California reports first wildfire death of the 2024 season as fires persist across the West

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Wildfires fueled by strong winds and an extended heat wave have led to the first death in California of the 2024 season. Mendocino County officials say they found human remains in a home of a woman that had burned in a fire that started Monday. The coroner’s office is working to identify the body. But it may be that of a 66-year-old woman whose family reported her missing. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as CalFire, confirmed the discovery of the remains. Authorities in Western states warned of the rising risk of wildfires amid a protracted heat wave this week that dried out the landscape, set temperature records and put lives at risk.