Fires destroy California town

Nine people have died in a wildfire that consumed the Northern California town of Paradise. The fire started Thursday and spread quickly, growing to 156 square miles and destroying more than 6,700 buildings. Firefighters said the flames were partially contained Saturday morning. The fire is the most destructive on record in the state.

Two fires in Southern California also burned homes and forced residents of Malibu, including many celebrities, to evacuate. The Hill and Woolsey fires had destroyed more than 150 homes by early Saturday. The flames threatened the town of Thousand Oaks, where a deadly mass shooting took place Wednesday night. Firefighters hoped that calmer winds Saturday would give them a chance to better contain the fires.

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that California needed to do a better job preventing wildfires. “There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly fires in California,” he said. “Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”