Family members say a grandmother and two children have been killed by the Carr fire, burning in Northern California.
The fatalities bring the death toll to five since the fire broke out Monday about 100 miles south of the Oregon border. More than a dozen missing person’s reports have been filed since the Carr fire exploded overnight Tuesday.
Saturday afternoon, the dead were identified as Melody Bledsoe, 70, and her great-grandchildren James Roberts, 5, and Emily Roberts, 4. They have been reported missing for days, after the area they were staying in was hit by a wall of fire.
Their home is now surrounded by crime scene tape. A firefighter and a bulldozer operator have also been killed fighting the fire.
In a press conference Saturday, the Sheriff’s Office said fire investigators are on the scene of the home they reportedly died in and are investigating how they were warned and the events leading up to their deaths. Family members have accused emergency officials of not giving proper warning before the fire hit.
The Carr fire has displaced 37,000 people since it sparked earlier this week. Firefighters said it has destroyed 500 homes, but they expect that number to rise over the next 24 hours as they map more of the fire area.
Saturday, President Trump issued an emergency declaration to send federal aid to Shasta County, as well as other counties around the state impacted by wildfires.
