[UPDATE 3:52 p.m.: Now Open!] Hwy 199 Closed Due to Fire
A fire burning in a tree northeast of Crescent City forced a closure of Hwy 199 this morning. The tree was reported to be on fire about 8:09 a.m., according to the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page. The tree is reportedly leaning over the road at mile marker 2.47 west of Walker Road.
By 10:07 a.m., the road was closed and before 11 a.m. the Page indicated that the roadway will be “closed for more than 90 minutes.”
According to a woman driving in the area, wet fog is dripping over the area which should help firefighters.
UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: A California Highway Patrol spokesperson reports the road is still closed. Firefighters first needed to get permission from the Parks to drop the tree. They have called in a helicopter to drop water on the tree before they drop it.
Then they will have to drop the tree and it will almost surely fall in the road. After that, they will need to clean up what sounds like a large tree.
UPDATE 3:52 p.m.: According to a CHP spokesperson, the road is now open.
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How does a tree catch on fire in the fog?
My guess lightning or power lines but I don’t know.
Thank you Kym, that was a big blank in the story. There’s got to be some follow up investigation on the ‘How’ of this story…
Two legged lightening!
Probably innocent, but there is also a big push to make 199 passable for the big box store trucks [and offshore drilling equipment] that is being held up by lawsuits from environmentally conscious types, so… so, it very well might have been two-legged “lightning” if it was a big tree. 🙁
Caltrans is sure hot to open that end just as much as Richardson Grove. Hmmm. Wonder who’s paying for that push.
Cold wet campers starting a fire in a hollow tree? Has happened before..