SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- The governor of the U.S. state of California declared Saturday as a Day of Remembrance for victims of the deadly wildfires that ripped through several counties in the northern part of the state earlier this month.
"By the time the fires were contained two weeks later, it was clear that the Northern California fires of October 2017 were by far the most lethal and destructive wildfire disaster in the history of California," Governor Jerry Brown tweeted earlier in the day.
"Today we remember, above all else, the human toll of these fires," he said, adding that he has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol.
"As we mourn for those we have lost, let us dedicate ourselves first to the aid of the survivors and then to the causes of safety and preparedness in our increasingly fire-prone state," he said.
The devastating wildfires that swept Northern California earlier this month have killed 42 people and destroyed at least 8,900 structures, including homes and business facilities, and burned over 245,000 acres of land, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) said in a press release Saturday.
Among the victims, the youngest was 14 years old and the eldest 100 years old. The losses from the wildfires may amount to a rough estimate of 1 billion U.S. dollars.
By Saturday, most of the blazes, which were recorded at 21 fires at the peak of the disaster, have been contained, but more than 2,000 firefighters remain on the frontlines of six active wildfires, CAL FIRE said.
The firefighters continue to extinguish hot spots and prepare for potential fire activity throughout California, it added.
