REDDING, California – An uncontrolled fire in northern California destroyed 500 structures and increased to more than of 75 square miles, authorities said Friday night.

Another 5,000 structures are threatened by fire in and around Redding, said the California Department of Forests and Fire Protection. Friday night, the fire was contained at 5%

Cal Fire said the number of damaged and destroyed structures could change.

Warm, dry weather is expected during the weekend with temperatures well above 100 degrees. Winds, high temperatures and dry vegetation can fuel the growth of fire, said Cal Fire officials (19659010). An apparent "tornado" uprooted trees and damaged roads as teams worked to control a deadly fire. massive evacuations in this northern California city.

The fire has already killed two people and wounded three others.

"We see, literally almost what can be described as a tornado that occurred yesterday during this fire," said Ken Pimlott, Cal's fire chief at a press conference on Friday. "The fire was whipped in a whirlwind of activity."

He said that the tornado activity caused the trees to overturn and the vehicles moving. He damaged the roads and made firefighters work even harder.

He said that many workers have lost their homes or have families who lost their homes in the fire, but who still managed to make "Herculean" efforts to "pull people from danger ".

Two people were killed fighting the wind blast after jumping the Sacramento River and roaring at Redding. Jeremy Stoke, fire inspector for the Redding Fire Department, said, "We are asking for your thoughts and prayers for his family and the WDN as we deal with this tragic loss," the ministry said on his Twitter account.

A private bulldozer operator also died fighting to contain the fire. At least three firefighters were injured.

"This fire is moving at such a speed and intensity that it is moving faster than we can," said Cal Fire spokesman Jonathan Cox. Cox said the firefighting agencies were in "evacuation and rescue mode."

The inhabitants of Shasta Lake, a town of 10,000 people north of Redding, were given the "fire and rescue" status. order to evacuate overnight with little warning as the fire destroyed homes in the communities of Shasta, Keswick and the west side of Redding, a town of about 92,000 people.

At one point, as the fire was brewing in Redding on Thursday night, TV presenters providing live coverage on KRCR-TV had to abandon their studios because of the threat. tell the viewers. "We will leave the station because it's dangerous to be here."

At least 65 structures have been destroyed, according to Cal Fire, but nearly 5,000 are in danger.

It is believed that the fire began Monday in the hamlet of French Gulch, in the era of the rush of gold, after a vehicle problem had ignited the fire Monday. Driven by the strong winds, it exploded Thursday night and continued its rapid march to densely populated areas.

Whiskeytown, a once vibrant and bustling mining community south of French Gulch, was destroyed when the fire hit Redding. A National Park official said the employees were working feverishly to save historic artifacts from a museum of the time of the Northern California Gold Rush

Scott McLean, door -Fire Cal Fire Fire Teams

Shasta County Fire Chief Mike Hebrard said the fire was driven by the wind from the coast

"What we have is a condition here where it is 110 degrees in the valley , it is 60 degrees on the coast, the warm air rises, the air is sucked and it is the winds that blow from 7 to 8 hours every night. [traduction]

Driven by the strong winds, the fire managed to cross the Sacramento River late Thursday, which, along with the Keswick Dam to the north, typically provides a 15-mile long water barrier. at the Shasta Dam.

In the west of Reddin g, who caught the first flames when the fire moved to the east, residents who had not received orders The evacuation was caught off guard and had to run away without warning, causing traffic jams of several kilometers as the flames turned orange.

In North Redding, the traffic lights were off and the road patrol was in place to prevent anyone from driving in town.

The Governor of California, Jerry Brown, declared the state of emergency for Shasta County

The weather will continue to be a challenge for firefighters all weekend.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning on Thursday as the temperature reached a hot, sticky and smoky 112 degrees. The summit was to reach 110 Friday and 109 Sunday.

Authorities urged residents to evacuate clothing, important documents, medicines, mobile phone chargers and other equipment on order and to pack. Prepare to be away from home for two to three days, said Shasta County Sheriff Tom Bosenko

"People who refuse to evacuate do not just put their family and themselves into

Sharon Stapleton, 71, of Shasta, says that she and her husband, Ken, were woken around 3 am by police officers who came to their door to tell them to d & # 39;

"We did not think about it," adding that she and her husband were quickly loading their jeep and motorhome with what they could find.

"J & I grabbed a pillow, two t-shirts, pants, shoes, my purse and a few.It also took their two dogs, Lilly and Allie, as well as dog food and a little

Meanwhile, Oak Bottom Marina on Whiskeytown Lake was destroyed. only buildings left standing are the fire station and some toilets, "said Hebrard. "The concessions are burned."

About 40 boats from the marina were destroyed, he said. Others were released from their moorings and drifted off the lake

Elsewhere:

• A forest fire in the San Jacinto Mountains of Southern California has increased to 18 square miles. Authorities said only 3% of the perimeter of the fire was contained Friday morning. The fire was allegedly intentionally erected on Wednesday and quickly spread through the woods and brush near Idyllwild town and other communities about 100 miles from Los Angeles. More than 4,900 structures are under threat and approximately 6,000 people have been evacuated.

• In Sierra Nevada, Ferguson's fire continues to grow just outside Yosemite National Park. Authorities say it's now close to 72 square miles, but containment has increased to 29 percent. The Yosemite Valley and the Wawona and Mariposa Grove areas of the National Park remain closed.

Jenny Espino and Jim Schultz report on Redlight (Calif.) Record Searchlight; Stanglin reports from McLean, Virginia; Contributed by: Associated Press

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