[UPDATE Friday 7:50 a.m.: More Evacuations/Video] Carr Fire Jumps Sacramento River; Western Redding Being Evacuated

Fire truck in the intersection of Buenaventura and Eureka Way

Fire truck in the intersection of Buenaventura and Eureka Way. [Photo by Mark McKenna]

The Carr Fire continues to race east chewing through hillsides. It jumped the Sacremento River and many neighborhoods in west Redding are being evacuated.

According to the CHP in Redding, “The fire is creating a huge wind vacuum and moving very rapidly toward west redding. This fire is out of control! If you see heavy smoke or flames and feel threatened, leave… don’t…

Video below from Caltrans shows the frantic push of residents trying to escape the fire by heading east on Eureka Way into Redding.

There are reports of people being trapped and trying to shelter in place on the scanner.

For the latest evacuation areas and road closures go here, here, and here.

UPDATE 8:39 p.m.: According to the Northern California Geographic Coordination Center as of 6:12 p.m.,

Evacuations are in effect for the communities of French Gulch, Old Shasta, Keswick, Victoria Highlands, Whiskeytown and Whiskey Creek. Hwy 299 remains closed in both directions. There have been 15 residences and 2 commercial buildings destroyed. Numerous sail boats have been damaged or destroyed. There is also a threat to Keswick hydroelectric, Carr powerhouse, powerlines, historical sites and private timber. There is also a threat to the Western Area Power Administration, which powers numerous Northern Coastal Communities. Cal Fire IMT1 and Whiskeytown National Park are in unified command.

UPDATE 8:56 p.m.: More evacuations being issued by Cal Fire:

UPDATE 9:13 p.m.: Firefighters are being told to focus on the safety of themselves and the civilians. They are to get civilians evacuated. This means that in many areas structure defense is being abandoned. Here’s the call being repeated and a team leader is being asked to acknowledge the directive.

UPDATE 10:16 p.m.:

 

 

UPDATE 10:20 p.m.: Carr Fire responsible for one death.

UPDATE 10:35 p.m.: CHP Redding posted 45 minutes ago, “We are currently evacuating Country Heights and areas south to Kenyon. Mary Lake, Quartz Hill and Keswick Dam areas are evacuated. The fire is moving in multiple directions. Please evacuate if we tell you to.”

UPDATE 10:48 p.m.: KRCR TV has been told to evacuate their studios.

UPDATE 11:17 p.m.: This man is driving through roads where the fire is burning.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10214450594012051&id=1635196043

 

UPDATE 11:23 p.m.: New evacuations.

UPDATE 11:34 p.m.: Though there have been rumors of Mercy Hospital evacuating, its parent company says,

As of 10:45pm, Mercy Medical Center Redding remains fully functional, though access to the hospital is limited due to road closures. Our patients, employees and physicians are safe here at the hospital, and the Emergency Room is still fully functional.

We are continuing to maintain contact with local agencies to monitor the situation and have extensive resources at our disposal. In addition, please remember our hospital is a concrete building with concrete parking lots surrounding the building, and we are as protected as possible.

At this point we are ONLY evacuating NICU babies, due to the lengthy time that process requires. We do not plan to evacuate any other patients at this time, but have contingency plans in place should the situation necessitate. Patient safety continues to remain our top priority.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our community during this devastating time, and we continue to feel blessed by the dedication of our staff and all the first responders supporting the North State.

UPDATE 11:45 p.m.: Matthew Henderson, a skillful fire photographer, is shooting live footage here.

UPDATE 11:58 p.m.: Henderson and others are showing/reporting multiple homes on fire in the Lake Redding Estates.

UPDATE Friday: New evacuations

UPDATE 6:30 a.m.: Matthew Henderson is live with video in Redding.

UPDATE 7:50 a.m.: The latest on the Carr Fire and future updates will be at this link: Two Dead and Thousands Displaced as Carr Fire Tears Into Redding

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Humboldt Lady
Guest
Humboldt Lady
5 years ago

So horrible! Praying for all of them and the firefighters, first responders. May they all
stay safe.

Lisa
Guest
5 years ago

Oh Lord we need your help to keep people and Fire fighters safe. Prayers for everyone.

NorCalDusty
Guest
NorCalDusty
5 years ago

May the winds calm and everyone get out safe❤ thank you fire fighters and Ems!

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago

Amen… blessings to everyone affected

...
Guest
...
5 years ago

Beautiful Whiskeytown. I hope everyone makes it through this with their lives.

WillSmith
Guest
WillSmith
5 years ago

Damn this is scary I pray for no fatalities.

Jeanne France
Guest
Jeanne France
5 years ago

Shasta High school is no longer the evacuation center, they have moved to Shasta College.

Buster
Guest
Buster
5 years ago

It’s going to be a long, scary night. I fear the level of devastation that tomorrow morning will see. Thankfully, the residents of Redding are getting much more warning than the people of Santa Rosa last fall…prayers.

A
Guest
A
5 years ago

My mom is over there in Shasta Lake many of her neighbors have left. She is refusing to leave, they haven’t made it mandatory for where she is at yet but I’m very worried. I pray for everyone.

Dena Baker
Guest
Dena Baker
5 years ago

If you have family or friends in Redding tell them to use a corded phone if they have one in case the power goes out. My elderly parents do not have a cell phone. Then have them call you so you know it works and they remember how to use it. Landlines these days operate on electricity if they are cordless or have an answering machine.

Tired of liberals
Guest
Tired of liberals
5 years ago

I’ve lived through tornado’s and hurricane Katrina and fires scare the shit out of me. May all be safe. The Lord is with us.

County grown
Guest
County grown
5 years ago

Mary lake sub division is going up right now.

Pic is corner of Buenaventura/placer rd. Looking west.

R -DOG
Guest
R -DOG
5 years ago
Reply to  County grown

Send more pitchers

Buster
Guest
Buster
5 years ago
Reply to  R -DOG

Yes! Please send more pitchers…a session IPA would be nice.

Buster
Guest
Buster
5 years ago

Amazing that this disaster allegedly started with a few sparks from the rim of a vehicle that had a flat tire. Many years ago, I was driving on interstate 5 south of Red Bluff and every few miles there was a small grass fire in the median. At first, I thought that some jerk was purposely throwing cigarette butts into the grass until I realized that it was more likely a vehicle towing something and the chains were dragging on the roadway…happens far to often, even happened right on the coast on hwy 101 along Clam Beach not too many years ago.

Hmmmmm!
Guest
Hmmmmm!
5 years ago
Reply to  Buster

Happened near Stafford a couple years ago, too.

WillSmith
Guest
WillSmith
5 years ago

How did this fire start? I heard a vehicle was the cause?

silly human race
Guest
silly human race
5 years ago
Reply to  WillSmith

Something about a tire blowout causing a grass fire?

Ridgerunner
Guest
Ridgerunner
5 years ago

I have family near the anderson-redding border about 10 miles south of Buenaventura is that area threatened?

Kate
Guest
Kate
5 years ago
Reply to  Ridgerunner

It does not appear so at this time. Whiskeytown, Shasta lake city and Redding downtown and all areas in between are the location

Mobius Moggie
Guest
Mobius Moggie
5 years ago

omg! Horrific!

M
Guest
M
5 years ago

KAEF has live TV coverage, preempting other shows, still going if you’re wondering about power outages, evacuation areas, road closures.

Edit: Nevermind, the fire is moving fast.

I wrote that 20 minutes ago, and KAEF just had to evacuate their station. Mercy Medical might be evacuating more vulnerable patients soon, as well.

Buster
Guest
Buster
5 years ago
Reply to  M

The building where their newsroom is was just evacuated and live coverage with reporters is gone.

Nelda Mayo
Guest
Nelda Mayo
5 years ago

My mom lives off 273 in the Westwood area, is fire close to that?

Kate
Guest
Kate
5 years ago
Reply to  Nelda Mayo

No, that is slightly farther south through town. If you divide Redding into quadrants from downtown that would be in the lower left quadrant and the fire is mostly in the upper left quadrant

Rbail
Guest
Rbail
5 years ago

When you google Country Heights neighborhood Redding, CA the google eatrh image that comes up is my in-laws house………They are safe but a few prayers are in order.

Chuck U
Guest
Chuck U
5 years ago

Action News Now out of chico is still going live with all their reporters in Redding, it is f’ing insane. All of redding is now under evacuation

Kate
Guest
Kate
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

Mandatory evacuation is different than voluntary. All of Redding is not under mandatory at this time.

Hmmmmm!
Guest
Hmmmmm!
5 years ago

KRCR Channel 7 of Reddding has a live video going right now with commentary by a newsperson at their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/KRCR7/

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

Any sight of California’s Boeing 747 firefighter tanker? 19,000 gals., retardant or water. Re-fill, under 30 mins., covers a mile and a half. Just wondering. I mean boots on the ground eye witness.

Thank you.