[Update: Evac Warnings Lifted] Fast-Moving Placer Fire Prompts Evacuation Warnings West of Redding

Placer Fire as seen on the ALERTCalifornia system.

A fast-moving vegetation fire broke out in Shasta County Tuesday afternoon, growing from a few acres to 10 acres in roughly 20 minutes and prompting evacuation warnings for residents west of Redding.

The Placer Fire was first spotted around 3:30 p.m. via the ALERTCalifornia camera system off Placer Road, southeast of Whiskeytown Lake. When firefighters arrived, the blaze was burning 1 to 2 acres at a moderate rate of spread with structures threatened. By 3:50 p.m. it had reached an estimated 10 acres.

Just after 4 p.m., the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation warnings for residents on Muletown Road, Secluded Valley Drive, and Vista Knolls Drive. Placer Road is closed between Secluded Valley Road and Muletown Road.

An evacuation warning means there is a potential threat to life or property. Residents who need extra time to leave are urged to go now.

A significant air fleet is supporting ground crews, including Tankers 93 and 94, Air Attack 240, Air Attack 50, a Chinook helitanker (HT-7CH), and Copter 601.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

This story will be updated as information becomes available.

Update 4:50 p.m.: Per the incident commander, the evacuation warning has been lifted for the Placer Fire. Watch Duty reported that forward progress was stopped with dozer line and hose lay around the fire perimeter.

The hard closure of Placer Road remains in place, according to scanner traffic, with an estimated change to a soft closure at 5 p.m.