The wildfire currently raging in California on Monday became the deadliest and most destructive in the state’s history, as authorities announced over 42 have been killed so far with hundreds more missing.

Officials during a press conference on Monday night said they had found the remains of 13 more people since the day before, bringing the Northern California death toll to 42 and overall state toll to 44.

ADVERTISEMENT

Wildfires have been raging in northern and southern California since last week, incinerating huge swaths of land and creating an escalating crisis as thousands have been forced to evacuate.

Butte County Sheriff Cory Honea during the conference said authorities have identified four sets of human remains so far.

President Trump on Monday signed a major disaster declaration for the areas affected by the ongoing wildfires in California, following through on a request made over the weekend by California Gov. Jerry Brown (D).

The declaration orders an increase in federal aid to supplement state, local and tribal areas in Butte, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties.

Remains of human bodies have been found in cars, homes or beside vehicles in the areas hardest-hit by the record-breaking wildfires, the Associated Press reported