Carr Fire in California is so hot it's creating its own weather system
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. It has scorched an area bigger than the size of Denver.
Flames have destroyed at least 966 structures in the area, making it one of the top 10 most destructive wildfires in California history. In fact, seven of the 12 most destructive fires have happened since 2015.
"We are seeing more destructive, larger fires burning at rates that we have historically never seen," said Jonathan Cox, Cal Fire regional battalion chief.
More than 3,300 fire personnel are battling the flames with more than 330 engines and 17 helicopters, Cal Fire reported.
The fire began July 23 when a vehicle suffered a mechanical failure, officials said. Firefighters had been making progress containing it until Thursday night, when it began to quickly spread.
Its own weather system
Wildfires like this can get so hot they make pyrocumulus clouds, formations that look like mushroom clouds and can be seen for miles.
Aid victims of the California Carr fire
Cumulus clouds are usually formed when the sun heats the ground, sending warm air up, where the air cools and condenses to form a cloud. In a wildfire, heat from flames forces the air to rise quickly. Water inside trees and other plants evaporates. The added moisture condenses in the cooler air above.
The clouds look and act like thunderstorms. They can produce lightning and powerful winds in different directions, further complicating efforts of firefighters.
Sometimes, they even contain enough moisture to become a type of cloud that can produce rain -- possibly even putting out the blaze.
No rain forecast
High temperatures, low humidity and increased winds are all in the forecast, setting the stage for more explosive fire behavior, Chris Harvey with the Cal Fire Incident Management Team said Sunday.
The National Weather Service also warned that forecast conditions would worsen the situation.
"A dangerous heat wave will continue from California to the Pacific Northwest early this week. Triple-digit heat combined with dry humidity will only exacerbate the ongoing wildfire situation in California," it said on Twitter.
CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said no rain is in the forecast this week.
"Winds in the area of the fires will be locally gusty, with gusts up to 25 mph. The fires are likely to generate their own winds, which could be stronger at times," she said. "Elsewhere across Central and Southern California the story remains similar. Temperatures will remain 5-10 degrees above average for the region, and dry/drought conditions will continue with little to no rain expected throughout the week."
Great-grandmother, great-grandchildren die
The six deaths caused by the erratic flames include 70-year-old Melody Bledsoe and her great-grandchildren, 4-year-old Emily Roberts and 5-year-old James Roberts.
The three had been missing since Thursday when their house was overcome by flames. Family members confirmed Saturday that they died.
"With a heavy heart we are sad to inform you all that Mel and the great-grandbabies were confirmed to be in the home," the family said on a GoFundMe page.
In those final minutes, unable to get to his wife and their great-grandchildren, Ed Bledsoe was able to get through on the phone.
Bledsoe broke into sobs as he described speaking to his family by phone as he was rushing to try to save them.
"He just kept saying 'Grandpa, come and get me," Bledsoe said, referring to 5-year-old James. "'The fire's coming in the back door. C'mon Grandpa.' I said 'I'm right down the road.'"
Another person was found dead after a fire consumed another house, Bosenko said Sunday.
"This fire is scary to us. This is something we haven't seen before in the city," Redding Police Chief Roger Moore told reporters Friday night.
Redding Police Sgt. Todd Cogle said authorities are "finding that there are a lot of communication issues" making it hard to locate residents.
"We spoke with several people who left their cell phones at their residences and in this day and age people don't remember people's phone numbers," Cogle said.
'I didn't want to get trapped'
Sarah and Josh Lister's home outside Redding, California was destroyed in the Carr Fire.
As the fire neared his home outside the Redding city limits last week, Josh Lister hosed down his house and left his hose on the roof running.
His wife, Sarah, had already left with their two young children, a 16-month-old son named Gage and 6-year-old Kaya.
But Lister, who owns a painting and restoration business, grew worried because there was only one entrance and exit to his neighborhood.
He saw the fire in the distance.
"I didn't want to get trapped in there," he said.
As he rushed out of his home, Lister said he left his wedding ring on the vanity in the bathroom, and thousands of dollars of tools and equipment.
"It looked like an atomic bomb went off," he said of damage to the home.
"After the fact, we got a few pictures .... from friends, but it was a firestorm when we left," Lister said.
The Listers have been staying in a hotel since the fire.
"Our house was in a great, awesome neighborhood, great neighbors," Lister said.
Only charred remnants remained of the peaceful life in their home in the rustic foothills neighborhood: Charred bicycles. A chimney still standing in the rubble.
News Courtesy: www.cnn.com
