Delta Fire Reaches 40,000 Acres with 5 Percent Containment, I-5 Remains Closed
On it’s fifth day of burning through Shasta and Trinity counties, firefighters made some progress on the fast-moving Delta Fire, accomplishing 5 percent containment as the fire expanded to 40,000 acres. The fire merged with the Hirz Fire on Saturday, now covering a combined area of 86,000 acres.
CalTrans announced that they will continue to keep the 45-mile stretch of Interstate 5 closed to through traffic but will reevaluate and announce an update on the situation Sunday afternoon.
Breaking: #DeltaFire grows to 36,970 acres overnight. 0 containment. Evacuations remain in place. I-5 remains closed.https://t.co/6rvWErH8u4 pic.twitter.com/JaKbkyKZfv
— Courtney Kreider (@KreiderCourtney) September 8, 2018
The Delta Fire started on September 5 along I-5 near Lakehead and exploded to 15,000 acres in 12 hours, causing a frightening and chaotic scene for motorists on the road that day. Truck drivers were forced to abandon their big rigs, with four of them burning to the ground.
Multiple homes were burned to the ground and now the town of Dunsmuir is on high alert and have been notified that evacuations may be implemented any day now. The fire is heading west toward Trinity Lake, according to fire officials, while also remaining active on the north and south lines.
UPDATE: Interstate 5 north of Redding remains CLOSED. Official will re-evaluate safety conditions this morning and a decision on reopening the freeway will be made this afternoon.
— Caltrans District 2 (@CaltransD2) September 9, 2018
The fire continues to surround I-5 along with the Upper Sacramento River, a popular tributary for fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts alike. On Friday, a train along the river was seen soaking the trees in anticipation of fire moving into the area:
Evacuation orders remain in effect for Shasta County residents along the Interstate 5 corridor from Exit 707 at Vollmers north to Exit 714 at Gibson, as well as for residents in Trinity County from East Fork Road to Ramshorn Road east to the county line. Warnings remain in place for residents of Dunsmuir in Siskiyou County and for residents in Trinity County from East Fork/East Side Road junction west to Highway 3 northward to Ramshorn Road.
Evacuation shelters are setup at Mount Shasta Community Center, 629 Alder St., Mount Shasta; and Mercy Oaks, 100 Mercy Oaks Dr., Redding. The Mount Shasta Humane Society is accepting small animals of evacuees, at 1208 North Mount Shasta Blvd.
