Carr Fire: 5 Dead, 80,000 Acres Burned, 500 Structures Destroyed

SHASTA COUNTY, CA -- A fast-moving wildfire that erupted five days ago in Shasta County ballooned to double its size in less than 24 hours and any hope that weather would help firefighters gain control of the blaze were diminished with Sunday's forecast, which called for continued triple-digit temperatures and wickedly gusting winds.

By Saturday evening, the fire claimed five lives, destroyed more than 500 structures and burned through more than 80,000 acres of land, spreading into populated neighborhoods.

Another 5,000 structures remain threatened as 3,400 personnel work to contain the massive blaze.

Authorities had announced earlier in the week that two firefighters had been killed battling the Carr Fire. Saturday came the grim news that a woman and two great-grandchildren were killed when flames trapped them in their house and then engulfed it.

The woman was identified as Melody Bledsoe and the great-grandchildren as James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4. The woman had called her husband, Ed Bledsoe, who confirmed the deaths to the media, as the flames began licking their home, screaming for him to come home.

The children were "screaming for their lives," Jason Decker, a friend of the family, told the paper. "The kids were saying: 'Papa, papa, come home! The fire's at the back door.'"

The fire erupted Monday afternoon near the intersection of Highway 299 and Carr Powerhouse Road in Whiskeytown, prompting the evacuations of thousands of residents, officials said.

Evacuations were ordered for the following locations:

• Community of French Gulch
• SR 299 west of Trinity Mountain Rd to the base of Buckhorn Summit
• Whiskey Creek Rd to include the boat launch/day use areas
• South along Swasey Dr from SR299 to Placer Rd West along Placer Rd from Swasey Dr to Prospect Dr
• North from Prospect Dr to encompass Middle Park Ranch Land Area
• West of Overhill Dr and North of SR 299
• North of SR 299 and West of Spinmaker Rd to the end of Harlan Dr
• Keswick Dam East to Counter Lane, North to quartz Hill RdNorth of Sacramento River to Keswick Dam Rd, West of Market Street and Lake Blvd to Keswick Dam
• North at Lake Blvd and Oasis Rd to Pine Grove Ave and Walker Mine Rd west of Cascade Rd/ I-5Pine Grove Ave North on Lake Blvd to Shasta Dam incorporating Summit City, North Belt Line and Flannigan Rd
• Intersection of Placer Rd and Buenaventura Blvd west to Thompson Lane
• Buenaventura Blvd from Placer Rd to Westside Rd
• Westside Rd to Keyon Drive incorporating Country Heights and West Redding neighborhood
• Buenaventura Blvd to SR 299 to Placer Rd
• Placer Road from Buenaventura Blvd to Cloverdale Rd
• Cloverdale Rd from Placer Rd to Clear Creek Rd
• Clear Creek Rd West from Cloverdale Rd to Honey Bee Rd
• Shasta Dam Visitor CenterAll of Shasta Dam Blvd
• All of Shasta Lake City
• Placer Rd from the Clear Creek Bridge to Clear Creek Rd
• Placer Rd at Platina Rd to Buell Rd which includes South Fork Rd, Zogg Mine Road, Jenny Bird Lane, Horse Canyon Rd and all residents West of Platina Rd between Placer Rd and Buell Rd
• All areas on South Fork Road from Zogg Mine Rd to South Fork Road to include the areas of Bender Rd, Serenity Dr and Serenit Way

Residents located east of Trinity Mountain Road use evacuation center located at Shasta College 11555 Old Oregon Trail in Redding. Residents located west of Trinity Mountain Road use evacuation center located at Weaverville Elementary School 31020 HWY 3 in Weaverville.

For information on evacuation notifications visit http://www.shascom911.com

--Photo courtesy of CalFire