REDDING, Calif. (AP) – There are only a handful of houses in the small community of Keswick, northern California
The air chokes with the smell of smoke and chemicals, burning what's left of people's lives. The so-called Carr Fire roars in Shasta County, eating houses so well, that it's hard to say how many were once in the ruins.
Somewhere in the ashes was the home of Shyla and Jason Campbell. leveled by the Carr Fire line the Lake Keswick Estates area of Redding, California on Friday, July 28, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger) ” class=”blkBorder img-share” />
Homes leveled by the Carr Fire line in the Lake Keswick Estates area of Redding, California on Friday, July 28, 2018. (AP Photo Noah Berger)
Jason, a firefighter, was six hours away from home and his family, fighting a forest fire near the Yosemite Valley when Carr Fire moved in.
Shyla, 32, said it was almost Thursday. when she received an official alert to evacuate.
"It's big flames, it goes up the hill, and everyone is outside and we look at it, then go down, and everyone says," Oh, that's coming out, "she said. "And I say to myself," No, it's going down the mountain and it's going to go up the next ridge. ""
She was right
The family spent the night in a hotel When Jason Campbell came back Friday, he found that their five-year-old house was gone, as well as an RV and a boat.
Officials claim that at least 500 structures were destroyed by the Carr Fire, which also swept the Shasta Gold Rush Historic City and struck homes in Redding, a city of 92,000 inhabitants located about 100 miles south of the Oregon border
"It's hard", Said Shyla Campbell Friday while she was in the town of Shasta Lake. "I just have to figure out where we're going to stay, we're just trying to stay and away from the fire. "
About 37,000 people remained under evacuation orders while the wreckage was brewing. Nearly 5,000 other homes were threatened by the 75 square kilometer fire, which was only 5%.
Thousands of people escaped amid the embers, before the flames descended from the wooded hills in their neighborhoods on Thursday. At least two fiery tornadoes have flipped trees, shaken firefighting equipment and broken truck windows, "all in its path," said Scott McLean, a spokesman for Cal Fire, who said: 39, a state agency responsible for fighting forest fires. quickly that firefighters who were working in conditions similar to those of an oven and in conditions of bone dryness had to give up their efforts to fight the fire at some point in order to help people to s & # 39; escape. Two firefighters were killed: Redding fire inspector Jeremy Stoke and a bulldozer operator whose name was not immediately released. He was the second largest bulldozer operator in California in less than two weeks
Elsewhere in California, major fires continued to burn outside Yosemite National Park and in the San Jacinto Mountains at East of Los Angeles near Palm Springs. Nationally, 89 large active fires consumed nearly 930,000 acres in 14 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. So far this year, nearly 37,000 forest fires have burned more than 4.25 million acres.
Residents who were gathering hastily described a chaotic and cluttered escape as sparks flew and fire spread across the wide Sacramento River. Redding's chief of police, Roger Moore, was among those who lost their homes, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Greg and Terri Hill evacuated their 18-year-old Redding home on Thursday night with a little more than their drugs, photo albums, clothes and guns. Assuming that they would be back home in a few days.
When they came back on Friday, there was almost nothing left but fine particles of ashes. It was so hot that they could not cross it to see if anything survived.
"It's quite moving," Terri Hill said. "I know it's just stuff, a lot of memories, but we'll make new memories and new things, everyone is safe."
The hills fled before they were told, knowing that the danger was rising
Liz Williams took two children in her car and found herself stuck in a traffic as far as the eye could see with neighbors trying to flee Redding Estates Lake.
She finally jumped on the sidewalk. "I have never experienced something so terrifying of my life," she said. "I did not know if the fire would just jump behind a bush and grab me and suck me off."
Firefighters warned that the fire was likely to burn more deeply in urban areas before there was any hope of containing it. Until now, Carr's fire has changed direction or was stopped before it burns in downtown Redding.
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Gill reported from San Francisco. Editors of Associated Press Noah Berger in Redding; Olga Rodriguez and Janie Har in San Francisco; Don Thompson in Sacramento; Amanda Lee Myers, Brian Melley and John Antczak in Los Angeles; and Alina Hartounian in Phoenix also contributed to this report.
Mark Peterson, who lost his home in the Carr Fire, gives water to the goats who survived the fire on Friday, July 28, 2018 in Redding, Ontario. California, Peterson. (Photo AP / Noah Berger)
Gavin Graham surveys the leveled houses of the Carr Fire in the Lake Keswick Estates area of Redding, California on Friday, July 28, 2018. (Photo AP / Noah Berger)
A Volkswagen ladybug burned by a fire called Carr Fire rests in a residence in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. The wildfire roared with little warning in The city of Northern California Thousands of people rushed to escape before the walls of flames descended from the forested hills to their neighborhoods, officials said Friday. (Photo AP / Noah Berger)
The flames of the Carr Fire licks over # A Cal Fire truck in Whiskeytown, Calif., Friday, July 27, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
On Friday, July 27, 2018, a boat burned by the flames of Carr Fire floats on Whiskeytown Lake in Whiskeytown, California. The flames moved so quickly that firefighters The harsh conditions had to give up efforts to fight the fire at one point in order to help people escape. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
The cars burned by the fire of Carr Fire in a residence in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. The fire quickly spread on Thursday when erratic flames swept away the historic city of Gold Rush. Shasta and Keswick nearby, then threw the Sacramento River in an orange glow as they jumped the banks into Redding. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
Greg and Terri Hill embrace the charred remains of their home in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. The couple's home was destroyed by the so-called Carr Fire. (Photo AP / Jonathan Cooper)
Carr's fire burns along Highway 299 in Shasta, California on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
A woman, who refused to give her name, investigates the damage to her grandmother's house after Carr's fire burned in Redding, California on Friday. July 2018. Officials say Forest fires in the town of Redding and surrounding areas are developing rapidly in hot temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions. (Photo AP / Noah Berger)
Carr Fire sends a plume of smoke into the sky over Whiskeytown , California, Friday, July 27, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
The historic Pioneer Baby's Grave sits among the trees burned by the Carr Fire in Shasta, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. The fire is quickly expanded Thursday when erratic flames swept the historic gold. Travel to the city of Shasta and surrounding Keswick, then launch the Sacramento River in an orange glow by jumping on the banks of Redding. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
Firefighters discuss plans during the fight against Carr's fire in Shasta, California on Thursday, July 26, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
A couple, who refused to give their name, passes houses leveled by Carr's fire in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. Officials say the forest fire extremely erratic in and around The city of Redding is growing rapidly in a climate of heat, low humidity and wind. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
A structure burns while the Carr Fire runs along Route 299 near from Redding, California. July 26, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
This Thursday, June 26, 2018, photo published by Casey Lansdon showing Fire Redding's Inspector Jeremy Stoke in Redding, California. A forest fire rumbled with little warning in the northern California city as thousands escaped before the walls of flames descended from forested hills in their neighborhoods, officials said. Friday. Stoke was killed in the fire. (Casey Lansdon via AP)
A firefighter walks past a house destroyed by Carr's fire on Sunriver Lane in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. A spokesperson says the number of homes and structures Forest fires in northern California increased after the fire exploded overnight. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
On Friday, July 27, 2018, a boat burned by the tank of fire floats on Whiskeytown Lake, in Whiskeytown, California. The fire quickly spread on Thursday as erratic flames swept the historic city of Shasta. Keswick, then toss the Sacra (Photo Noah Berger)
The flames of the Carr Fire lick over a Cal Fire truck in Whiskeytown, CA on Friday, July 27, 2018. The flames moved so fast that the firefighters Difficult conditions have had to drop efforts to fight the fire at some point to help people escape. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
A firefighter sprays water on a house leveled by Carr fire on Sunriver Lane in Redding, California on Friday, July 27, 2018. A spokesman says the number of homes and structures the northern California wildfires rose after the fire blaze overnight. (Photo AP / Noah Berger)
Carr Fire sends a plume of smoke into the sky over Whiskeytown, California, Friday, July 27, 2018. (AP Photo / Noah Berger)
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