The area burning from the massive Delta fire in Shasta County, California tripled in size overnight, scorching 15,294 acres and counting as of Thursday afternoon, per California fire authorities. Human involvement is blamed.
This wildfire is a monster, and it's beginning to look like California is just going to be on fire… permanently?
From the Los Angeles Times:
On Thursday, less than 24 hours after the blaze broke out in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, the Delta fire had chewed through 15,294 acres of timber and dense brush. Three homes had been damaged and 150 others were under threat. Roughly 300 people had evacuated along I-5 from Lamoine to the Shasta-Siskiyou county line, according to Capt. Brandon Vaccaro, a fire spokesman.
The wildfire was initially reported as three fires Wednesday afternoon north of Lakehead — a community of about 500 people near the Vollmers exit on I-5 — but it merged into one fire and spread rapidly. At one point, the blaze burned up to one mile per hour.
Vaccaro said there was “human involvement” in igniting the blaze, but it is not clear whether it was an accident or arson.
The fire’s quick growth was fueled partly by warm weather and winds, and officials are not anticipating much relief Thursday. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s in areas where the fire is burning, and winds with gusts in the 15- to 20-mph range are expected through the afternoon.
This video, shot by Amit Sekhri, shows what people on I-5 in Northern California were driving through when the #DeltaFire broke out.
More on the fire: https://t.co/WUouzVftAp
Video from our sister station in Redding, @KRCR7. pic.twitter.com/bcGrp1vMWO
— BakersfieldNow (@bakersfieldnow) September 6, 2018
I-15 is closed in some areas.
CALTRANS said Thursday afternoon they have “no plans” to reopen I5 north of Redding tonight, and they will “re-evaluate” the closure tomorrow morning.
The state transportation agency is waring motorists that alternate routes are getting clogged already, too.
UPDATE: Caltrans says it has no plans to reopen #I5 north of #Redding tonight due to wildfire, will re-evaluate closure tomorrow. https://t.co/lLDpkJBfWg
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) September 6, 2018
"The worst may be yet to come," Commissioner David Jones warned at a San Francisco news conference, noting that California wildfires are typically more destructive after Sept. 1.
It's warm, dry & gusty near the #DeltaFire burning north of #Redding. Changing winds & heat will make it challenging for firefighters. #CAfire #ShastaCounty pic.twitter.com/rUdrOrCew6
— Sandhya Patel (@SandhyaABC7) September 6, 2018
Along a section of California's busy I-5 freeway Thursday, crews removed the burned out remains of several big rigs that fell prey to the destructive blast of the Delta Fire. https://t.co/jvBaPgKDbY
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) September 6, 2018
Thick wildfire smoke will continue to blanket far northern California. Smoke will remain mainly north of the Valley today before beginning to push south overnight into tomorrow. #DeltaFire #HirzFire #CAwx pic.twitter.com/YWZCcB946n
— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) September 6, 2018
A California truck driver makes a bold decision to drive straight through the raging Delta Fire after he was unable to turn around. Surrounded by flames and smoke, the driver emerges unscathed. https://t.co/QiLlBFALKI pic.twitter.com/u9REBlo5hw
— ABC News (@ABC) September 6, 2018
Just saw this myself. They're flowing onto northbound I-5 from the Lake exit and people are having to swerve out of the way. #DeltaFire https://t.co/hvPZqwZ1SA
— Alayna Shulman (@ashulman_RS) September 6, 2018
Terrifying videos show drivers on I-5 fleeing fast-moving flames as a wildfire rips through #ShastaCounty. #DeltaFire https://t.co/IkMJUcRRF0
— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) September 6, 2018
New #DeltaFire evacuations are happening in Trinity County right now: https://t.co/DGW7qsqtDm
— Alayna Shulman (@ashulman_RS) September 6, 2018
With nothing to do but wait, these truck drivers along closed #I5 north of #Redding are camped out where it’s cool, underneath one of their rigs. @CaltransD2 #ABC7now #DeltaFire @LiveDoppler7 pic.twitter.com/oDMq8vfMsa
— Laura Anthony (@LauraAnthony7) September 6, 2018
Yesterday a pyrocumulus, or fire cloud, built up from the #DeltaFire, but upper level transport winds helped sheer off the column. The fear with a pyrocumulus is that it can create thunderstorm-ish conditions, including winds up to 50 mph, sending outflow winds in all directions.
— Jaclyn Cosgrove (@jaclyncosgrove) September 6, 2018
A truck driver describes his frustration over getting stranded on I-5 because of the Delta Fire. He’s supposed to deliver plastic bags to Washington by tomorrow morning. Dozens of truckers in the same boat #DeltaFire pic.twitter.com/cICrW4sBNB
— Jodi Hernandez (@JodiHernandezTV) September 6, 2018
Here's another video of the #DeltaFire overtaking Interstate 5 on Wednesday. This video was taken by a California Highway Patrol officer. It sounds like a lot of firefighters, law enforcement officers and good Samaritans helped get each other to safety. pic.twitter.com/iUqVjeeEWG
— Jaclyn Cosgrove (@jaclyncosgrove) September 6, 2018
CAL FIRE Fire Apparatus Engineer Jesse Vandegriff and pilot Bill Neckles stand in front of Siller Helitanker 35S. This was one of the first air resources to arrive at the Delta Fire in Shasta County yesterday, capable of putting up to 2000 gallons of water on a fire at a time. pic.twitter.com/bqsrhbETgf
— CAL FIRE Butte Unit/Butte County Fire Department (@CALFIRE_ButteCo) September 6, 2018
New Mandatory Evacs for the #DeltaFire in Trinity County. #Breaking https://t.co/1OyJo2ctl6
— Bernie Deyo (@EPN473) September 6, 2018
EVACUATION NOTICE: East Fork Road is under MANDATORY evacuation. Areas east of Trinity River from Trinity Lake to Ramshorn Road are under ADVISORY evacuation notice.
— Trinity County DOT (@TrinityDOT) September 6, 2018