Death toll rises to 24 as crews begin grim search among ashes of wine country fires
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - As weary fire crews began to make progress against a firestorm that has killed at least 24 people in Northern California's wine country, local officials said Thursday that they have begun a grim search for more bodies amid the ashes of burned communities.
At a morning news conference, Sonoma County Sheriff Robert Giordano told reporters that a 14th person was found dead in his county as search crews and cadaver dogs began sifting through debris for the first time Thursday.
"We're moving into a recovery phase," Giordano said.
Giordano's department has received 900 reports of missing people. Of those, 437 people have been
