A DEVASTATING wildfire in Northern California in the United States has claimed the lives of three more people as it continued to spread Saturday, threatening new communities as firefighters struggled to keep up.

Melody Bledsoe, 70, and her great-grandchildren, 5-year-old James Roberts and 4-year-old Emily Roberts, died in the blaze, according to their family.

Bledsoe’s granddaughter Amanda Woodley confirmed the news Saturday afternoon in a public Facebook post written just after she left the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office. Woodley said Bledsoe did everything she could to save the children.

A firefighter and a bulldozer operator were also killed this week battling the Carr fire. Don Ray Smith, 81, of Pollock Pines was identified by the sheriff’s office Saturday as the bulldozer operator. Smith was overtaken by the fire, and his body was found by emergency personnel in the area of Benson Drive and Rock Creek Road.

Authorities are investigating 13 other missing persons cases connected to the fire.

Redding police Sgt. Todd Cogle said that some of those reported missing may have fled their homes without cellphones and may be safe in evacuation centers or out of the area.

(SD-Agencies)