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Thousands more fled their homes after an outbreak of fire near a small lakeside town in northern California, while a deadly outbreak further north was slowing slightly, while the flames were going to kill firefighters and civilians. 19659002] Residents of the lakeshore town of Lakeport fled Sunday after a major spurt of two fires that, combined in Mendocino and Lake counties, destroyed at least four houses. Lakeport, which has a population of about 5,000, is about 120 miles north of San Francisco.
More than 4,500 buildings were threatened, officials said. Both lights had blackened 47 square miles, with minimal containment.
About 100 miles northeast, the authorities near Redding struck a hope for the first time in a few days as a massive fire slowed down after days of explosive growth. "We are feeling a lot more upbeat now because we are starting to gain ground rather than being in defensive mode on this fire all the time," said Bret Gouvea, the incident commander for the Ministry of Forests. and Fire Protection in California. Redding, a city about 230 miles north of San Francisco.
County Sheriff Tom Bosenko said the authorities had found a sixth fire victim in a house devoured by the flames, although he refused to say where. The identity of the victim has not been revealed.
The sheriff's department is also investigating seven reports of missing persons, Bosenko said. Redding police also reported 11 cases of missing persons, although many of them simply could not sign up with their friends or family, said police sergeant Redding. Todd Cogle.
The so-called Carr fire that affected Redding – a city of about 92,000 people – was ignited by a vehicle problem Monday about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the city. The historic town of Shasta and the nearby town of Keswick, fed by wind gusts and dry vegetation, jumped on the Sacramento River and took subdivisions at the western end of Redding
Roger Moore, Chief of the Redding Police. He was finally able to shave on Saturday when his wife brought him a razor, he said.
Moore was helping evacuate people from his River Ridge neighborhood in the flames became unbearable. [19659002] "I saw everything around him ignite, and I'm going to," he went away, "Moore said.
At least one person was arrested because she was suspected of stealing evacuated homes and the authorities were monitoring other potential looters. MP Travis Ridenour, whose house also burned.
"Lost our house like so many others," writes Ridenour on Facebook. "Still watching those who are still standing, no looting on my watch."
The latest count shows that at least 657 houses were destroyed and another 145 damaged, the fire having consumed 149 square miles
. In the vicinity of Redding, firefighters were more and more confident that the city would escape further damage. The fire had not increased within the city limits since Saturday, Gouvea said.
Some of the 38,000 people forced to evacuate were frustrated because they did not know if their homes were standing up or being destroyed. Authorities did not reopen evacuated neighborhoods where fires raged because of security and ongoing investigations and urged people to be patient in saying that they would soon be leaving their inhabitants. to check out the Redding House that he built for his wife and two sons 13 years ago. He found rubble.
"There is not even anything to pick up," he said. "He is completely gone."
Keswick, a mountain town of about 450 people, was reduced to an ashy lunar landscape of blackened trees and smoking rubble.
The land surrounding Whiskeytown Lake clear water – was burned, burned or apparently about to burn on Sunday. A heavy mist hung over the water, where some of the moored boats had melted. Firefighters and repair crews were moving along the road, while California Transportation Department tankers were spraying roadside in the hope of avoiding forest fires that could cost several millions of dollars.
»[traduction]" My babies are dead, "said Sherry Bledsoe after tears after he and her family met with Sheriffs on Saturday.
Her two children, five years old … The old James Roberts and Emily Roberts, 4, were stuck with their great-grandmother, Melody Bledsoe, 70, when the flames swept the rural property of the family Thursday in the suburb of Redding
. identified, did not evacuate despite the receipt of an evacuation warning, said Bosenko.
It is the largest fire burning in California, threatening more than 5,000 structures. Gouvea said that he was expecting this number to climb.
Firefighters killed in the fire included Don Ray Smith, 81, of Pollock Pines, a bulldozer operator who helped clear vegetation on the way to the forest fire. Jeremy Stoke, Redding Fire Inspector, was also killed, but details of his death were not disclosed.
The fire around Redding was one of 17 fires in the state Sunday, said Lynne Tolmachoff, Cal Fire spokesperson
About 12,000 firefighters were fighting fires, says she.
Meanwhile, officials said that a second firefighter died fighting a huge fire south near Yosemite National Park. Brian Hughes, 33, was hit by a tree and killed while he was working as part of the scrub and other fuel removal near Ferguson Fire front lines, said National Park officials. Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots of California for four years and reached the rank of captain. Earlier this month, firefighter Braden Varney was killed when the bulldozer that he was operating spilled while he was fighting the flames near the national park. At least seven other firefighters have been injured since the fire that erupted on July 13th.
Some evacuations were lifted, but authorities said the Yosemite Valley, the heart of tourism in the park, would remain closed until August 3.
Fire continued to burn in the San Jacinto Mountains in east Los Angeles near Palm Springs, but authorities issued evacuation orders for several communities after reporting significant progress by firefighters
. Associated Press editors Martha Mendoza in Redding and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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