79 killed in California's Camp Fire as number of missing drops to 699

Updated at 10:25 p.m. E.T.

Authorities in California added two more fatalities on Monday night to the death toll from the Camp Fire, bringing its total number of deaths to at least 79.

The number of people unaccounted for has decreased to 699 — about 300 fewer than Sunday's count, and 600 fewer than Saturday's.

At least 82 people have died throughout the state since wildfires broke out earlier this month. Three of those fatalities were from the Woolsey Fire in Southern California.

Authorities have not yet declared an official cause of the fires and are investigating their origins.

In a Camp Fire incident update Monday morning, authorities described their progress in containing the deadliest wildfire in state history.

"Fire activity ranged from minimal to moderate overnight throughout various areas of the fire perimeter as firefighters continued to strengthen and improve control lines," they said. "Crews will continue implementing containment lines, patrol for heat in the interior, and mitigate hazards in the fire area."

The fire has burned about 151,000 acres and is 70 percent contained, as of Monday night. More than 4,700 workers are battling the flames. Authorities say they don't expect the fire to be fully contained until Nov. 30.

Multiple search and rescue crews as well as teams using cadaver dogs to detect human remains are assisting the Butte County Sheriff's Office, authorities said.

More than 11,700 single-family homes and nearly 3,000 other buildings have been destroyed. The entire Northern California community of Paradise was reduced to a wasteland of ash and burned-out buildings and cars in the fire that began just after 6:30 a.m. local time on Nov. 8.

Authorities continue to maintain a live evacuation map and structure damage map.

About 500 miles to the south, in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, the Woolsey Fire is also still burning.

The fire has burned 96,949 acres and is 96 percent contained, authorities said in their Monday night update. Hundreds of personnel are actively fighting that fire.

Nearly all evacuation orders have been lifted, but that doesn't mean evacuees will be able to return to their homes. Damage assessment teams have counted 1,500 structures that have been destroyed by the flames.

Authorities say they expect the Woolsey Fire will be fully contained by Thanksgiving Day. Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.