Tally of missing in California\'s deadliest blaze surpasses 600

A search for victims of a catastrophic blaze that reduced a northern California town to ashes intensified on Thursday (November 15), as authorities expanded to 630 the number of those reported missing in the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history.

At least 63 people have been confirmed dead in the Camp Fire, which erupted a week ago in the drought-parched Sierra foothills 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco and now ranks as one of the most lethal single U.S. wildfires since the turn of the last century.

Authorities attributed the high death toll in part to the staggering speed with which the wind-driven flames, fueled by desiccated scrub and trees, raced with little warning through Paradise, a town of 27,000.

The revised official roster of 630 individuals whose whereabouts and fate remained unknown is more than double the 297 listed earlier in the day by the Butte County Sheriff's Office.