Flash floods Thursday in a Northern California county scorched by a wildfire earlier this month added to the misery of residents who still have not been able to return to their homes. Rain carried a sticky mess of ash and debris through neighborhoods in Chico, Calif., where emergency workers conducted three swift water rescues Thursday, according to the Butte County Sheriff’s Department.

Rain is falling Wednesday in fire-scorched areas of Northern California, bringing aid to firefighters but complicating efforts to recover human remains. About 870 people are still unaccounted for after the Camp Fire killed at least 81 and destroyed more than 13,000 homes in the region nearly two weeks ago. Authorities are using rapid DNA testing to identify bone fragments and other remains by matching them to genetic material provided by relatives of the missing. “The task is arduous,” said Rick Crawford with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Gold paper stars hung from the rafters of the 1932 building in Chico, Calif., as Shawn Shingler gave a toast for his daughter’s wedding.

Nearly every eye in the packed room filled with tears as he described the days since the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history tore through the mountain town of Paradise, burning his home and thousands of others to the ground.

Hundreds of volunteers are still sifting through ash and debris in fire-ravaged Northern California looking for human remains before expected rains later this week complicate their efforts. Downpours could wash away bone fragments and turn dry ash into a thick paste. The list of people missing from the deadly Camp Fire dropped to around 1,000 names late Sunday, according to Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea. That number is about 300 less than what was posted Sunday morning. Many of the missing may be safe and unharmed but unaware they are on the list.

The number of people unaccounted for after the Camp Fire in Northern California rose to more than 600 Friday, underscoring the enormous scope of the disaster. Authorities have made public a list of the missing, hoping that those who are safe will notify authorities. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said many of the people on the list likely were evacuees who didn’t realize they were reported missing.

The Camp Fire in Northern California as of Thursday morning had claimed the lives of 56 people, making it the deadliest wildfire in a century. Authorities said close to 130 people remain missing, while more than 450 people continue to search for bodies in burned-out areas. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said his office has brought in another 287 searchers, including National Guard troops, on Wednesday because recovering bodies had become such a huge task.

Northern California residents have posted photos of missing loved ones on a message board at The Neighborhood Church in Chico, Calif., as authorities continue to search for people who died in the devastating Camp Fire. Officials on Tuesday reported six more fatalities, bringing the total number of dead so far to 48. Earlier this week, at least 200 people were still missing. The National Guard is sending troops to help scour the rubble of the town of Paradise, Calif., for human remains, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said.