Update 8:00 a.m.
With the latest information from Cal Fire, the Carr Fire has burned over 154,000 acres and is 41 percent contained. Evacuation and road closures are still in place.
Update 9:30 p.m.
The White House has approved a request for Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Shasta County.
Governor Brown filed for the declaration Saturday, asking for help with the impacts of another deadly and destructive wildfire season.
“This is part of a trend – a new normal – that we've got to deal with. We're dealing with it humanly, financially and governmentally,” said Governor Brown earlier today during a media briefing at the Carr Fire Incident Command Post in Anderson, California. “These kinds of horrible situations bring people together, regardless of the lesser kind of ideologies and partisan considerations.”
The declaration will help fire victims with unemployment assistance, food aid and legal and mental health counseling among other federal programs.
There are 17 wildfires currently burning across the state. More than 14,000 firefighters from California and 17 other states are working the front lines.
Update 1:30 p.m.
The declaration will also make counties and cities eligible for federal financial assistance and help with repairing the billions of dollars of damage done to infrastructure.
California Gov. Jerry Brown is calling on President Donald Trump to help the state deal with another deadly and destructive wildfire season.
Inspecting the fire-damaged neighborhoods of Redding on Saturday, the governor also said California needs a statewide emergency alert system.
Brown says he is hopeful Trump will issue a so-called Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for California. The declaration would help fire victims with unemployment assistance, food aid and legal and mental health counseling among other federal programs.
The declaration will also make counties and cities eligible for federal financial assistance and help with repairing the billions of dollars of damage done to infrastructure.
More immediately, the declaration will enable federal agencies to help battle the 17 major fires burning throughout the state.
Redding is 220 miles (354 kilometers) north of San Francisco.
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Saturday 10:50 a.m.
Twin wildfires fueled by dry vegetation and hot, windy weather continued to grow in Northern California, destroying 55 homes and forcing thousands of residents to flee their neighborhoods.
California fire officials said Saturday that the two fires about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of San Francisco were 27 percent contained and have grown to almost 250 square miles (648 kilometers).
The two fires cover an area larger than the wildfire that damaged parts of Redding, California last week and killed two firefighters.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection officials said that fire was started two weeks ago by sparks from the steel wheel of a towed-trailer's flat tire.
ORIGINAL STORY
The Carr Fire grew 10,000 more acres overnight as containment goes up to 41 percent, according to Cal Fire.
The wildfire, which started over a week ago, is at nearly 142,000 acres, destroying 1,073 homes.
The National Weather Service issued warnings for "critical fire weather conditions" through Saturday, Aug. 4. The highest threat areas are said to be near the Carr Fire and the Mendocino Complex Fire.
The cause of the fire is said to be "mechanical failure of a vehicle", according to Cal Fire.