Delta Fire explodes in Lakehead, California, forces closure of I-5

Firefighters rushed to slow the growth of the rapidly growing Delta Fire near Lakehead, California, which has exploded in size to more than 36,000 acres with zero percent containment.

The fire forced a closure of Interstate 5 and prompted the Shasta County Sheriff's office to issue evacuation orders on both sides of I-5 north of Lakehead to the Shasta/Siskiyou county line, according to the Delta Fire incident report.

Lakehead is located about 30 minutes north of the city of Redding, where the Carr Fire destroyed over 1,000 residences in July.

Explosive Delta Fire shuts California freeway, causes evacuations

AP Photo/Garret Fischer

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AP Photo/Noah Berger

A firefighter sprays the smoldering remains of a vehicle on Interstate 5 as the Delta Fire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Parked trucks lined more than two miles of the highway as both directions remained closed to traffic.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

The Delta Fire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Parked trucks lined more than two miles of Interstate 5 as both directions remained closed to traffic. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

AP Photo/ Noah Berger

A scorched logging truck rests on Interstate 5 as the Delta Fire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., near Shasta Lake on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Parked trucks lined more than two miles of the highway as both directions remained closed to traffic.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

Fire trucks pass the Delta Fire burning in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018. Parked trucks lined more than two miles of Interstate 5 as both directions remained closed to traffic.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

The Delta Fire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The wildfire closed both directions of Interstate 5 leaving trucks parked on the shoulder for more than two miles waiting to pass through.

Jerri Tubbs via AP

A fire rages as motorists travel on Interstate 5 near Lake Shasta, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2018.

Caltran

Caltran Delta Fire as shown on CalTrans Lakehead, California, webcam.

Mark Thibideau

Delta Fire on Sept. 5, 2018.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

Bruce Palmer prepares to tow a truck scorched by the Delta Fire on Interstate 5 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., near Shasta Lake on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The highway remains closed to traffic in both directions as crews battle the blaze.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

A crane lifts a truck scorched by the Delta Fire on Interstate 5 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The highway remains closed to traffic in both directions as crews battle the blaze.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

California Capt. Mark Loveless examines a truck scorched by the Delta Fire burning along Interstate 5 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The highway remains closed to traffic in both directions as crews battle the blaze.

AP Photo/ Noah Berger

Firefighters monitor a backfire while battling the Delta Fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The wildfire that erupted Wednesday has now burned more than 34 square miles of timber and brush and prompted evacuation orders for rural homes in and around Shasta-Trinity National Forest below the Oregon state line.

AP Photo/ Noah Berger

Embers fly above a firefighter as he works to control a backfire as the Delta Fire burns in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018. The blaze had tripled in size overnight.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

Flames from a backfire burn around a fire truck battling the Delta Fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

A firefighter passes flames from a backfire while battling the Delta Fire in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

A scorched VW Beetle rests in a clearing after the Delta Fire burned through the Lamoine community in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

AP Photo/Noah Berger

A home leveled by the Delta Fire rests in a clearing in Pollard Flat area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018.

The fire was initially reported as three fires. However, they merged into one fast-moving fire that exhibits extreme fire behavior with rapid rates of spread up to a mile per hour were observed.

The fire front was up to 3 miles wide on the northern side with approximately 300-foot flame lengths. The fire continues to burn in steep and rough terrain on both sides of I-5, according to the incident report.

Officials said the cause of the Delta Fire appears to be human-related. While about 600 firefighting personnel were originally working on the blaze, that number jumped to over 1,900 by Friday evening.

"It has been very hot so far this month in the vicinity of the Delta Fire and [it] continues to be dry," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey.

Thursday was the coolest day of the month so far with a high of 95 F. Conditions may worsen through the weekend as temperatures are forecast to rise into the upper 90s F.

"The atmosphere created by this sort of heat will be primed for extreme fire weather. With that said, the winds in the region are expected to remain generally light over the next week and should not promote extreme fire spread," Duffey said.

The very complex terrain of the region is a bigger concern for fire spread, as the steep terrain will allow fires to run and will create challenges for firefighters on the ground attempting to contain the blaze.