Fast-moving brush fire threatens more than 1,000 homes in Shasta County; college evacuated
A fast-moving brush fire forced evacuations Thursday in Shasta County, with more than 1,000 homes threatened.
About 3,885 residents have evacuated from the Mountain fire, which has burned more than 600 acres about 10 miles northeast of Redding, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The blaze started about noon near Bear Mountain and Dry Creek roads and initially spread rapidly, officials said. As of 7 p.m., the fire was 20% contained.
Evacuations were underway in areas east of Interstate 5, including Shasta College. Highway 299 was closed.
The fire was being fueled by hot temperatures that topped the 100-degree mark as well as gusty winds.
But by about 6 p.m., winds had died down considerably, and the fire activity had slowed down, said Robert Foxworthy, a Cal Fire public information officer.
The fire is not in a burn scar from any of the large fires that burned through Shasta County last year.
The Carr fire started July 23, 2018, on Highway 299 and burned almost 230,000 acres in Shasta and Trinity counties. The two counties saw further damage when the Delta fire started Sept. 5 on Interstate 5 and burned more than 63,000 acres.
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