CAL FIRE reports 500 structures have been destroyed
(Originally published at 9:10 a.m. PDT July 28, 2018)
The Carr Fire, posted July 28 by the Igo Ono Fire Department.
Firefighters on Friday were able to minimize any additional growth of the Carr Fire into Redding but the fire spread significantly on the north and sides. Thursday night CAL FIRE reported the fire had burned 28,000 acres. A 1:45 a.m. mapping flight on Saturday showed it had expanded to over 80,000 acres.
To see all articles about the Carr Fire on Wildfire today including the most current, click here.
Early Saturday morning the fire was very active two to five miles south of Highway 299 burning toward Placer Road near Igo, and on the north side of 299 it had grown five miles north of French Gulch.
Map showing the perimeter of the Carr Fire at 1:45 a.m. PDT July 28, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter 25 hours before. Click to enlarge.
Mandatory evacuations affecting 37,000 people and road closures are in effect for numerous locations around Redding.
Two firefighters were killed in the fire. Friday afternoon the Redding Fire Department confirmed that Inspector Jeremy Stoke perished. A bulldozer operator has not yet been identified.
A spokesperson for Mercy Medical Center in Redding, Mike Mangas, said eight people, including three firefighters, were treated for injuries. All were expected to survive.
Map showing the east side of the Carr Fire near Redding at 1:45 a.m. PDT July 28, 2018. The yellow line was the perimeter 25 hours before. Click to enlarge.
CAL FIRE reports that 500 structures have been destroyed, but has not broken them down by residences and outbuildings. On Friday an Associated Press reporter counted at least 125 burned homes. Typically on fires like this about 60 to 80 percent of “structures” destroyed are sheds, detached garages, or similar outbuildings.
Below is an excerpt from an AP article:
Located on the western side of Redding, KRCR-TV was forced to go off the air and evacuate their studio in the middle of a Thursday night broadcast. As the fire advanced, a high school that was used to shelter evacuees was suddenly in danger of being in the path of the flames, and evacuees had to move again to Shasta College, according to NBC News.
“When it hit, people were really scrambling,” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean told the AP. “There was not much of a warning.”
The fire also reportedly burned structures in Shasta, located 10 miles west of Redding, and in Keswick. Early Friday morning, the entire town of Shasta Lake, population 10,000 was ordered to evacuate, the Redding Record Searchlight reported.
The weather forecast for the south part of the Carr Fire near Igo for Saturday calls for a high of 110 degrees, 11 percent relative humidity, and variable winds at 5 to 10 mph gusting up to 13. The conditions should remain about the same through Friday of next week, but with decreasing winds. High temperatures will be above 100 each day.
Red Flag Warning for the area around Redding, California.
The Red Flag Warning that was in effect for the Redding area on Friday is still in effect Saturday and is due to expire at 10 a.m. Monday.
Details of the Red Flag Warning for the Redding area, current at 6:45 a.m. PDT July 28, 2018.
Two firefighters have been killed while fighting the fire
(UPDATED at 6:16 p.m. PDT July 27, 2018)
Map showing the perimeter of the Carr Fire (the red line) based on an infrared mapping flight at 12:34 a.m. PDT July 27, 2018. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 1:36 p.m. PDT July 27, 2018. Click to enlarge.
To see all articles about the Carr Fire on Wildfire today including the most current, click here.
An Associated Press reporter has counted at least 125 homes destroyed by the Carr Fire at Redding, California. The official count from CAL FIRE is 65 structures destroyed.
To see all articles about the Carr Fire on Wildfire today including the most current, click here.
Over 800 California National Guard personnel are assisting statewide in a variety of ways. The National Guard is also operating a Reaper Unmanned Aerial System, or drone, that provides real time imagery to help firefighters on the ground to make better decisions.
At least two California National Guard C-130 aircraft have been activated and outfitted with Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS), able to drop up to 3,000 gallons of retardant.
Many areas around Redding are under mandatory evacuation orders.
(UPDATED at 10:09 a.m. PDT July 27, 2018)
CAL FIRE, the National Park Service, and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office announced at 7:15 a.m. Friday July 27 that a second firefighter has died on the Carr Fire near Redding California. Pending notification of next of kin, they have not released the person’s name, only that the firefighter worked for the Redding Fire Department.
Earlier Friday morning CAL FIRE reported that a contractor operating a dozer had been killed.
An update at 8:10 a.m Friday from CAL FIRE included the information that the Carr Fire has destroyed 65 structures, but did not indicate whether any of them were residences. The agency is now calling it 44,450 acres, up from the 28,000 figure released Thursday night.
The weather forecast for the northwest side of Redding for Friday calls for 102 degrees, heat index of 108, single-digit relative humidity, and variable winds 3 to 13 mph. Similar conditions are expected through Monday. The lack of strong winds and zero chance of thunderstorms is good news for firefighters, but the heat and low relative humidity will continue to be a problem. A Red Flag Warning is in effect Friday for the fire area.
The two fires are burning southeast of Hemet, California
(UPDATED at 5:20 a.m. PDT July 27, 2018)
Below is an updated map of the Cranston Fire, showing data collected at 10:49 PDT July 26. Click on the image to see a larger version.
Map of the Cranston Fire, showing data collected at 10:49 PDT July 26. Click on the image to see a larger version. Product of the Incident Management Team.
(UPDATED at 4:03 p.m. PDT July 26, 2018)
The view of the Cranston and Ribbon Fires, from High Point at 3:29 p.m. PDT July 26, 2018.
Now instead of one huge convection column of smoke on the San Bernardino National Forest southeast of Hemet, California there are two. The second fire, named Ribbon, was discovered around mid-day Thursday. Air tankers were sent to the new fire to hopefully knock it down and keep it from becoming a second major fire. Firefighters on the ground and in the air did slow it down, but priorities on the Cranston Fire and a shortage of lead planes and air tankers resulted some aircraft moving to the Cranston Fire. The Ribbon Fire later picked up in intensity and developed a large smoke column 10 miles southeast of the Cranston Fire. The Ribbon Fire is northwest of the small community of Ribbonwood off Highway 74.
Late Thursday afternoon a spokesperson for the San Bernardino National Forest said the Cranston Fire has burned approximately 7,500 acres.
#RibbonFire – VLATs are being redirected back to the #CranstonFire, the Ribbon incident will get some back when a new lead plane comes over the area, which is in approx 3 hours.
Map showing the location of the Cranston and Ribbon Fires. The dots represent heat detected by a satellite as late as 3:51 p.m. PDT July 26, 2018. Click to enlarge.
Firefighters on the Cranston Fire Thursday afternoon were very concerned about the convection column collapsing, which would create a powerful downdraft, possibly resulting in a dramatic and sudden change of wind direction — a very dangerous situation, pushing the fire in new directions. Supervisors were warned to maintain close accountability of their personnel and to be prepared to withdraw on very short notice. Firefighters 10 miles away on the Ribbon Fire might even be affected by the collapse of the large column. Continue reading “New fire starts 10 miles away from the Cranston Fire”
The fire is threatening the community of Idyllwild
Above: 3-D map view of the Cranston Fire. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:10 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018.
(Originally published at 7 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018)
Within of about two hours of the Cranston Fire starting at noon today 8 miles east of Hemet, California, it had already burned two thousand acres and had developed a huge smoke column topped by a pyrocumulus cloud.
The fire is burning close to the mountain community of Idyllwild, which has been ordered to evacuate along with Pine Grove, Fern Valley, and portions of Mountain Center.
Highway 74 is closed from the city of Hemet to Lake Hemet.
At 6:30 PDT fire officials estimated it had burned approximately 3,000 acres, but getting a good estimate is difficult with the rapid spread of the fire and the enormous amount of smoke being generated.
Map of the Cranston Fire. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:10 p.m. PDT July 25, 2018.
There are reports that multiple fires were set today in this general area. One arson suspect was apprehended in Hemet.
Satellite photo of Southern California, showing the Cranston Fire, July 25, 2018.
According to KSOX radar the #CranstonFire‘s pyrocumulus cloud has been fluctuating between 30-48 thousand feet producing dozens of lightning strikes and extremely dangerous firefighting conditions for those battling the fire @EPN473 @Weather_West @engineco16 #CAwx#CAwildfirespic.twitter.com/fhBSi4x9Qh
Bear Divide Hot Shots on the Ferguson Fire. Kari Greer photo taken around July 23, 2018.
One of the primary factors affecting the spread of the Ferguson Fire west of Yosemite National Park in California is the weather — specifically, the inversions that have been trapping the smoke and partially blocking the sun. Since the fire started July 13 these inversions have been a frequent occurrence. They usually break up in the afternoon, allowing the intensity and rate of spread of the fire to increase. On Tuesday this weather phenomenon again kept the fire from making any big runs, allowing only another 1,693 acres to burn, bringing the total up to 37,795 acres.
While following a lead plane, Tanker 118, an HC-130H, begins a retardant drop on the Ferguson Fire. Kari Greer photo taken around July 23, 2018.
Information from the Incident Management Team Tuesday night:
“North of the Merced River on the Stanislaus National Forest, firefighters constructed indirect containment lines up Soapstone Ridge, opening old roads near the burn scar of the 2013 Rim Fire. Crews strengthened and improved containment lines east toward Eagle Peak and down to El Portal.
“Along the eastern edge of the fire, crews were successful initiating strategic firing operations to remove unburned vegetation between containment lines and the fire. Crews also evaluated structures for defensible space.
“South of the Merced River on the Sierra National Forest, containment lines were secured from Jerseydale across to Wawona Campground. Crews will continue planning strategic firing operations to help build a wider buffer to stop the fire’s spread.
“Yosemite National Park closure: Yosemite National Park officials announced closures to the Yosemite Valley and Wawona areas, as well as the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, effective noon on Wednesday, July 25. ”
Sierra Hot Shots on the Ferguson Fire. Kari Greer photo taken around July 23, 2018.
