Burnt body found in wildfire region, authorities say

PARADISE, California (CNN) -- A Butte County Sheriff's Department deputy found a charred body inside a burned house Friday.

The flames had died down enough in that area for firefighters and law officers to search homes and structures that had been burned.

A deputy found the body around 10 a.m. in one of those houses after authorities received a report that someone could have been in the structure, the sheriff's department said.

An autopsy, which could determine the identity of the person, is scheduled for this weekend, the department said. Coroners will try to find fingerprints or match DNA to possible next of kin.

The Sheriff's Department said 40 homes were destroyed in the neighborhood where the body was found.

Officials reported Friday that local, state and federal firefighting crews have contained more than 1,400 fires statewide, but major fires are still burning in several areas.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger this week asked President Bush to authorize military support, as well as more federal firefighting personnel. The governor also said he would be asking for more fire engines and helicopters.

The state has been receiving resources from Mexico and Canada, and four Canadian air tankers were recently stationed at McClellan Airfield in Sacramento to give more air support in the battle against the wildfires.

CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf, who was in Butte County on Friday, said pilots have been using planes in a two-pronged attack.

"Right now, some are being used as spotter aircraft, to assess the fire for the safest point for firefighters to work from above," he said. "If conditions become favorable, they will bring in other aircraft that use flame retardant."

Military C-130 aircraft have dropped more than a million gallons of retardant, and planes will be continuing the process until the fires are contained.

Red flag warnings -- meaning high fire danger -- are still in effect for much of northern California because of low humidity levels and high winds. See where the fires are burning »

More than 1,000 square miles has burned, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and more than 19,000 firefighters, 110 helicopters and 1,530 fire engines have been working across the state.

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