Northern Cali streets of fire
An eerie orange glow fell Friday on the charred remains of Redding, Calif. — the aftermath of a raging wildfire that has torched more than 80,000 acres, and killed two firefighters and three civilians.
The Carr Fire inferno, stoked by dry air and whipping winds, turned the town into a baked moonscape where whole blocks of homes and rows of cars became ash.
Cal Fire Chief Brett Gouvea called the wildfire in the enclave of 90,000 in north central Shasta County “extremely dangerous and moving with no regard to what’s in its path” in a published report.
And the flame-fueling conditions will continue until tomorrow morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The fire erupted on July 23 when a vehicle burst into flames, which vaulted over the Sacramento River and spread to Redding and the nearby towns of Igo, Ono and Gaspoint about 250 miles north of San Francisco.
Experts say it’s among the biggest blazes in state history.
Some 38,000 people have been evacuated, and the state fire agency said the outbreak is only 5 percent contained.
“This fire is a long way from done,” said one official.
The devastation covers an area the size of Philadelphia, and the fire has claimed the lives of Fire Inspector Jeremy Stoke, along with another smoke eater whose name has not been released.
Nine civilians had been re- ported missing, including a woman and her great-great grandchildren, who were found dead, according to CBS Sacramento.
President Trump on Friday declared a state of emergency in California and pledged federal support for “alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures.”
The funds came after Gov. Jerry Brown requested aid to pre- vent an “imminent catastrophe.”
The county has scrambled to provide supplies for fleeing residents and care for horses and cattle rescued from ranches and farms.
A total of 3,410 people are working to contain the fire, along with 328 engines, 17 helicopters and 62 bulldozers.
The Carr Fire is not the only blaze raging in California.
Other major wildfires continue to threaten areas east of Los Angeles and near Yosemite National Park, which has closed.