Firefighters rescue hundreds of animals trapped in California blaze

The wildfires in California that erupted earlier this month have killed at least 42 people and gutted 5,700 homes and businesses. And now stories are emerging of the rescue of not just people, but also some of the region's thousands of animals.

File photo taken on  October 14, 2017, shows fire retardant covers the vegetation as firefighters battle a wildfire near Santa Rosa, California, US.
Reuters

File photo taken on October 14, 2017, shows fire retardant covers the vegetation as firefighters battle a wildfire near Santa Rosa, California, US.

Firefighters are slowly gaining ground on the deadliest wildfires in Californian history that have ravaged the north of the US state. 

But, as residents are slowly allowed to return to their homes, stories are emerging of the rescue of not just people, but also some of the region's thousands of animals. 

TRT World's Harry Horton reports.

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Many scientists believe climate change played a part in sparking the big US blazes that erupted this month, killing at least 42 people and gutting 5,700 homes and businesses.

But others also point to another likely cause - the growing number of US residents who have moved to the western half of the country, spreading out from the historic cores of cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Denver.

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