The State - News from July 12, 1985

The state’s largest glacier is melting faster than usual and the runoff is threatening homes on the northwest side of Mt. Shasta, national forest officials said. About 11 houses are threatened in the 44-home Mt. Shasta Vista community. There have been no evacuations, but officials say it is an emergency situation. “We’re sandbagging around foundations to keep the water away,” said Sid Grove, a Klamath National Forest ranger. “There’s no serious life threat.” The one-acre housing subdivision is built on a flood plain, said Klamath ranger Tom Farmer. Usually the homes are not threatened by the normal summer runoff from the volcano’s three glaciers, he said. But recent hot weather accelerated the melting process and prompted a river of water and silt to slide down from Whitney Glacier. “The only thing that’s going to stop it is cool temperatures,” Grove said.