Firefighters are battling 17 wildfires across the state, which have consumed more than 200,000 acres combined in terrain stretching from Southern California to the Oregon border
Authorities on Monday were hoping that a slight break in the heat this week could help them gain control of a number of wildfires that have so far scorched more than 200,000 acres and killed eight people across California.
The Carr fire, which erupted in Shasta County a week ago and spread into the city of Redding, grew to 103,772 acres and was 23% contained as of Monday evening. The fire has destroyed more than 1,000 structures and claimed six lives, including a fire inspector, a bulldozer operator, a great-grandmother and her two great-grandchildren. Two other deaths have been attributed to the Ferguson fire near Yosemite.
“The terrain is just awful and difficult to access, it’s just inaccessible in a lot of areas,” Dominic Polito, a spokesman for fire authorities, said of the Carr fire. “If you were to walk up it, you’d be looking at your knee on every step.”
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The focus Monday will be to prevent the fire from spreading farther into Trinity County, Polito said.
“Firefighters worked through the night to build control lines. Today crews will work to mitigate potential spot fires as shifting winds, dry fuels and steep drainages exist below control lines,” according to an incident report on the Carr fire.
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Some evacuations were lifted in Redding on Monday morning, but mandatory evacuations remained in place in Shasta and Trinity counties, and authorities are warning people to stay away from blocked off areas. In Redding, law enforcement agencies patrolled the 17 square miles that were vacant over the weekend and arrested two men Sunday night on charges of unauthorized entry into an enclosed area, according to Redding police.
Authorities also arrested two other people Sunday afternoon in Shasta County on suspicion of looting, after deputies found that the front door to a home had been forced open in an evacuated area, and electronic items were stacked by the door, according to a Shasta County sheriff’s statement.
Cattle graze on the grassland near the Ranch fire outside of Lodoga.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A man fishes in Clear Lake as the smoky haze shrouds visibility in Clearlake Oaks.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A plume of smoke rises from the Mendocino Complex fire near Lodoga. The Mendocino Complex Fire, which is made up of the River Fire and Ranch Fire, has surpassed the Thomas Fire to become the largest wildfire in California state history with over 300,000 acres charred.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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Firefighters battling the Mendocino Complex blaze monitor a burn operation on top of a ridge near the town of Ladoga on Aug. 7.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Crews battling the Mendocino Complex fire supervise a burn operation near the town of Ladoga on Aug. 7.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters keep an eye on a burn operation as part of the battle against the Mendocino Complex blaze on Aug. 7.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Arnold Lasker looks over the remains of his girlfriend’s house in Spring Valley, near Clearlake Oaks, on Aug. 7.
(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
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Evacuated during the Ranch fire, Jay Michael and Gretchen Fritsch rest in their car in the parking lot of the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks on Aug. 7. This is the eighth time they have been evacuated since living in the area, and the third time this year.
(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
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Burned out cars sit in the remains of a home that was destroyed by the Medocino Complex fire in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A sign warns people to stay out of a burned area in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Helicopters enroute to pick up water at the Mendocino Complex fire in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A Buddha statue is seen at a burned home in Spring Valley, near Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
(JOSH EDELSON / AFP/Getty Images)
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Image taken from the International Space Station shows the wildfires burning in Calif. In the upper left portion of the image is the Carr and Mendocino Complex fires and to the right is the Ferguson fire. (ALEXANDER GERST / AFP/Getty Images)
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Resident Lane Lawder carries a water bucket while fighting to save his home from the Ranch fire burning along New Long Valley Road near Clearlake Oaks.
(Noah Berger / AFP/Getty Images)
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A tree burns from the inside during the Ranch fire in Clearlake Oaks.
(Josh Edelson / Associated Press)
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An air tanker drops retardant on the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire, burning along High Valley Rd near Clearlake Oaks.
(Noah Berger / AFP/Getty Images)
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A fire truck passes a vineyard while battling the Ranch Fire, part of the Mendocino Complex Fire, near Clearlake Oaks.
(NOAH BERGER / AFP/Getty Images)
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A hillside smolders after flames passed through during the Ranch fire in Clearlake Oaks.
(Josh Edelson / Associated Press)
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The Ranch fire burns a home on New Long Valley Road near Clearlake Oaks on Saturday.
(Noah Berger / AFP/Getty Images)
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A firefighter gathers water from a pool while battling the Ranch Fire near Clearlake Oaks on Saturday.
(Noah Berger / AFP/Getty Images)
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A deer flees as the Ranch fire tears down New Long Valley Road near Clearlake Oaks on Saturday.
(Noah Berger / AFP/Getty Images)
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Dan Kissick, 60, left, shown with his son Jeff Kissick, searches the remains of his home on Kellinger Street on Saturday after the Carr fire hit Redding.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Maureen Kissick examines china from her wedding 36 years ago as she sits in what was once the dining room of her home on Kellinger Street in Redding.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crew repairs power lines Saturday near the damaged home of Jose Briones along Baker Road in Redding.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Smoke clouds rise from the Ranch Fire portion of the Mendocino Complex Fire in Lakeport on Aug. 1.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Buzz Craddock carries a pack tied with antlers covered in fire retardant as firefighters work to stop the progression of the River fire in Lakeport, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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The charred remains of a truck sit in the ash in Lakeport, Calif., on Aug. 1.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters watch as air tankers drop fire retardant ahead of the River fire in Lakeport, Calif., on Aug. 1.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Helicopters make water drops as flames from the River fire advance towards Lakeport, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A West Covina firefighter works as a barn in the background is destroyed by the Mendocino complex fires near Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A barn is engulfed in flames as the Mendocino complex fires spread with the wind near Hendricks Road in Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Chickens near a home being destroyed by the Mendocino complex fires in a neighborhood near Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters work to keep flames from the Mendocino complex fires from destroying a home as evening winds kick in near Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A helicopter makes a water drop near the raging Mendocino complex fires west of Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters work to keep flames from the Mendocino complex fires from destroying a home as evening winds kick in near Lakeport, Calif., on July 31.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A firefighter monitors a controlled burn along California 20 in Upper Lake on July 31. The Ranch and River fires are burning together as the Mendocino complex fires.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Firefighters from S&R Contracting in Oregon dig into the ground as they make sure all residual flames are put out near Redding, Calif., on July 30.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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The Carr fire destroyed and sunk boats docked at the marina in Whiskeytown, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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The Carr fire swept through and destroyed property and structures in Shasta, Calif.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A Cal Fire firefighter waters down a back burn on Cloverdale Road near the town of Igo on Saturday, July 28, 2018. The back burn kept the fire from jumping toward the town. Scorching heat, winds and dry conditions complicated firefighting efforts.
(Hector Amezcua / Associated Press)
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A deer stands in the middle of a road covered in fire retardant as the Carr fire continues to threaten structures near Redding on Saturday, July 28, 2018.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Mark Peterson, who lost his home in the Carr fire, gives water to goats that survived the blaze on Saturday, July 28, 2018, in Redding.
(Noah Berger / AP)
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Wildfire destroyed homes overnight in Lake Keswick Estates near Redding on July 27.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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A woman covers her face while viewing her grandmother’s home, burned in the Carr fire in Redding, on July 27.
(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
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A firefighter sprays water on what’s left of a Redding home damaged by the Carr fire on July 27.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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A firefighter lights backfires during the Carr fire near Redding on July 27.
(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
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A burning home is reflected in a pool during the Carr fire in Redding on July 27.
(Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)
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A home burns along Sunflower Road in Redding during the Carr fire on July 27.
(Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
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A structure burns as the Carr fire races along State Route 299 near Redding on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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Firefighters transport a Carr fire evacuee to the Mercy Medical Center emergency room on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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Firefighters discuss plans while battling the Carr fire in Shasta County on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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Firefighters regroup while battling the Carr cire in Shasta County on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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A structure is engulfed in flames as the Carr fire burns along State Route 299 near Redding on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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A water tender operator helping to battle the Carr fire drinks a beverage after trying to save a burning structure in Shasta on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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The Carr fire burns near Shasta on July 26.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
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A historic schoolhouse burns as the Carr fire tears through Shasta on July 26.
Redding residents Jack Fannin, 19, and Jade Ball, 25, were arrested and booked at Shasta County Jail.
Two fires in Mendocino County — the River and Ranch fires — also continued to grow Monday. Combined, they covered more than 68,000 acres, with 5% containment by Monday evening. Firefighters battled “extreme” fire weather throughout the night, and “weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist,” according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection incident report.
Weather over the Carr fire around Redding, as well as over the two fires in Mendocino County, was expected to be hot and dry Monday, with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s above the Carr fire and in the low 90s in Mendocino County, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Cory Mueller.
Though the fires are not wind-driven, expected gusts up to 20 mph Monday afternoon could affect firefighting efforts in both areas, Mueller said.
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By midweek, forecasters expect temperatures to drop slightly, though it will still be hot, Mueller said.
The massive Ferguson fire that has accounted for two firefighter deaths and prompted the closure of portions of nearby Yosemite National Park, grew to 57,041 acres, and remained 30% contained.
Authorities lifted some evacuations in Mariposa on and around East Westfall Road, warning that they could be placed under mandatory evacuation again if conditions change.
We are saddened beyond words to report the death of Captain Brian Hughes of the Arrowhead Hotshots. Hughes' crew was on the #FergusonFire on @Sierra_NF when he was struck and killed by a tree. We grieve his loss.
— Sequoia & Kings Cyn (@SequoiaKingsNPS) July 30, 2018
Authorities announced Sunday that Capt. Brian Hughes, of the Arrowhead Interagency Hotshots, was struck and killed by a falling tree when his crew was “preparing tactical firing operations,” Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks said in a statement.
“Hughes was with the Arrowhead Hotshots for four years and will be dearly missed by everyone at the parks. We grieve his loss.”
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In Southern California, the Cranston fire near Idyllwild was 82% contained Monday, after burning 13,139 acres last week.
The fires have also affected air quality across the region, including areas of Nevada.
“Fires in California and western Nevada continue to produce heavy amounts of smoke region wide. While air quality is worse closer to fires… all western Nevada and Sierra valley locations are experiencing diminished air quality to some degree,” according to a National Weather Service alert from Reno.
Word that police had arrested possible looters near the Carr fire had shaken some area residents.
Lake Redding resident James Anderson had placed multiple motion sensors throughout his yellow wood-frame home on Hartland Drive. “I put one by the porch so that I know who’s coming,” he said Monday. “I put one on the side gate. The other day it had been left open and I had it closed.”
Anderson, 74, said home burglaries are already a problem in the area. Although evacuations were ordered for his neighborhood, Anderson said he decided to stay behind to make sure his home was safe. He said firefighters brought him cans of soup during the first few nights of the fire, but now his food supply was dwindling.
He’s now contemplating using his mountain bike to take side trails into town to pick up food and sneak back in. He’s not sure what will happen if he runs into any authorities. “If they hassle me, I’m just going to tell them to go to hell,” Anderson said.
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Los Angeles Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report.
Sonali Kohli is a former Los Angeles Times reporter. A product of Southern California, she grew up in Diamond Bar and graduated from UCLA. She worked as a metro reporter for the Orange County Register and as a reporter covering education and diversity for Quartz before joining The Times in 2015.
Ruben Vives is a general assignment reporter for the Los Angeles Times. A native of Guatemala, he got his start in journalism by writing for The Times’ Homicide Report in 2007. He helped uncover the financial corruption in the city of Bell that led to criminal charges against eight city officials. The 2010 investigative series won the Pulitzer Prize for public service and other prestigious awards.
