Carr Fire still spreading, but away from Redding

map Carr Fire Igo

Above: The red line on the map shows the perimeter of the southeast side of the Carr Fire near Igo as determined by heat sensors on an aircraft at 10:21 p.m. PDT July 28, 2019. The red shaded areas indicate intense heat. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

(Originally published at 5:36 a.m. PDT July 29, 2018)

Firefighters on the Carr Fire are getting a handle on the portion of the blaze that burned into the west side of Redding, California, but it is still spreading away from the city to the south, west, and north.

map Carr Fire Redding
The red line shows the perimeter of the Carr Fire as determined by heat sensors on an aircraft at 10:21 p.m. PDT July 28, 2019. The red shaded areas indicate intense heat. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

Saturday’s additional growth added another 15,000 acres to bring the total size to about 95,000 acres. Southwest of Redding it burned through the Igo area, crossing Placer Road. At 10:21 PDT Saturday it remained east of Cloverdale Road and had progressed south to Clear Creek Road. North of Igo the fire spread about a mile to the southwest on Saturday.

To see all of the articles about the Carr Fire, including the most current, click HERE.

On the northwest side, by Saturday night the fire had come to within five air miles of Lewiston and Trinity Lake and moved about three miles further west along Highway 299, burning on both sides.

map Carr Fire Redding
The red line shows the perimeter of the east side of the Carr Fire near Redding as determined by heat sensors on an aircraft at 10:21 p.m. PDT July 28, 2019. The red shaded areas indicate intense heat. The yellow line was the perimeter about 20 hours before.

The number of fatalities on the Carr Fire rose to five Saturday when officials confirmed that two young children and their great-grandmother were found dead. James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4, were stranded with Melody Bledsoe, 70, when the fire ran through the family’s property July 26 outside Redding, California.

That same day two firefighters were also killed at approximately 6:40 pm when a dramatic increase in fire behavior occurred on the east side of the Carr Fire. Entrapped in a burn over were a call when needed contract dozer operator, Don Ray Smith, 81, of Pollock Pines and Redding fire Inspector Jeremy Stoke who had been with the Fire Department since 2004.

CAL FIRE reports that 536 structures have burned, but has not broken the number down by residences and outbuildings.

Resources assigned to the fire include 334 fire engines, 59 hand crews, 17 helicopters, 68 dozers, 65 water tenders, for a total of 3,388 personnel.

The area is under a Red Flag Warning again Sunday. The National Weather Service warns that strong winds up to 30 mph are possible in canyons in the late afternoon and overnight, but the forecast for the southeast part of the fire indicates the winds generally will be variable at 3 to 7 mph. Humidity in some areas could reach into the single digits while the temperature will be over 100 degrees. This hot, dry, trend will most likely last into mid-week.

Red Flag Warning, July 29, 2018 Redding
Red Flag Warning, July 29, 2018.

Typos, let us know HERE, and specify which article. Please read the commenting rules before you post a comment.

Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.

11 thoughts on “Carr Fire still spreading, but away from Redding”

  1. Dude, I live in Tuolumne County and watched first hand as the DC10s & the C130s fought the Rim fire in 2013. I don’t understand why in this case Calfire doesn’t have priority over USFS as to what is going to be used to carry retardent!

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  2. Barring smoke and wind conditions imagine the impact a fleet of Super Scoopers could have on this fire. It would be one heck of an air circus! I presume there are at least a few working the fire? LR

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    1. LR ,as above ,the contracts for the Super Scoopers was cancelled . Not only could they have been used on the Carr Fire ,but to the West ,there is the large [and growing ] Mendocino fire . [ tripled in size SAT.] This is minutes away from Clear lake ,and I would propose that any air drop gallonage from Helos is limited and NOT VERY EFFECTIVE!
      The FF’s essentially are fighting without some potentially valuable resources . I hope that no more of our good men are killed fighting these fires.

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      1. The exclusive use contracts for the scoopers was cancelled, but there are at least four still on CWN contracts, and have been used this summer.

        Many people would argue that helicopters can be VERY effective, especially the ones that carry more than 1,000 gallons. Some helicopters carry more water than a CL-415 scooper, which holds 1,600 gallons.

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        1. What are the pros and cons of large aircraft vs large capacity helicopters in fires. Does this vary by fire?

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        2. This point is true and with my experience of 25 + years the fleet of Huey’s that CDF has is by far much more maneuverable and has more accuracy that any of the fixed wing aircraft. Thats not to say that they dont both belong in the toolbox.

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  3. JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE “RESOURCES” COMMENT?
    Besides the usual FF ,Dozers,etc how many fixed wing tankers, and helos are assigned to that fire ?

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    1. As the article states, there are 17 helicopters on the fire. Fixed wing aircraft are not assigned like other resources. They are ordered, perform a specific task, and then return to base, sometimes making more than one sortie on a fire. An air tanker can drop on multiple fires each day without being “assigned” to any of them.

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      1. OK Bill , I missed the 17 Helos comment . However I think that we are SPLITTING HAIRS on verbiage . Accordingly ,I will correct my question to : How many sorties have been flown ,how many Heavy air tankers used on this fire each day , and where are they based ? [ maybe McClellan ]. I seriously doubt that the use of large Air Tankers was “maxed” out ?
        I see that you did not comment on the Lone Ranger’s post . Obviously, it is unlikely that any SUPER SCOOPERS have been used on the Carr Fire , since the USFS in it’s infinite wisdom cancelled all of the contract with Super Scoopers for this year. Very short sided,since within minutes of this fire are WHISKEYTOWNLAKE AND THE VERY LARGE SHASTA LAKE!

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  4. Great pics very informative, we need thies. Pic out in the public and on tv no dout about it. Thank you so much

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