LAFD strike team heads north to help battle blaze of North Complex Fire

Firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department will be heading north Friday morning to help battle the blaze of the deadly North Complex Fire.

LAFD is sending five fire engines and 20 firefighters who will replace the crews that have been up in Northern California for the past 14 days.

RELATED: 10 dead as California fire becomes deadliest of year

The wildfire has become the state’s deadliest blaze of the year with 10 people confirmed dead — and the toll could climb as searchers look for 16 missing people.

The North Complex fire that exploded in wind-driven flames earlier in the week was advancing more slowly Friday after the winds eased and smoke from the blaze shaded the area and lowered the temperature, allowing firefighters to make progress, authorities said.

Earlier in the week, the blaze tore through Sierra Nevada foothills so quickly that fire crews were nearly engulfed, locals fled for their lives to a pond, and the town of Berry Creek, population 525, was gutted.

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On Thursday, Butte County sheriff’s Capt. Derek Bell said seven bodies were discovered, bringing the total to 10 in two days. At least four people with critical burns were hospitalized.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.