New map from Cal Fire shows where buildings have been burned by North Complex wildfire
Cal Fire’s Butte Unit released a new map Saturday that can show evacuees of the North Complex Fire’s West Zone if their home has been destroyed.
The map displays structures that have been confirmed destroyed or otherwise damaged in the fire zone. The North Complex Fire, now the ninth largest wildfire in California history, has charred 252,000 acres, killed nine people and destroyed 2,000 structures.
Damage assessment teams from Cal Fire have been working to gather data on the extent of destruction in the fire zone. More than half of the structures surveyed by Cal Fire crews were reported destroyed by fire, but many others have suffered major damages.
Large groupings of destroyed buildings can be seen surrounding Berry Creek, a small community that was hit particularly hard in the past few days. A Sacramento Bee photographer viewing the area saw very few homes that weren’t reduced to piles of ash. Another large cluster of destroyed and damaged buildings is along the eastern shores of Lake Oroville.
Cal Fire’s map identifies each surveyed structure by type, such as mobile homes, single-family homes or multi-family units, and provides an address search feature for those wondering about the status of their homes, but officials warned that even if some evacuees’ homes have been untouched, it does not necessarily mean they can go back into the fire zone.
“The Cal Fire damage inspection teams are working as quickly as possible to supply the needed information to those that were evacuated during the firestorm,” Cal Fire’s Butte Unit said in a news release. “Residents may not return to those areas where the evacuation orders remain.”
