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Wildfire that closed key California highway explodes in size

Published

September 8, 2018

The Delta Fire started in California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest on September 5 around 1:00 p.m. local time. Rough terrain, hot temperatures, and gusty winds hampered firefighters, and the wildfire is burning out of control after chewing through 58 square miles (150 square kilometers) of timber and brush since Wednesday.

The California Highway Patrol announced Friday that a 45-mile (72-kilometer) section of Interstate 5 north of Redding would remain closed at least until Sunday. The fire has destroyed thousands of trees, some of them 70 feet (20 meters) tall.

The Forest Service and California DOT officials are concerned the burned trees could fall onto the highway that is a major commercial artery along the West Coast from Mexico to Canada.

Right now, Interstate 5 is a “Ghost Road” after the blaze turned hillsides on either side of the highway into a corridor of flames, causing drivers and passengers to flee their trucks and other vehicles.

According to ShastaTrinityNF, the DeltaFire has burned 500-1,000 acres and is spreading rapidly. Evacuations remain in place from Vollmers/Delta to the Siskiyou County line. I-5 is closed NB at Fawndale and SB at Mott.

Video: Andy Wardinski

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— KRCR News Channel 7 (@KRCR7) September 5, 2018

By Friday night, the wildfire had burned 31,325 acres, fire officials said. On Saturday, it had jumped to 36,970 acres. There is 0 percent containment. More than 1,800 firefighters are battling the blaze, said Capt. Brandon Vaccaro, a media spokesman, adding that more resources have been requested from Cal Fire.

Nearly 300 homes are considered to be threatened, but thankfully, only two have been destroyed and there have been no fatalities as of Saturday evening.

Vaccaro said Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, and other management organizations have been meeting daily to determine when it would be safe to reopen Interstate 5. “Opening the freeway is our top priority, but it needs to be safe to do so,” he said.

DeltaFire INFORMATION LINE: 530-498-0953

Please be advised that we are experiencing a high call volume. If we cannot answer, please leave a message and Information Officers will return calls in the order they are received. Thank you for your patience!ShastaSheriff 56eBsubDJm

— Shasta-Trinity NF (@ShastaTrinityNF) September 6, 2018

In this article:California, Delta fire, evnironment, interstate 5, out of control, Wildfire

Written By Karen Graham

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend Karen Graham, who served as Editor-at-Large at Digital Journal. She was 78 years old. Karen's view of what is happening in our world was colored by her love of history and how the past influences events taking place today. Her belief in humankind's part in the care of the planet and our environment has led her to focus on the need for action in dealing with climate change. It was said by Geoffrey C. Ward, "Journalism is merely history's first draft." Everyone who writes about what is happening today is indeed, writing a small part of our history.