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Delta Fire: I-5 now open in Shasta County

All lanes are now open on I-5 in Shasta County, according to Caltrans.

Update 6 p.m.

All lanes are now open on I-5 in Shasta County, according to Caltrans.

Update 3 p.m.

Northbound I-5 traffic is now being stopped near Fawndale, about 6 miles north of Redding, according to scanner reports.

Update 2:45 p.m.

Northbound I-5 traffic is being stopped at Dog Creek Road, while southbound traffic is being shut down at Mott Road.

The spot fire has jumped the freeway, according to scanner reports.

Update: 2:30 p.m.

Authorities are turning traffic around on Interstate 5 in the Vollmers area north of Redding due to a spot fire that has sparked from the Delta Fire.

Original story

Firefighters battling the Delta Fire were aided by a little rain overnight as the fire grew Thursday to 58,427 acres and remained Thursday at 17 percent containment.

For while firefighters welcomed the light rain, it also hampered their ability to set back burns to try to stop it from spreading.

"But if definitely helps us," said Brad Bihun, a public information officer working the fire.

Bihun said although it was not raining Thursday morning, there were a few light sprinkles overnight.

Seventeen homes have been destroyed so far in the Delta Fire, which started Sept. while another was damaged, Bihun said.

About 100 homes remain threatened by the fire, he said.

There are 3,188 firefighters battling the Delta Fire, including 84 hand crews, 226 engines, 73 bulldozers and 15 helicopters.

Although increased smoke Wednesday afternoon prohibited aircraft operations over the fire, officials said favorable weather conditions aided firefighters in constructing fire lines directly along the fire’s perimeter.

"Fire lines were completed in key areas along the fire perimeter both west and west of Interstate 5," a Shasta-Trinity National Forest statement read.

One the north end, firefighters were also able to secure a line around a previously established spot fire near Highland Lakes, the statement read, adding that firefighters in the southeast region near Fenders Ferry Road used the Hirz Fire perimeter to stop the fire’s spread.

Firefighters were would be continuing Thursday to secure primary control lines around the fire with crews focusing on improving current fire lines and mopping up hot spots along the fire’s edge.

A community meeting is being held at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Dunsmuir Elementary School, 4760 Siskiyou Ave., to give residents a status update on the fire.

Meanwhile, mandatory evacuations have been lifted for residents in the following areas:

  • Delta Road
  • La Moine Road
  • Delta School Road
  • Pollard Flat
  • Slate Creek Road
  • Little Slate Creek Road
  • Eagles Roost Road
  • Eviesbrood Road
  • Coyote Pass Road.

Re-entry is allowed into these areas for residents only. Residents will be required to provide proof to verify residency.

Elsewhere, firefighters said they have fully contained the 46,150-acre Hirz Fire, while the Kerlin Fire burning near Hyampom in Trinity County is at 95 percent containment Thursday and has burned 1,750 acres.

More than 450 firefighters continue to fight that blaze.

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