California firefighters are embarking on exhaustive search-and-rescue operations for survivors and the remains of victims killed in massive wildfires as the death toll climbed to 25.

More than 100 are still missing after a wildfire engulfed 164 sq miles of northern California.

Many of those residents could still be found alive, Butte County sheriff Kory Honea said, as his department initially received over 500 calls about missing loved ones.

With some of the numerous fires becoming at least partially contained by Sunday, authorities stepped up efforts to recover and identify people who died.

A local coroner’s team is helping to find bodies in burned down areas, along with a DNA lab truck to assist in identifying human remains.

“I know that members of the community who are missing loved ones are anxious, and I know that the news of us recovering bodies has to be disconcerting,” the sheriff told reporters.

In some cases, investigators have only found bones or bone fragments.

Anthropologists from nearby California State University, Chico, have provided expertise to officers during the process, as sheriff’s officials cross-check their lists with official shelters to search for the missing.

Most victims have not yet been identified. Two people were found dead in a wildfire in southern California, bringing the total number of fatalities for the state to 25.

Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Show all 32 1 /32 Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle a blaze at the Salvation Army Camp in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Flames from the Camp fire burn near a home atop a ridge near Big Bend AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Cathy Fallon (centre) who stayed behind to tend to her horses during the Camp Fire, embraces Shawna De Long (left) and April Smith who brought supplies for the horses Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A helicopter drops flame retardant on a wildfire in Malibu Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures An air tanker drops water on the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures An abandoned car from fleeing residents of Paradise in the Pentz road area EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A firefighter tackles the fire along the Ronald Reagan Freeway in Simi Valley AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A Jack In The Box fast food restaurant burns as the Camp fire moves through Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers label a body bag AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters hose down trees on Bell Canyon Road, near Malibu AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A fire burns at the Salvation Army Camp Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A firefighting DC-10 makes a fire retardant drop over a wildfire in the mountains near Malibu Canyon Road AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Bins have melted and ballooned in the heat in Magalia, Butte County EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Satellite image taken on 8 November shows plumes of smoke from the Camp Fire stretching across portions of Northern California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the Woolsey Fire Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Deputy Coroner Justin Sponhaltz, of the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, recovers human remains found at a home destroyed by the Camp Fire AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Buildings burn in Paradise, California EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Local residents bring their horses to Zuma Beach and away from the Woolsey Fire in Malibu Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A used car dealership burns in Paradise, California Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Yuba and Butte County Sheriff officers inspect a burned vehicle after discovering remains nearby in Concow AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters battle the flames in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Search and rescue teams work to evacuate patients from the burning Feather River Hospital in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Embers blow in the wind in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures In Butte County, the sky is filled with the smoke of the Camp Fire EPA Wildfires spread across California – in pictures Firefighters at work in Thousand Oaks Reuters Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A house burns in Paradise, California AP Wildfires spread across California – in pictures The burned remains of a house and car are left after the Camp Fire in Paradise, California AFP/Getty Wildfires spread across California – in pictures A shop burns in Paradise, California AFP/Getty

The northern California fire became the state’s third deadliest since record keeping began, with the death toll surpassing that from a blaze last year that ravaged the city of Santa Rosa.

An additional search and recovery team on top of the four already on the ground was being brought in to search for remains, officials said.

The flames burned down more than 6,700 buildings, almost all of them were homes, making it California’s most destructive wildfire on record.

Many dead bodies were reportedly discovered inside their cars or outside vehicles and homes.

State officials put the total number of people forced from their homes by California’s fires at more than 200,000. Evacuation orders included the entire city of Malibu that is home to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration providing federal funding for fires at both ends of the state. He later threatened to withhold payments to California, claiming its forest management is “so poor”.

The president continued attacking California’s Forest Management on Twitter over the weekend, writing on Sunday: “With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California.”

“Get smart!” he added.

The criticisms have caused California’s Professional Firefighters Union to respond by calling the president’s message a “shameful attack” and “ill-informed, ill-timed and demeaning to those who are suffering as well as the men and women on the front lines".

“At a time when our every effort should be focused on vanquishing the destructive fires and helping the victims, the president has chosen instead to issue an uninformed political threat aimed squarely at the innocent victims of these cataclysmic fires,” the statement added.

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California Governor-elect Gavin Newsom responded on Twitter that this was “not a time for partisanship”.

“This is a time for coordinating relief and response and lifting those in need up,” he said.

Mr Trump took a more empathetic tone later in the day, tweeting sympathies for firefighters, people who have fled their homes and the families of those killed by the flames.