UPDATE: Lava Fire Grows To Nearly 5,000 Acres Due To Strong Winds
SISKIYOU COUNTY (CBS SF) -- The Lava Fire burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest jumped a highway and is now threatening the community of Lake Shastina, according to fire officials.
The Lava Fire is one of four wildfires sparked by lightning last Friday, and is the only one of the four still burning in rough, rocky terrain 3.5 miles northeast of the town of Weed and 4.5 miles southeast of Lake Shastina.
Strong winds on Monday have caused the blaze to grow to nearly 5,000 acres.
Cal Fire and local fire resources including ground crews and aircraft battled the fire through the weekend, but it grew enough to force the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office to issue the evacuation orders Monday afternoon.
The communities of Lake Shastina and Juniper Valley off Big Springs Road from Highway 97 to McDonald Lane on both east and west sides of Big Springs Road as well as residents on the north side of Hoy Road, north along Highway 97 to County Road A-12 were ordered to evacuate at 1:15 p.m.
An additional evacuation order for the Mount Shasta Vista Subdivision, County Road A-12 north and south and Harry Cash Road from 4 Corners to Hart Road was issued at about 2:30 p.m.
The sheriff's office said a Temporary Evacuation Point has been established at Big Springs Elementary School at 7405 County Hwy A12 in the town of Montague. Residents are instructed to dial 211 for information and assistance.
CHP has also shut down Highway 97.
The Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit tweeted late Monday afternoon that they were sending a strike team to assist crews already working the fire.
Cal Fire tweeted about two more fires in Siskiyou County Monday evening.
The first fire, called the Tennant Fire, was burning on the east side of the Klamath National Forest near the junction of Highway 97 and the Tennant Road.
The fire is not a Cal Fire incident and was estimated at 200-300 acres in size Monday evening. Multiple resources are on scene from the Klamath National Forest, the Cal Fire Siskiyou Unit and other cooperating agencies. Several aircraft are on scene.
The second fire, called the Beswick Fire, was burning north of Montague and was 15 acres in size.
