The Camp Fire has left California's air among the dirtiest in the world

The Camp Fire has left 71 dead and more than 1,000 missing throughout northern California. It's also spread some of the dirtiest air in the world to San Francisco and beyond.

After burning for more than a week, 50 percent of the blaze had been contained as of Friday night, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Reports of missing people swelled from more than 600 on Friday to 1011, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea tells CBS News. Honea also warned the list was "dynamic" and could grow or shrink as those who don't realize they've been reported missing come forward.

Meanwhile, air quality in northern California has reached levels as poor as cities in China and India. It’s nearly impossible to navigate the "apocalyptic fog" surrounding the fire, The New York Times writes, and hospital workers say reports of respiratory complications have surged. Nearly 200 miles south in San Francisco, the city’s iconic trolleys have been pulled from the streets amid smoky air. Residents have taken to wearing respiratory masks, schools have closed, and the so-called "Big Game" between the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University has been postponed.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up