An Active Delta Fire Keeps Interstate 5 at a Standstill

Flames burn close to the road and smoke swirls around a California Highway Patrol vehicle.

Flames burn close to the road and smoke swirls around a California Highway Patrol vehicle. [Photo from the CHP in Redding]

The Delta Fire which has burned 24,558 acres and is 0% contained as of this morning still continues to close I-5, the biggest traffic artery in California with no estimated time of reopening.

“The fire progressed primarily to the northwest, but it is also extremely active along the eastern edge between Interstate 5 and the Hirz Fire,” according to the US Forest Service.

Flames rising from a semi melted to the ground after the Delta Fire destroyed several semi trucks.

Flames rising from a truck that has melted to the ground while another semi smokes in the background after the Delta Fire leapt into traffic. [Photo from the CHP Redding]

“There are several areas along the southern perimeter where the fire crossed over primary control lines and crews are aggressively attacking these slop-overs to prevent the fire from making southerly progress.”

“The fire progressed primarily to the northwest, but it is also extremely active along the eastern edge between Interstate 5 and the Hirz Fire,” according to the US Forest Service.”There are several areas along the southern perimeter where the fire crossed over primary control lines and crews are aggressively attacking these slop-overs to prevent the fire from making southerly progress.”

“Multiple commercial vehicles and several structures have been damaged or destroyed” so far, according to the Northern California Geographic Center.

The Weather:  

According to InciWeb,

 Smoke will exist over portions of the fire, especially in the lower drainages, through much of the morning hours. As the inversion lifts around midday and south to southwest ridgetop winds develop, smoke should begin to clear. The wind will get gusty on the ridges with gusts 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Upslope and up valley winds will develop elsewhere. Highs will be 80-85 ridges and 95-100 lower drainages. Relative humidities will lower into the 10-19 percent range.

The Plan:

According to a press release from the US Forest Service,

Dozer operators and hand crews are constructing fuel breaks. To protect Highland Springs, north of Boulder Creek, crews are constructing dozer lines and conducting a series of defensive backfiring operations around the community. Further north, dozer line along Middle Ridge is serving as a point for additional defensive firing operations in an effort to protect communities along the I-5 corridor, such as Castella and Dunsmuir. East of Interstate 5 at Sims Flat, crews are using an existing Hirz Fire contingency line along Sweetbriar Ridge as an indirect control line for the Delta Fire to limit its northeastern spread.

On the fire’s southeast side, near Riverview, firefighters are planning to use Middle Salt Creek as their southernmost control line. On the western side, crews continue to use a contingency line from the Carr Fire along Mosquito Creek Ridge as the primary control line.

Images:

The above video is from Matthew Henderson, well-known for his fire photography and live videos from among the flames. Follow him on Facebook to see more of his work.

Smoke plume above Lake Shasta

Smoke plume above Lake Shasta [Image from the Shasta Trinity National Forest]

The Roads:

I-5 is still closed this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol in Redding.Here are the alternative routes, according to information sent out by Caltrans last night.

Caltrans District 2 report on I-5 conditions

Below is a list of Trinity County Roads affected by the Delta fire:

East Side Road (Residents Only)

East Fork Road

Bonanza King (Residents Only)

The Maps:

    • Delta Fire Operations Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.
      Delta Fire Operations Map Sept 7

      Delta Fire Operations Map Sept 7

  • Delta Fire KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program.

    Delta Fire Heat Map Sept 6

    Delta Fire Heat Map Sept 6 (The plane was unable to fly and collect the information for Sept 7)

Evacuation Information:

According to InciWeb:

Shasta County Evacuations:

Numerous structures are threatened, and the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office has issued mandatory evacuations for residents along the Interstate 5 corridor from exit 707 at Vollmers north to exit 714 at Gibson. Follow the Shasta County Sheriff’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Shasta-County-Sheriffs-Office-1527637610823075/
Siskiyou County Evacuations:

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation warning, not a mandatory evacuation, for all residents of Dunsmuir. Follow the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff.

Trinity County Evacuations:

The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office has issued a mandatory evacuation notice for residents of East Fork Toad to Ramshorn Road east to the Shasta Trinity County line. There will be a hard road closure at East Side Road and East Fork Road for non-residents. There is an evacuation advisory only from the East Fork/East Side Road junction west to Highway 3 northward to Ramshorn Road. Follow the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office Fecebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Trinity-County-Sheriffs-Office-1635934306689276/

Evacuation Shelters:

An evacuation shelter is open at the Mount Shasta Community Center, 629 Alder Street, Mount Shasta.

A second evacuation shelter is available as needed at Central Valley High School, 4066 La Mesa Avenue, Shasta Lake City. Evacuees needing shelter services should call 844-236-0163 and the shelter will be opened.

Small Animal Shelter:

The Siskiyou Humane Society is housing dogs and cats for evacuees using the evacuation shelter. The humane society is at 1208 North Mount Shasta Blvd (530-926-4052). Evacuees can bring their pets and visit/feed/feed them during the shelter hours of operation (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Evacuees are responsible for taking care of their own animals every day.

poster advertising Delta Fire meeting

Earlier Chapters: 

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Chuck U
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Chuck U
5 years ago

Whoa! That operations map is ominous! Those operations Branches are way spread out!

Ullr rover
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Ullr rover
5 years ago
Reply to  Chuck U

Yup. Looks like they are planning for 120 to 150k acres.

clearlake fool
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clearlake fool
5 years ago

since im heading up tuesday i been watching traffic backup on caltrans traffic cams in redding and out hwy299 and junction hwy89 . thursday in redding they had problems just off I-5 on 299 and traffic was backed up 4 miles on I-5 . and backed up on 299 where cameras were and at junction 89/299 they had to have traffic control officers respond cause it backed up for miles in each direction .
i know another side road but still need to use 89 north out of burney area

Ullr rover
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Ullr rover
5 years ago

Yes, but under one command as a single complex.