71 dead, over 1,000 unaccounted for from California Camp Fire

The Butte County Sheriff announced Friday evening that 71 people have been confirmed dead and more than 1,000 are unaccounted for as evacuations continue for northern California's Camp Fire.

Why it matters: The victim tolls rose sharply from early Friday with 63 dead and 631 unaccounted for. The Camp Fire is California's most destructive and deadliest wildfire on record, surpassing records set just 13 months ago. The fire is causing dangerously poor air quality to blanket the San Francisco Bay Area, threatening to aggravate chronic health conditions including asthma, heart and lung disease. Schools are closed due to the poor air quality, and many people have had to wear masks to block particulate matter from getting into their lungs.

Go deeper:

• Scorched and smothered by wildfires, California's 13 months of hell
• Full coverage: Axios on the California wildfires
• Why it's so hard to issue a fire warning
• Forest management is only one risk factor in the California wildfires