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US-ENVIRONMENT-FIRE
‘Erratic’ winds, dry conditions fuel deadly California fires
REDDING, United States, July 30, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Around 12,000
firefighters battled Sunday to contain wildfires in California that have
killed six people — but authorities warned “erratic” winds and dry
conditions have caused the flames to grow and spread.
“Very hot and dry conditions will continue over the West coast states
through Sunday,” the National Weather Service said early Sunday.
“Conditions around the Carr wildfire near Redding, California will
continue to be conducive to rapid wildfire growth and spread.”
Firefighters in Shasta County, in northern California, where the Carr Fire
began on July 23, warned on Twitter that “erratic winds and hot, dry
conditions on the #CarrFire resulted in greater growth and increased fire
behavior last night.”
Two firefighters were killed fighting the blaze and three people — a 70-
year-old woman and her two great-grandchildren aged four and five — perished
when their Redding home was rapidly swallowed up by flames.
“God almighty, I don’t know what I done wrong,” Melody Bledsoe’s husband
Ed told The Sacramento Bee, recalling how he tried to get back to the home in
time. “I talked to them until the fire got them.”
The Carr Fire — only five percent contained — has scorched 89,194 acres
(36,000 hectares), destroyed 517 buildings and damaged 135 more, according to
the latest reports.
By late Saturday, 38,000 people had been evacuated in Shasta County.
California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency in the
county, as well as in the counties of Lake, Napa and Mendocino.
He asked for federal assistance, including military aircraft, shelter
supplies and water for evacuated residents in Shasta County, where he said
the Carr Fire had grown “uncontrollably.”
US President Donald Trump signed an emergency declaration to make federal
aid available to county authorities.
Another northern California fire, the Mendocino Complex — made up of two
fires — has also burned more than 24,000 acres in total since Friday. Having
rapidly spread, it was only 10 percent contained Sunday morning.
Elsewhere, firefighters reported that the Ferguson fire, near Yosemite
National Park, had grown only by around 1,980 acres overnight — bringing the
total damage to 53,646 acres since July 13 — and was 30 percent contained. A
firefighter died battling that blaze, with seven people also injured.
Meanwhile, the Cranston Fire forced the evacuation of over 7,000 people,
although some were able to return to their homes early Sunday. The fire —
sparked by humans — has destroyed 13,130 acres and is 29 percent contained.
According to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal
OES), 17 large-scale fires were burning, with 12,000 firefighters deployed
across the state.
Reinforcements from 13 states were already on the ground or en route from
as far away as New Jersey, Florida and Maryland on the east coast.
In the country as a whole, there were a total of 39 active fires, with
over 239,000 acres up in flames, according to the National Interagency Fire
Center.
BSS/AFP/MSY/0922 hrs