A fire in Shasta County that prompted evacuations and road closures in the community of Jones Valley northeast of Redding Thursday remains at 600 acres and is now 40 percent contained, according to a Cal Fire briefing held at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson earlier Friday morning.
Although firefighters have started containing the Mountain Fire, Cal Fire officials reminded crews going into the field that the blaze is burning in an area that has been historically challenging for the unit. They said priorities include buttoning up the northwest side of the fire, finishing mopping up hotspots and staying safe.
“We have an apparent amount of snags, steep slopes, shifting winds today, spot fires, there could be insects and snakes,” an official said.
Firefighters will be working in 105 degree heat with changing winds.
Officials at the briefing said evacuations remain in place along with many road closures.
“Those road closures are at Dry Creek and Squaw Grass Trail, Dry Creek and Elk Trail West, Dry Creek and Bear Mountain Road, Bear Mountain Road at Christian Way and Intermountain Road at Alice Way,” an official said.
According to a press release from Cal Fire, evacuations remain in place for all residents inside the road closure areas.
The Mountain Fire started around 11 a.m. Thursday and by midafternoon had grown to its current size.
More than 3,800 people have been evacuated.
An evacuation shelter has been set up at Crosspointe Community Church in Redding at 2960 Hartnell Avenue.
Animals can be taken to:
- Haven Humane Society at 7449 Eastside Road in Redding
- CARE Animal Hospital at 20 Hilltop Drive, Suite C in Redding
- Redding Rodeo Grounds at 714 Auditorium Drive in Redding