Weary firefighters in Northern California on Wednesday were outflanking a deadly, 10-day-old blaze that has destroyed over 1,000 homes as authorities reopened more evacuated neighbourhoods and the last few people listed as missing turned up safe. Aided for a third straight day by diminished winds, ground crews extended buffer lines carved out of thick, dry brush along the fire’s edge to 35 per cent of its perimeter, with partial containment lines continuing even farther, officials said.
That marked a substantial improvement from the weekend, when the Carr Fire raged mostly unchecked after laying waste to neighbourhoods in and around Redding, a city of 90,000 people about 160 miles (257 km) north of the state capital, Sacramento. Having scorched more than 115,000 acres (46,540 hectares), an area larger than Detroit, the blaze was the biggest of 16 major wildfires burning throughout California and the most formidable of more than 90 across 13 Western states from Texas to Alaska.
A brush fire in northern California has turned into a dangerous blaze, spreading to more than 2,500 acres and threatening homes on its first day.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) commanders said the Carr Fire, sparked by a vehicle on July 23, was burning with far less intensity this week and no longer posed an immediate threat to populated areas.
