Crews Fully Contain Deadly CA Wildfire
By Steve Rubenstein
Source San Francisco Chronicle
Aug. 31 -- After taking eight lives, destroying 1,079 homes and ravaging 229,651 acres of Shasta and Trinity counties, the monstrous Carr wildfire was declared contained on Thursday night.
Cal Fire said the fire, which broke out July 23 near Highway 299 in the Whiskeytown area of Shasta County and unleashed the biggest fire tornado recorded, was contained at 7:32 p.m.
“Although full containment has been achieved, firefighters will continue to patrol the fire area for several days and fire suppression repair remains ongoing,” a Cal Fire spokesman said. “We have hand lines all around it and the threat is completely out.”
On the final day, 456 firefighters were still doing battle, employing four dozen bulldozers.
The fire also destroyed 22 commercial buildings and more than 500 smaller structures and damaged 190 homes.
During its five weeks of devastation, the Carr Fire took the lives of Redding resident Melody Bledsoe, 70, her two great grandchildren, James, 5, and Emily, 4, Redding fire inspector Jeremiah Stoke, 37, Cal Fire mechanic Andrew Brake, 40, PG&E lineman Jairus Ayeta, 21, bulldozer operator Don Ray Smith, 81, and mobile home resident Daniel Edward Bush, 62.
Thousands of evacuated residents found emergency shelter in churches, colleges, casinos, grammar schools and fairgrounds.
On social media sites, relieved residents praised the thousands of firefighters who helped end the threat.
“Woo hoo!” wrote one poster. “Cal Fire rocks! We love our heroes. Thank you all!”
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