SHASTA COUNTY – At least three people have been killed in the fast-moving Zogg Fire west of Redding, authorities said Monday.
Shasta County Sheriff-Coroner Eric Magrini announced the deaths at an afternoon news conference.
“It’s with a sad heart that I come before you today to say we’ve had three deaths as a result of this fire thus far,” he said. “Our coroner’s office is working diligently to identify the decedents and notify next of kin.”
Magrini did not provide any other information, including where the bodies were found.
The fire, which ignited north of Igo just before 3 p.m. Sunday, has burned at least 31,000 acres and, Magrini said, forced 1,250 residents of Igo and Ono to flee their homes.
“Those numbers will increase,” said Magrini, who urged residents to heed orders to evacuate.
“This is fast moving,” he said. “When you hear that order, evacuate immediately. Do not wait.”
The inferno is moving south away from Redding, including through the 2018 Carr Fire burn scar, with winds carrying embers and sparking spot fires as much as a mile away, said Operations Section Chief Chris Waters of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“The wind continues to push the fire across control lines,” he said. “Until this red flag warning and these winds start to dissipate, we are not going to be able to make a lot of headway on suppression efforts.”
Check back for updates.
