Third Death Reported in California Wildfires as Rain Gives Crews Break

"A third person was confirmed dead on Wednesday in the massive California wildfires that have destroyed more than 800 homes and forced the evacuation of 20,000 people, but crews appeared to turn a corner against the blazes as rain fell over the region.

Daniel Berlant, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said in a tweet the death had been confirmed by the coroner in Calaveras County in California's so-called Gold Country.

No further details were given about the death, the second attributed to the week-old so-called Butte Fire and the third resulting from a pair of blazes that have collectively scorched more than 140,000 acres (56,660 hectares)in mountain areas to the east and west of Sacramento, the state capital."

Curtis Skinner reports for Reuters September 17, 2015.