The Carr Fire burning in Shasta County, near Redding, Calif., has overtaken 80,000 acres as of Saturday morning.
The fire is just 5 percent contained, and is threatening 5,000 structures, according to local reports.
[New: California fires: 5 dead, 12 missing]
It has so far burned more 48,000 acres and forced mandatory evacuations, as more than 102,000 acres have burned across the state of California this week.
Gov. Jerry Brown’s office formally requested federal emergency aid from the White House late Friday, following the governor’s declaration of a state of emergency for the county Thursday.
Two firefighters have died fighting the Carr Fire, and three Marin County firefighters were hurt, but have since been released from a local hospital, reports state.
The full fire zone stretches from Redding to French Gulch, and has destroyed 500 structures and damaged 75 more. More than 37,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.
Other fires include the 46,000-acre Ferguson fire in Mariposa County, which was nearly one-third contained, and the 12,300-acre Cranston fire in Riverside County, which is 16 percent contained, said Cal Fire.
Cal Fire said the cause of the Carr Fire was the mechanical failure of a vehicle, and Cal Fire Chief Ken Pimlott said dry brush around the state is the main reason for the sudden boom of blazes.
