(CNN) — Walls of flames are quickly ripping the Northern California city of Redding, where an “out of control” fire has killed one person and is forcing thousands of residents out of their homes.
The Carr Fire in Shasta County grew rapidly Thursday night, ravaging several small communities as it began burning into Redding, a city of about 95,000 people around 120 miles south of the California-Oregon border.
“This fire is extremely dangerous and is moving with no regard to what’s on its path,” Cal Fire Incident Commander Chief Brett Gouvea told reporters.
The blaze, which has burned 28,763 acres, is only 6% contained, Cal Fire said.
The mechanical failure of a vehicle is believed to have ignited the blaze, fire officials said.
Hundreds of firefighters battling the blaze
A private hire bulldozer operator died Thursday while battling the fire but no more details have been released.
The operator, who has not been identified, is the state’s second fire-related death in recent weeks. Braden Varney, 36, a heavy fire equipment operator, was killed while batting another blaze near Yosemite National Park.
“As we mourn the loss, we also battle a fire that is moving extremely quickly and erratically into western Redding,” Gouvea said.
At least three other firefighters have been injured but the extent of their injuries is unknown, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said.
More than 1,700 firefighters have been trying to control the blaze since it broke out Monday but hot and windy conditions continue fueling it, officials said. The California National Guard is helping with the firefight, McLean told CNN.
The fire has destroyed 15 structures and is threatening at least 500 more as it continues it’s rapid rate and erratic behavior.
“The fire is creating a huge wind vacuum and moving very rapidly toward west Redding. This fire is out of control!,” the California Highway Patrol said in a Facebook post Thursday night urging residents to evacuate.
Flames have consumed trees, houses and historic buildings in Shasta County for days and temporarily closed traffic along Highway 299.
KRCR, a Redding, California, TV station and CNN affiliate, interrupted it’s newscast and evacuated its facility Thursday night as the fire approached their studio.
“Right now we are being evacuated, that’s why we are kind of closing out right now,” said news anchor Allison Woods during a live broadcast. “We are going to leave the station because is now unsafe to be here.”
Babies evacuated from NICU
At least five babies are being evacuated from the neonatal intensive care unit at Mercy Medical Center due to the fire, hospital spokesman Rick Plummer said.
Some babies are being airlifted to hospitals in Sacramento while others are being transferred in ambulances.
While the hospital is not under a mandatory evacuation order, the infants are being evacuated because of the time and intense resources needed to relocate them.
Medics and hospital staff have been directly impacted by the fire.
“Several staff members have evacuated their own homes then returned to care for patients” Plummer said. Several members have lost their homes.”
Hospital staff are preparing to evacuate the entire facility if needed, a Cal Fire spokesman said.
California Gov. Jerry Brown had declared a state of emergency for Riverside and Shasta counties on Thursday in response to the fire.
More than 80 wildfires in the US
The Carr Fire is among 88 active large fires scorching the country and one of six large wildfires in California, the National Interagency Fire Center said.
Another fire, the Ferguson Fire, has prompted the closure of the most iconic areas of Yosemite National Park until Sunday, killed one person and injured several firefighters.
The blaze, which is raging west of the park, has burned 44,223 acres and is 27% contained, the US Forest Service said.
A massive wildfire in the San Bernardino National Forest, known as the Cranston Fire, prompted thousands to flee their homes and led to the arrest of a man.
Brandon N. McGlover, 32, of Temecula was detained Wednesday and is facing five counts of arson to wildland, the Riverside County Fire Department and Cal Fire said.
Authorities believe McGlover started not only the Cranston Fire but other fires in the region as well.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling that blaze, which has scorched 7,500 acres and is only 5% contained.
The fire, which is about 5 miles southwest of Palm Springs, has led to the evacuation of the entire town of Idyllwild and several other communities.
The area around Idyllwild was the site of a massive wildfire in July 2013 that burned more than 27,000 acres.
