For continued updates on the Fawn Fire, visit the JPR News Wildfire Tracker ...
UPDATE: Friday, Sept. 24, 10:50 a.m. ... The Shasta County Sheriff's Office issued a new mandatory evacuation order due to the Fawn Fire in the Mountain Gate area at 10:15 this morning. All roads east of Interstate 5, north of Old Oregon Trail all the way north to Shasta Lake must evacuate immediately.
A temporary collection point for evacuees will be at in the city of Redding at the Church of the Nazarene located at 2225 Bechelli Lane.
UPDATE: Friday, Sept. 24, 5:30 a.m. ... A fire that began on Wednesday afternoon in the Mountain Gate area of Shasta County northeast of Redding was driven by high winds to reach about 5,500 acres by Thursday night.
A rapidly-widening series of evacuation orders drove an estimated 4,000 people from their homes. Cal Fire officials say the Fawn Fire has destroyed at least 25 structures and is threatening about 2,000 more. Nearly a thousand fire fighters have been working overnight to construct containment lines around the fire. At last report, the fire was 5 percent contained.
Cal Fire officers have arrested a Bay-area woman they found at the location of the fire, who they say may be responsible for causing it. 30-year-old Alexandra Souverneva of Palo Alto is now booked at the Shasta County Jail on suspicion of arson.
Evacuation Orders remain in effect in much of the area east of I-5 and south of Shasta Lake.
鈥� All of Holiday Road south of Old Oregon Trail.
鈥� All roads north of Old Oregon Trail at Akrich north to Pine Grove & east of Interstate 5.
鈥� Tierra Oaks and the surrounding area.
鈥� All roads east of Dry Creek along Elk Trail east, north to Shasta Lake, and back down Dry Creek.
鈥� All roads off Old Oregon Trail in both directions between Bear Mountain north to Interstate 5.
鈥� All roads off Bear Mountain in both directions between Dry Creek and Old Oregon Trail.
Evacuation Warnings are in place for:
鈥� All roads on the west side of Interstate 5, west to the railroad tracks and on the north side of Shasta Dam Boulevard north to Old Oregon trail.
鈥� All roads west of Interstate 5all roads west of Interstate 5 to Ashby between Pine Grove and Shasta Dam.
鈥� All roads west of Interstate 5 to Ashby between Pine Grove and Shasta Dam.
鈥� All roads west of Interstate 5 to the railroad tracks, south of Bass Dr to Old Oregon Trail.
鈥� All areas north of Highway 299, East of I-5, to Old Oregon Trail, to Pine Grove Avenue.
Residents within evacuation warnings should be prepared to leave if fire activity increases.
There鈥檚 an evacuation point at the First Church of the Nazarene at 2225 Bechelli Lane in Redding.
This is a developing story. We will add new information as it becomes available.