Working overnight Friday in hot and windy conditions, firefighters were successful in building and improving containment lines, but there is a fear moderate winds today will drive the fire to the south, according to local CBS News station 5KPIX.
The lightning-sparked “Saddle fire” broke out in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest between Eureka and Redding on Tuesday. Temperatures climbed into the 90s by Friday and are expected to stay that way through the weekend.
Flames have been tearing through forest land, much of it in an area scorched by a 2004 blaze. The risk from dead and downed trees on the ground, which could provide ample fuel for this latest wildfire, has firefighters worried, said Shasta-Trinity National Forest spokeswoman Andrea Capps.
Forest Service officials say that power has been restored to the town of Hyampom after being without power after the fire started due to power lines compromised by the blaze. This particular fire is just one of 20 lightning-sparked blazes that started this week in the region.
The citizens of Hyampom, a small town about 200 miles north of San Francisco, are under an evacuation order, with one fire front only a couple miles to the southeast of the town. While no structures have been lost, people are advised to heed any mandatory evacuation orders.
Major concerns affecting the outcome of containment and mop-up for firefighters include the continuing dry and warm weather conditions, as well as some very steep terrain. Added to the problem is a very heavy vegetation load which has been further stressed by the long-term drought says the USFS website.
The Saddle fire is the first major Northern California fire of the annual season that runs from June through September, and it is the nation’s highest priority fire as of this time says Capps.
