CNN 7/28/2018 By Nicole Chavez, Paul Vercammen and Amir Vera
A woman and her two great-grandchildren who had been missing since Thursday died in Northern California's deadly Carr Fire, according to their relatives.
Melody Bledsoe's home was engulfed in flames Thursday. Family members then searched for Bledsoe and her two great-grandchildren, 5-year-old Emily and 4-year-old James, in area shelters and hospitals, hoping they were among the 38,000 people who have fled the danger in Shasta County, said the children's aunt, Shelley Hoskison.
"With a heavy heart we are sad to inform you all that Mel and the great grand babies were confirmed to be in the home," the family said on a GoFundMe page.
CNN has reached out to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, Medical Examiner and multiple family members for additional details and comment, but has not heard back.
The Carr Fire nearly doubled in size to 80,906 acres Saturday. The rapidly spreading fire -- fueled by soaring temperatures, erratic winds, dry air and heavy vegetation -- scorched more than 32,000 acres overnight and was only 5% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. It has already claimed at least two lives, destroyed 500 structures and threatened thousands more.
More:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/28/us/california-carr-fire/index.html
