KTLA

Fast-Moving Wildfire Threatens Homes, Forces Evacuations in Shasta County

The Mountain Fire burning Aug. 22, 2019, near Redding is seen in an aerial photo provided by Cal Fire.

Firefighters report making good progress against a Northern California blaze that’s threatening more than 1,000 homes.

The fire in Shasta County started around noon Thursday in a rural area northwest of Redding about 200 miles north of San Francisco.

Cal Fire Capt. Robert Foxworthy says the blaze quickly spread to more than 600 acres, or about one square mile, by Thursday afternoon.

A north wind drove flames through several hundred acres of grass, brush and oak trees in foothill and mountain areas.

Authorities say 1,100 homes were threatened and nearly 4,000 residents were under evacuation orders.

However, Foxworthy says the winds have died down Thursday evening, the fire has slowed and flames have decreased.

Crews are battling the blaze by ground and air.

Foxworthy says the fire is burning not too far from last year’s Carr Fire, which destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Shasta and Trinity counties.

Firefighters are battling in high temperatures, expected to be above 100 degrees for the next few days.