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A pair of fires that caused evacuation orders for nearly 20,000 people were Monday directed to small lakeside towns in northern California, and authorities questioned how quickly which they warned against the most deadly fires. Bledsoe told CBS News that he had received no warning to evacuate his home in the town of Redding before the end of the flames last week and killed his wife, Melody, and his great-grandchildren. children, James Roberts, 5 years old. -old Emily Roberts.
"If I had any warning, I would never have left my family in this house," says Bledsoe.
Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko told the network that there was an inquiry into whether Bledsoe's house received a warning or a knock on the door. The sheriff cited evidence that door-to-door notifications were made in the area. Bosenko did not return a message from the Associated Press on Monday.
The conflict came as authorities ordered evacuations around the twin fires in Mendocino and Lake counties, including the town of Lakeport, a popular destination for bassists. and boaters on the shores of Clear Lake, about 120 miles north of San Francisco. The fires destroyed seven houses and threatened another 10,000. Up to now, the flames have blackened more than 68,000 acres – well over 100 square miles – with minimal containment.
In the early evening, the city of Lakeport seemed completely deserted, while some embers, ashes and smoke swirled through vineyards where at least one house had gone into flames. Firefighters set fire to the hillsides to burn dry scrub before the flames reached the top of the ridges and could feed and hit the slopes. A flotilla of planes continually makes water and flames delaying the fire.
These fires were part of the 17 fires throughout the state, where firefighter crews were extended at their limit.
"We have experienced fires in the last four years, Corey Paulich of Lake County Sheriff said:
Derick Hughes II did not heed the order and stayed on his property at Nice, Calif., Where he threw sprinklers on his roof and removed garden plants that could catch fire
The 32-year-old Marine Corps veteran sent his wife and two daughters to safety with three personal belongings wagons … had too much to come into play. He bought his three-bedroom home "
" That's all I've found, and I've worked very hard to get where I am, and I do not want to give up so easily, "he said on the phone. "Some people may think that it's selfish on my part and I have insurance, but I would not do it again."
Hughes said five of his neighbors had disobeyed the alert evacuation they had received Sunday evening. Further north, police said five people had been arrested because they were suspected of having entered evacuated areas due to explosive forest fires around Redding.
This fire is now considered to be the ninth of the deadliest destructions. Scott McLean, spokesman for the Ministry of Forests and Fire Protection, said: "The fire that killed two firefighters and four civilians, including two children, destroyed 818 homes and 311 outbuildings and damaged 165 homes, "said McLean. 19659002] More than 27,000 people remained evacuated from their homes, but 10,000 more were allowed to return Monday as fire crews tightened their lines at the western end of the fire
. They could make progress containing the fire, which was contained at 23 percent.
The northwestern end of the fire continues to be active
"It continues to fight," said McLean. Redding – a city of about 92,000 – was burned by a vehicle problem a week ago about 10 miles west of the city. On Thursday, he swept the historic town of the nearby Shasta and Keswick gold rush, fueled by gusty winds and dry vegetation. He then skipped the Sacramento River and took subdivisions on the western edge of Redding.
"We did not expect to go that far," said CalFire spokesman Scott Mclean
. According to him, [traduction]
M. Bledsoe said that he did not know his home was in danger when he left his wife and great-grandchildren for a run Thursday. . He said that he had received a phone call from his wife 15 minutes after his departure saying that he had to go home because the fire was approaching. He said that one of the children told him that the fire was at the back door. When he tried to return, the road was blocked and the flames prevented him from returning on foot
The sheriff said the fire was moving fast, but the authorities still alerted the residents in various ways, especially by going door to door.
Authorities also use electronic alert systems, including an emergency alert system repeated by local media and an automated call system that can target phones in an area. geographical area. Another method known as the Integrated Alert and Public Alert System can be directed to any cell phone within reach of a particular transmission tower, said Sherry Bartolo , Operations Manager, Shasta County Dispatch Center. She said the dispatch center broadcast more than 18 emergency alerts between Thursday night and noon Friday, Bartolo said
. The center usually has eight dispatchers on duty, but Thursday night there were at least 12, with four supervisors and three managers working all night, she said.
Thanawala brought back from San Francisco. Lorin Eleni Gill and Olga Rodriguez, editors of the Associated Press, also contributed to this report.
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