[UPDATE Friday] Evacuations Underway as Fast-Growing Fire Threatens Structures Northeast of Redding

A new fire, the Mountain Incident, broke out this morning just after 11 a.m. northeast of Redding in the Jones Valley area west of Mountain Gate. It is threatening structures and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office is evacuating residents.

Shasta Trinity National Forest tweeted about 11:35 a.m., “Firefighters, including 4 engines and Helicopter 506, are assisting @CALFIRESHU with the #MountainFire near Bear Mountain Road and Dry Creek Road in Jones…Valley Area”

The scanner indicates that more aircraft and engines are being requested to fight the swiftly moving fire.

UPDATE 11:46 a.m.: The fire is now approximately 50 plus acres with spotting issues but Jones Valley proper is not threatened, according to the Incident Commander speaking over the scanner. [Note: at 12:07 p.m. Cal Fire officially confirms the acreage on Twitter. They tweeted, “#MountainFire off Bear Mountain Road and Dry Creek Road, north of Bella Vista in Shasta County is 50 acres.”]

UPDATE 11:51 a.m.: The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office tweeted about 11:49 a.m.: “Attn: Jones Valley and Bella Vista area residents! Evacuations underway: Dry Creek, Jones Valley, Elk Trail East & West, Christian, Driftwood, High View, Scotts Trail, West of Bear Mountain Road. Evacuation to Shasta College Gymnasium”

UPDATE 12:023 p.m.: At 11:58 a.m., the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office tweeted, “Jones Valley and Bella Vista area residents! This situation is very fluid and rapidly changing, if you do not see your road listed but feel you are in danger YOU MAY EVACUATE to Shasta College Gymnasium.” [Note: They later tweeted, “Evacuation Center located at Shasta College Gymnasium: 11555 Old Oregon Trail, Redding, CA 96003]

UPDATE 12:16 p.m.: The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office just tweeted, “Evacuation in place for Creek Trail and Ravine Road. Hwy 299 is closed at Dry Creek Road Remember electronic device charges and medications”

UPDATE 12:20 p.m.: The Incident Commander reported over the scanner that the fire is about 200 acres and multiple structures are threatened. [Note: Cal Fire tweeted a confirmation that the fire is now 200 acres.]

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Scanner information indicates that a significant spot fire has broken out.

UPDATE 12:58 p.m.The Shasta County Sheriff reports on Twitter at 12:56 p.m. these are the “Updated evacuation areas – South side only of Bear Mountain Road to Old Oregon Trail – all roads that intersect on the south side of Bear Mountain Road.”

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: Desperate livestock owners are struggling to get their animals out and their fellow livestock owners are pitching in.  On Cowboy 911,  a woman described her husband ponying out a horse through the window of his truck but needing assistance to trailer her the rest of the way.

According to one poster on Cowboy 911, Shasta County Animal Control will be coming to escort trucks behind fire lines for all the livestock that needs transport.  In the 12 minutes since that has been posted, 8 people have posted that they are on their way. [Note: we have not confirmed the poster’s information.]

UPDATE 1:16 p.m.: Shasta Sheriff just tweeted, “Updated road closures Hwy 299 East at Old Oregon Trail Hwy 299 West at Deschutes Road Old Oregon Trail northbound Shasta College Campus is closed evacuate to Crosspointe Community Church 2960 Hartnell Road Redding”

The Cal Fire Shasta Unit just tweeted that the fire is 300 acres.

#MountainFire is now 300 acres. pic.twitter.com/JiprRLgFFb

— CAL FIRE SHU (@CALFIRESHU) August 22, 2019

UPDATE 1:32 p.m.: Shasta College announced on Facebook at 1:16 p.m., “The Shasta College main campus has been evacuated. All personnel including students, faculty, and staff need to exit the main campus in an orderly fashion.”

UPDATE 1:56 p.m.: Cal Fire’s Shasta unit tweeted at 1:54 p.m., “#MountainFire [update] at Bear Mountain Rd & Dry Creek Rd near Jones Valley (Shasta County) is now 600 acres.”

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: Caltrans tweeted UPDATE: SR 299 is now closed to westbound traffic at Deschutes Road due to the #MountainFire. SR 299 remains closed to eastbound traffic at Old Oregon Trail. Please choose alternate routes and avoid the area.

UPDATE 3:40 p.m.: Hot spots from the fire as shown here. This embedded image isn’t near as good as following the link above.

UPDATE 4:03 p.m.: At least one structure is reported destroyed by this Redding Searchlight reporter.

All that’s left of a home on Driftwood Trail after the #MountainFire destroyed it. pic.twitter.com/vIbjp0Ilqv

— Damon Arthur (@damonarthur_RS) August 22, 2019

UPDATE 5:35 p.m.:According to a press release from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office,

1,110 homes/structures threatened and approximately 3,885 residents evacuated. No injuries reported at this time. These numbers are very fluid and subject to change.

Evacuation Center located at Crosspointe Community Church, 2960 Hartnell Avenue, Redding, CA.

For assistance with animals, call SHASCOM non-emergency dispatch line (530) 245-6540.

Road closures in place:

Hwy 299 between Deschutes and Old Oregon Trail
Kitty Hawk at Bear Mountain Road
Bear Mountain Road at Dry Creek
Bear Mountain Road at Old Oregon Trail
Old Oregon Trail at Oasis

UPDATE 5:58 p.m.: Smoke has died down. This was taken about 5:50 and shows roughly the same area as the screengrab at the top.

UPDATE 7:49 p.m.: Cal Fire’s Shasta unit is reporting that the fire is “is now 600 acres and 20% contained.”

UPDATE 8:18 p.m.: Cal Fire released the following information (Double click to enlarge):

#MountainFire pic.twitter.com/WOKt0cysWL

— CAL FIRE SHU (@CALFIRESHU) August 23, 2019

UPDATE Friday: Evacuations Still in Place for Mountain Fire Near Redding