Intense heat, 'firenadoes' fuel deadly Carr Fire in California

Show Caption Hide Caption Firenado: Flaming vortex of destruction Wildfires spreading across California are creating their own weather, including the firenado. With winds strong enough to tear roofs off houses, these whirling flames can be devastating.

REDDING, Calif. – Firefighters battling intense heat and strong winds struggled Monday to gain control of a deadly Northern California wildfire that has killed at least six people and destroyed more than 700 homes.

The fire had burned through 150 square miles and was growing, but Cal Fire Incident Commander Bret Gouvea said it was not moving deeper into this town of 92,000.

“We’re feeling a lot more optimistic today as we are starting to gain some ground rather than be in the defensive mode all the time,” Gouvea said. “You’re going to see repopulation in the city of Redding very soon.”

Some residents were allowed to return to their homes Monday, and the Win-River Resort & Casino south of the city reopened after being evacuated Saturday. Its 84-room hotel quickly drew a crowd.

"UPDATE! Our hotel is fully booked #ReddingStrong #winriver," the resort tweeted.

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More than 30,000 people remained evacuated, and seven people were missing. The so-called Carr Fire, sprawling over a swath of land seven times the size of Manhattan, was just 20 percent contained. There was no end in sight to the blazing heat blamed for "firenadoes" – twisting whirlwinds of flame and ash.

AccuWeather meteorologist Evan Duffey said temperatures have consistently exceeded 100 degrees in Redding the past several days, reaching as high as 113. The area might not see a break in the heat until the middle of next week, he said. Low humidity added to the problem.

"The dryness and extreme heat have led to the extreme fire weather," Duffey said.

He said a relatively wet winter literally added fuel to the fire by creating more vegetation. When summer heated up, all that vegetation began to die – and kindling was born.

Duffey said the high surface temperatures force air to rise and get unstable. When air with fire underneath it rises, it brings the fire with it, he said.

"The air pulls in the fire and creates its own wind," he said. "That's how you get fire vortex, the 'firenadoes' that we have been seeing."

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All that heat can mean misery for firefighters battling the blaze. The standard uniform consists of lightweight, flame-resistant pants, shirt and gloves. The firefighter's gear pack includes a bottle for water or a sports drink, or they wear a separate backpack filled with water, said Jessica Gardetto, spokeswoman for the National Interagency Fire Center.

"They often work 15-hour shifts or more, and they are a focused bunch that might have to be consistently reminded to drink," Gardetto said. "Heat exhaustion is always an issue."

While the firefighters struggle with the blaze, evacuees such as Donna and Billy Gill wait and wonder whether they will still have a home when they return to their Redding neighborhood.

"Just the not knowing is probably the hardest part," Donna Gill said. "This is just unbelievable. I don’t know – you don’t know what to say. We’re all in it together, that’s for sure."

The fire was one of more than a dozen raging across California. A "complex" of fires in Mendicino and Lake Counties, about 100 miles southwest of Redding, burned more than 50 square miles and forced thousands to evacuate, Cal Fire said.

Near Yosemite National Park, the Ferguson Fire has killed two people and forced closure of the park's top tourist attractions. The fire has burned 85 square miles and is 30 percent contained.

Elsewhere in the West, the Mesa Fire burning 120 miles north of Boise had scorched 40 square miles and was one of several in Idaho. "There are a lot of fires in the area, and everybody is competing for the same resources," said Jeff Knudson, Mesa incident commander.

In Redding, almost 3,400 fire personnel battled the Carr Fire, some of them on 36-hour rotations, with 17 helicopters, 334 fire engines, 68 bulldozers and 59 fire crews, according to Cal Fire.

“I can tell you we are making great strides every day,” Gouvea said. “We are very encouraged."

Arthur reported from Redding; Bacon from McLean, Va. Contributing: Alayna Shulman, Redding Record Searchlight; KTVB-TV in Boise