gub'mnt federal taxpayer money.

Oh wait - aren't Halliburton, Exxon and Monsanto going to pitch-in?

[marlakay]

3. I used to live a hour from there

in Santa Rosa, when housing got expensive they put a bunch of cheap tracts in Middletown and a bunch of people started commuting. The area has always been super dry in summer with dry grass and oaks, its always been a fire waiting to happen.