Lava Fire (2021)

Not to be confused with Lava Fire (2012).
Lava Fire
The Lava Fire producing a pyrocumulus cloud on June 30
Date(s)
  • June 25, 2021 (2021-06-25) –
  • September 3, 2021 (2021-09-03)
LocationWeed, California
Coordinates41°27′32″N 122°19′44″W / 41.459°N 122.329°W / 41.459; -122.329
Statistics
Burned area26,409 acres
41 square miles
107 square kilometres
10,687 hectares
Impacts
Non-fatal injuries6
Structures destroyedDestroyed 23
Damaged 1
Ignition
CauseLightning
Map
Lava Fire (2021) is located in California
Lava Fire (2021)
Location in Northern California

The Lava Fire was a wildfire that burned 26,409 acres (10,687 ha) along the slopes of Mount Shasta near Weed, California during the 2021 California wildfire season. The fire started on June 25, 2021 and was fully contained on September 3, 2021.[1] The fire destroyed 23 buildings, including 14 houses, as well as damaged an additional building.[2][3]

Progression

[edit]

The Lava Fire was first reported on June 25, 2021 at around 7:45 am PST.[2] The fire grew relatively slowly over the following few days, being reported at 1,446 acres (585 ha) on June 28.[4] However, the fire grew much more rapidly over the next several days, reaching over 13,000 acres (5,261 ha) the next day and over 23,800 acres (9,632 ha) by July 2.[5][6] The growth was fueled by strong winds and dry vegetation amid an ongoing drought and a heat wave.[5] Growth slowed after July 2, with the fire reaching 25,003 acres (10,118 ha) by July 8.[3]

Sometime before June 30, 2021, the Lava Fire damaged a Union Pacific railroad trestle near Mount Shasta, California, significantly disrupting rail traffic on the west coast, including Amtrak's Coast Starlight service.[7][8]

Cause

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The cause of the fire is believed to be due to lightning.[2]

Containment

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Firefighters focused on securing the southern and western edges of the fire to protect populated areas like Weed, Mt. Shasta, Mount Shasta Vista, and Big Spring.[9] Their containment efforts were hampered by extreme heat, difficult terrain, poor road access to the fire, and poor access to water resources.[9] The fire reached 77% percent containment by July 15, 2021.[2]

The fire was reported fully contained on September 3, 2021.[1]

Effects

[edit]

Closures and evacuations

[edit]

At least a few thousand people living near the foot of Mount Shasta were forced to flee their homes, including people in Lake Shastina, Juniper Valley, and the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision.[10][11]

Evacuation efforts were complicated by ongoing tensions between Siskiyou County authorities and the local Hmong communities that operate cannabis farms in the area. One man was shot and killed by police after allegedly brandishing a firearm at authorities at an evacuation checkpoint.[12][13][14] Additionally, 14 people were arrested in the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision after refusing to leave amid the evacuation order.[15]

The Lava Fire forced the closure of few major transportation arteries through Siskiyou County. Highway 97 was closed between the city of Weed and the Oregon state line from June 28, 2021 until July 6, 2021.[16][17] The fire caused damage to Union Pacific-owned trackage and the Dry Canyon Bridge, which forced the company to shut down that segment of the railroad on June 28 and reroute freight trains over the Donner Pass.[7][18] The Union Pacific railroad closure forced Amtrak to effectively suspend passenger service between Sacramento and Eugene, Oregon, with the Coast Starlight service being suspended north of Sacramento and only Amtrak Cascades trains running between Seattle and Eugene.[8][19] Passenger service on the Coast Starlight resumed between Eugene and Klamath Falls, Oregon on July 15, 2021 with a bus bridge to Sacramento.[19][20] Full service on the Coast Starlight between Seattle and Los Angeles was restored on August 23, 2021 after the Dry Canyon Bridge was repaired.[21]

Damage

[edit]

The fire destroyed 23 buildings, 14 of which were residences. One additional structure was damaged.[2] Six firefighters were injured battling the blaze.[2]

[edit]
  • Lava Fire on June 26, 2021
    Lava Fire on June 26, 2021
  • The fire on June 27, 2021
    The fire on June 27, 2021
  • Lava Fire with a Forest Service fire engine in the foreground on June 28, 2021
    Lava Fire with a Forest Service fire engine in the foreground on June 28, 2021
  • The fire seen from Weed High School on July 5, 2021
    The fire seen from Weed High School on July 5, 2021
  • The fire from Weed High School on July 5, 2021
    The fire from Weed High School on July 5, 2021
  • A helicopter dropping water over the fire on July 5, 2021
    A helicopter dropping water over the fire on July 5, 2021
  • Lava Fire on July 5, 2021
    Lava Fire on July 5, 2021
  • Burn zone and suppression work on the Lava Fire on July 5, 2021
    Burn zone and suppression work on the Lava Fire on July 5, 2021
  • Hose lay on July 8, 2021
    Hose lay on July 8, 2021
  • The fire seen from the air on July 8, 2021
    The fire seen from the air on July 8, 2021
  • Burned area on July 28, 2021
    Burned area on July 28, 2021
  • Vegetation growing back in the burn zone on July 28, 2021
    Vegetation growing back in the burn zone on July 28, 2021
  • Firefighter talks with community members at the Mount Shasta Farmer's Market on July 30, 2021
    Firefighter talks with community members at the Mount Shasta Farmer's Market on July 30, 2021
  • Thank you sign on a vehicle on July 30, 2021
    Thank you sign on a vehicle on July 30, 2021

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Lava Fire". CAL Fire. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Lava Fire Information - InciWeb the Incident Information System". InciWeb. Archived from the original on 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2021-07-05.
  3. ^ a b "Growth of Lava Fire slows to a crawl". KOBI (TV). July 9, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  4. ^ "June 28 Morning Update: Lava Fire Wildfire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Lava Fire grows to over 13,000 acres". KOBI (TV). June 29, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  6. ^ Parfitt, Jamie (July 2, 2021). "Lava Fire Grows to More Than 23,800 Acres; Some Evacuations Lifted". KDRV. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  7. ^ a b "UP service disrupted by fire, weather". Trains. Archived from the original on 2021-06-30. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  8. ^ a b "Amtrak Advisory | Service Alert - Coast Starlight Trains Canceled Between Seattle and Sacramento until mid-July". www.amtrak.com. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  9. ^ a b "Lava Fire Morning Update July 3, 2021". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  10. ^ "Evacuation Information Lava Fire Wildfire". InciWeb. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "Mount Shasta Lava Fire has little growth overnight". ABC 10. July 4, 2021. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  12. ^ "Officers won't be charged for fatally shooting man at California fire checkpoint". NBC News. 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2022-07-14.
  13. ^ Cortez, Alison (June 30, 2021). "Hostile pot farmers forced retreat from Lava Fire in Northern California, sheriff says". The Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on June 30, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Lava Fire: Officers Kill Gunman Near Pot Farms In Evacuation Area; 13,000 Acres Burned". CBS SF. 2021-06-29. Archived from the original on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  15. ^ Wigglesworth, Alex (July 3, 2021). "Salt fire destroys more than two dozen homes; residents are arrested near Lava fire evacuation area". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Fast-spreading wildfire near Weed shuts Highway 97 at Oregon-California border". KTVZ. June 28, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  17. ^ DePaola, Amy-Xiaoshi (July 6, 2021). "Lava Fire in Siskiyou County 71% contained; Highway 97 reopens". KTXL. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  18. ^ Gailey, Brian (July 8, 2021). "Union Pacific tracks heavily damaged in Lava Fire". Klamath Falls News. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Amtrak Coast Starlight service suspended in parts of Oregon until mid-July due to fire damage". The Oregonian. July 10, 2021. Archived from the original on July 10, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  20. ^ "Track and Bridge Work Affects Coast Starlight". Amtrak. July 15, 2021. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  21. ^ Wynkoop, Olivia (August 19, 2021). "Amtrak to resume Coast Starlight line after repairing wildfire damage". KRON-TV. Archived from the original on September 13, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
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