At least 17 dead and 183 missing as devastating wildfires ravage Northern California's wine country, burn more than 115,000 acres and leave thousands homeless

In neighborhood after neighborhood, all that remains are the smoldering ashes and eye-stinging smoke from a day of utter devastation.

Newly homeless residents of California wine country took stock of their shattered lives Tuesday, a day after wildfires killed at least 15 people and destroyed more than 2,000 homes and businesses. Hundreds more firefighters joined the battle against the blazes, which were still completely uncontained.

Authorities also began to identify the dead, including a 100-year-old man and his 98-year-old wife who died in their burning home.

A thick, smoky haze cloaked much of Napa and Sonoma counties, where neighborhoods hit by the fires were completely leveled. In the Santa Rosa suburb known as Coffey Park, house after house was gone with only brick chimneys still standing. 

The flames burned so hot that windows and tire rims melted off cars, leaving many parked vehicles sitting on their steel axles. The only recognizable remnants at many homes were charred washing machines and dryers.

Officials hoped cooler weather and lighter winds would help crews get a handle on 17 separate fires, which are among the deadliest in California history.

'The weather has been working in our favor, but it doesn't mean it will stay that way,' said Brad Alexander, a spokesman of the governor's Office of Emergency Services.

Devastating before and after pictures show the destruction wildfires have wrecked on Northern California's world-renowned wine country.

In one photo, an historic round barn is set alight by flames in Santa Rosa, California. The Fountaingrove Round Barn was built in 1875 on Thomas Lake Harris' Fountain Grove spiritual commune. It was designed by one of Harris' followers, Kanawe Nagasawa, who later became famous for making the estate's critically-acclaimed wines.

The fires also leveled a steak house in Santa Rosa, and destroyed a Hilton hotel nearby. 

The Signorello Estate Winery was one of at least two wineries destroyed in the blaze. On Tuesday, melted and blackened wine bottles littered the winery in Napa Valley.  

Taken as a group, the fires are already among the 10 deadliest in California history, and the death toll is expected to rise.

On Tuesday, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would be donating $1million to local organizations help rebuild. 'I'm thinking of all our neighbors in harm's way and I hope everyone stays safe,' he added.

The fires that started Sunday night moved so quickly that thousands of people were forced to flee with only a few minutes of warning, and some did not get out in time. Among the victims were Charles and Sara Rippey, who were married for 75 years and lived at the Silverado Resort in Napa.

'The only thing worse would have been if one survived without the other,' their granddaughter, Ruby Gibney told Oakland television station KTVU.

In Washington, President Donald Trump said he spoke with Gov. Jerry Brown to 'let him know that the federal government will stand with the people of California. And we will be there for you in this time of terrible tragedy and need.'

More than 400 miles away from the wine-making region, flames imperiled parts of Southern California, too. Thousands of people were displaced by a wildfire that destroyed or damaged 24 structures, including homes. Hot, dry Santa Ana winds swept fire along brushy outskirts of Orange County suburbs and equestrian properties southeast of Los Angeles. More than a dozen schools were closed.

The blaze, which disrupted major commuter routes, spread over nearly a dozen square miles in less than 24 hours as a squadron of helicopters and airplanes bombarded it with water and retardant, and an army of firefighters grew to 1,100 by Tuesday morning.