Northern California suffers flooding after fires

Flash floods Thursday in a Northern California county scorched by a wildfire earlier this month added to the misery of residents who still have not been able to return to their homes. Rain carried a sticky mess of ash and debris through neighborhoods in Chico, Calif., where emergency workers conducted three swift water rescues Thursday, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Department.

Many evacuees from the town of Paradise are staying in Chico after the Camp Fire ravaged their town. In total, the fire destroyed nearly 14,000 homes and killed at least 88 people. Paradise has been under mandatory evacuation orders for nearly three weeks. Residents could begin returning early next week, but only if the wet weather doesn’t hinder efforts to clear roads and restore power, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said Wednesday.