California wildfires: 71 dead, more than 1,000 believed missing

The potential magnitude of the wildfire disaster in Northern California escalated Friday evening as officials raised the death toll to 71 and updated in a missing-persons list to include more than 1,000 names.

Authorities have also warned that some of those on the list may be fine but unaware people are trying to find them, or unable to call. However, there could also be people among the dead who no-one has yet realised are missing.

The fast-growing roster of people unaccounted for probably includes some who fled the blaze and do not realize they have been reported missing, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said late Thursday.

He said he made the list public in the hope that people will see they are on it and let authorities know they are OK.

"The chaos that we were dealing with was extraordinary," Honea said of the crisis last week, when the flames razed the town of Paradise and outlying areas in what has proved to be the nation's deadliest wildfire in a century. "Now we're trying to go back out and make sure that we're accounting for everyone."

Firefighters continued gaining ground against the blaze on Friday, which was reported 50 percent contained by the evening. It destroyed 9,700 houses and 144 apartment buildings, the state fire agency said. In all, it has destroyed more than 12,000 structures.

The fire - the deadliest in the state's history - has destroyed 142,000 acres (57,000 ha), including most of the town of Paradise, home to 27,000 people.

Rescue workers, aided by cadaver dogs, were continuing to comb what little remained of the town on Friday.

In total, some 47,000 people have been told to evacuate, with those who have fled the fire being houses in emergency shelters, as well as with friends and family, while others are camping.

President Donald Trump is due to travel to California on Saturday to survey the damage and meet those affected.