REDDING, Calif. — Lightning activity Sunday was the suspected cause of six new fire starts on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. In the previous 24 hours there were 27 lightning strikes on the forest.
The quick response of fire aircraft and ground crews is credited by fire managers for checking the fire growth and keeping a majority of the fires to less than one acre in size.
The three-acre Miller Fire, located on the Weaverville Ranger District in the Tangle Blue Creek drainage, about 3.5 miles southwest of the Highway 3 — Scott Mountain Summit, was reported at about 2 p.m. today.
Air tankers and helicopters quickly responded to the Miller site, dropping several loads of retardant and water, slowing the growth of the fire.
Flown to the area were 16 Redding smokejumpers, who were to work the fire on the ground through the night until additional crews arrive today to support the suppression efforts.
In the north half of the McCloud Ranger District, helirappellers along with ground crews and aviation resources responded to five fires. Firefighters were able to keep these fires to less than one acre in size. Three of these fires were contained and two are controlled. Mop-up and patrol work on these fires was expected to continue into today.