Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

DNA Technology Helping As Sacramento County Works To Identify Camp Wildfire Victims

  •  Pauline Bartolone 
Thursday, November 29, 2018 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
John Locher

A member of the Sacramento County Coroner's office looks for human remains in the rubble of a house burned at the Camp Fire, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Paradise, Calif.

John Locher

Authorities have found 88 people dead in the Camp wildfire, but the identities of some of the deceased are still unknown.  

Sacramento County has been helping to identify the remains because its Coroner’s office was the closest facility with the capacity to process the fire’s mass casualties.

“Burn victims are one of the hardest types of victims to identify,” County Coroner Kim Gin said.

Gin said it can take months or even years to identify victims solely through DNA. But new technology is making that process go a little more quickly.

Butte County law enforcement has been working with a company called ANDE to collect saliva samples of family members who believe their loved ones may have perished in the fire. Their genetic material is matched up with the DNA of the deceased. As a result, Gin said her team has already been able to help name many victims.

“Out of a very horrible experience, it’s been a very positive experience to be able to identify people very quickly,” Gin said. “The families deserve to know what happened to their family members.”

Jim Davis, Chief Federal Officer for ANDE, said the Sacramento coroner is the first to use the company’s technology in a mass casualty setting. A makeshift DNA lab has set up at the Disaster Recovery Center in Chico, and has been processing cheek swab samples of family members.

“This… really represents a paradigm shift in the way we use DNA across the board in public safety, but specifically in addressing disaster victims,” Davis said.  

But Davis said in the past few days family members have stopped coming into the Chico center to provide DNA.  

“These people have to come to grips that they’re coming in to identify a body, which means that they have to accept that somebody died. And I guess that’s a difficult thing,” he said.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up a massive resource center inside the old Sears in the Chico Mall where Camp Fire evacuees can seek assistance.Bob Moffitt / Capital Public Radio

 

Butte County wants more family members to give DNA to help them positively identify some of the deceased and quickly bring closure to any new remains that are found.

The County said people from anywhere in the United States can go to their local police station to provide a sample, and it will find its way to investigators in Northern California.

For more information about how to provide a DNA sample to identify Camp Fire victims, visit https://www.campfirerapiddna.com/.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  
Was this story useful?
yes
no

Will you help us improve our fires coverage? Head to our wildfire survey page to tell us what you think.

    More about wildfire

  • Andrew Nixon / CapRadio

    California Wildfires: Latest Updates

    CapRadio provides the latest information and updates on wildfires hitting the state, and resources for listeners to help prepare, follow and respond to fire.

 Camp Firewildfire

Pauline Bartolone

Former Editor-at-Large

Pauline’s been a journalist for two decades, covering health care, education and the many disparities that exist in California.  Read Full Bio 

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters

More Stories

Christine Gale Reynolds

The Yosemite postmaster retires after more than 40 years (and a whole lot of mail)

February 6, 2023

Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters

Will the state’s big Medi-Cal plan really fix mental health care for low-income Californians?

February 3, 2023

Kevin Gomez Jr.

North Davis store becomes first Peet's Coffee in the country to form a union

January 31, 2023

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Millions of Californians are at risk of losing Medi-Cal coverage

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter

Most Viewed

10 new California laws that go into effect in 2023

How a new law is bringing more attention to natural carbon sequestration

Still testing positive after day 10? How to decide when to end your COVID isolation

Millions of Californians are at risk of losing Medi-Cal coverage

California coronavirus updates: COVID-19 pandemic has shifted people's finances

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.