The women, whose names have not been released pending notification of relatives, were found Friday by first responders after the fire broke out, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office.
No other residents have been reported missing, sheriff’s officials said. At an operational briefing early Monday, Cal Fire Unit Chief Phillip Anzo led fire crews in a moment of silence for the two victims.
City officials said the Mill Fire is believed to have started in a shed in an unused portion of the Roseburg Forest Products mill in Weed, although Cal Fire has not confirmed where or how the fire started.
A home goes up in flames as the Mill Fire causes damage in the Lake Shastina subdivision northwest of Weed, Calif., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Hung T. Vu Special to The Record Searchlight via AP
Within a few hours of the start of the Mill fire at approximately 12:49 p.m. on Friday, a second fire – the Mountain Fire – broke out several miles to the west.
Both were still burning Monday, and officials estimated at least 100 homes were destroyed in the Weed neighborhood of Lincoln Heights and nearby Lake Shastina.
The Mill Fire had burned 4,263 acres by Monday morning, growing by 9 acres overnight. More than 500 people remained evacuated from it, Cal Fire said. But that fire’s containment had increased to 40 percent as firefighters increased containment lines around the fire and continued to protect structures in the area.
Cal Fire says 88 homes have been destroyed along with 18 outbuildings. But that number is expected to rise as teams continue to evaluate properties in Lincoln Heights, a historically black neighborhood in Weed, as well as Lake Shastina.
Mill Fire Map
This live-updating map shows the location of the Mill Fire, right, and the Mountain Fire, with satellite heat-sensing data for hot spots. Click the legend button for more information. iFrames are not supported on this page. Sources: US Department of the Interior, IRWIN, NIFC, NASA, NOAA, and Esri
The mountain fire grew by nearly 2,000 acres overnight and had burned 10,338 acres by Monday morning. The fire has forced the evacuation of 332 residents after a new round of evacuations was issued on Sunday. Crews said the fire remained 10 percent contained.
“The fire is burning in steep, broken terrain in different types of vegetation,” Cal Fire said. “All fuels are at or near critical levels for dryness.
“The personnel are involved in the defense of structures and strengthening of control lines. More resources keep coming in.”
In an operational briefing for fire crews early Monday, officials said the fire on the mountain has been largely contained to its east side but continues to spread westward.
“The problem issue … is that west side of the mountain,” said Justin Macomb, Cal Fire’s chief of operations. “We have a lot of activity out there on the mountain.”
He said the fire was threatening to cross Moffett Creek into a rugged, heavily wooded area of the Siskiyou. “We have to keep Moffett Creek if we can,” he said.
Nearly 2,500 firefighters and other personnel were deployed to battle the blaze and battled hot and dry conditions, with temperatures near Weed expected to reach 98 degrees on Monday and 104 on Tuesday. Forecasts, however, indicated that wind would not be a factor until at least Wednesday
Six people have died in this summer’s wildfires in California, all in Siskiyou County. Four died in July’s McKinney fire.
Cal Fire firefighters work to contain the spread of the Mill Fire at a property in the Lake Shastina subdivision northwest of Weed, Calif., Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Hung T. Vu Special to The Record Searchlight via AP
This story was originally published on September 5, 2022 at 7:27 am.
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Sam Stanton has worked for The Bee since 1991 and has covered a variety of topics including politics, criminal justice and breaking news.
Dale Kasler covers climate change, the environment, the economy and the complex world of California water. He also covers major business stories for McClatchy’s western newspapers. He joined The Bee in 1996 from the Des Moines Register and graduated from Northwestern University.
