Third body found in Woolsey Fire burn area

MALIBU, Calif. (FOX 11) - The death toll from the massive Woolsey Fire burning in Ventura and Los Angeles counties appeared to have risen Wednesday to three after the discovery of a body in the Agoura Hills area.

The discovery was reported around 5:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 32000 block of Lobo Canyon Road. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called the discovery an "apparent fire-related death.''

From Phil Shuman:

What's left of the home is a mix of rubble, red tiled roof, embers, ash, and, sadly charred human remains.

The third victim of the Woolsey fire, though not formally identified by the County Coroner, is believed to be a doctor in his 70's who lived alone in a what was no doubt a spectacular hilltop home deep in the canyons of Kanan Dume, in an area of Agoura Hills between the 101 and the ocean called Lobo Canyon

Normally it's beautiful remote homes and ranches and estates. Today, not too pretty. Charred hillsides everywhere. The Sheriff's homicide investigator told me at the scene that concerned neighbors and relatives hadn't heard from him, and that both his cars, or what was left of them were there.

A cadaver dog was called in and after some effort, located the charred bones.

Gruesome I know, but that's the reality. They don't know what happened of course, because of the collapsed roof and structure it's difficult to determine if the man was inside or outside, was trying to leave or had decided to stay behind. We'll learn more in the coming days I'm sure.

The Woolsey Fire had already claimed two other lives.

On Wednesday, crews continued to battle the 97,620-acre blaze that was 47 percent contained.