CA Wildfires Latest: Mechanic Assigned To Carr Fire Dies

TEHAMA COUNTY, CA — A Cal Fire heavy equipment mechanic assigned to fight the Carr Fire died early Thursday morning in a "traffic accident" on Highway 99, Cal Fire said in a news release. The fatality on Thursday brings the death toll from the fire to eight.

The deadly fire that broke out July 23 has charred 177,450 acres and destroyed over a thousand homes along with other structures. As of Thursday, the fire was less than 50 percent contained.

On Saturday, a Pacific Gas and Electric employee was killed in a crash in a vehicle-related accident Saturday on the western edge of the Carr Fire in Shasta County, utility spokeswoman Melissa Subbotin said. Jairus Ayeta, who was in his 20s, worked as an apprentice lineman and was part of a PG&E crew working in "dangerous terrain" to restore power, she said.

A privately hired bulldozer operator, a firefighter with the city of Redding and four residents, including two children, were also killed in the fire. The dozer operator was identified as 81-year-0ld Don Ray Smith, according to The Record Searchlight. The firefighter was identified as Jeremy Stoke.

It's unclear when the fire will be contained.

In a Thursday morning update, Cal Fire said the blaze is burning in steep an inaccessible terrain and there remains a potential for the fire to grow. The fire started with sparks from the steel wheel of a towed-trailer's flat tire.

More than 13,000 firefighters from across the country and as far away as Australia are battling 12 wildfires in the Golden State. A Red Flag Warning is in effect of many parts of northern California, including portions of the Carr Fire and Mendocino Complex, through Saturday night and smoke advisories have been issued due to poor air quality in many California counties. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

Here are some of the wildfires burning in California:

Carr Fire, Shasta County
Whiskeytown & Redding
• 177,450 acres, 48% contained
• Evacuations and road closures in place
• 1,300 residents evacuated
• 1,077 residences destroyed, 191 residences damaged
• Carr is the 6th most destructive fire, 13th most deadly and is now 12thlargest fire in state history
• CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 1 (Gouvea) in unified command withCity of Redding FD (Kreider) USFS (Pechota)

Mendocino Complex, Mendocino/Lake County
• 304,402 total acres, 51% contained
• 119 residences destroyed, 12 residences damaged
• 2,000 residents under evacuation orders
• The Mendocino Complex fire is the largest wildfire in state history
• CAL FIRE Incident Management Team 2

River Fire
Hopland
• 48,920 acres, 84% contained

Ranch Fire
Ukiah
• 255,482 acres, 48% contained
• Evacuations and road closures in place

Holy Fire, Orange County
Holy Jim Canyon, Cleveland National Forest
• 9,614 acres, 5% contained
• Structures threatened

Bridge Fire, Marin County
Olema
• 45 acres, 80% contained

Murphy Fire, Plumas County
Belden
• 117 acres brush, timber, 0% contained

Ferguson Fire, Mariposa County
Yosemite National Park
• 95,104 acres, 79% contained
• Evacuations and road closures remain in effect
• CA Fed IMT-3 (von Tillow) in command

Cranston Fire, Riverside County
Hemet
• 13,139 acres, 96% contained

Donnell Fire, Tuolumne County
Near Hwy 108, Donnell Lake area
• 21,097 acres, 6% contained

Georges Fire, Inyo County
Lone Pine
• 2,883 acres, 70% contained

Valley Fire, San Bernardino County
Yucaipa
• 1,350 acres, 56% contained

Natchez Fire, Del Norte County
Southeast of Cave Junction, OR
• 11,338 acres, 50% contained

See Also:

• 26 Incredible Images Of The Holy Fire As Seen From SWR

Reporting from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Patch Editor Autumn Johnson contributed to this report.

Photo by Terray Sylvester/Getty Images News/Getty Images