Dale Fire seen from west Redding. Photo by Candace Brown.
UPDATE Saturday 8 a.m.: The Dale Fire is 75 percent contained. Full containment expected by the day’s end. Demobilization of resources is in progress. All evacuations are lifted. All roads are open.
The fire covered 1,200 acres. More than 150 homes were threatened, five were damaged, but no homes were destroyed. More than 200 outbuildings were threatened, and two were destroyed.
One minor injury was reported.
The Dale Fire, that began on the afternoon of July 5 at Dale Lane and Cloverdale Road in Happy Valley, utilized 1,138 personnel, 111 fire engines, 35 fire crews, six helicopters, six bulldozers and six water-tenders.
An evacuee and fire mobilization center was opened at U-Prep on Eureka Way in Redding.
Participating agencies include CAL FIRE, Shasta Co. Fire Dept., Anderson Fire Dept., Happy Valley Fire Dept., Cottonwood Fire Protection Dist., CalEMA, Shasta Co. Sheriffs Office, CHP, and BLM.
Dale Fire information provided by CAL FIRE.
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UPDATE Friday 6:30 p.m. – All evacuations are lifted.
All roads have been reopened, with the exception of Clear Creek Road between Cloverdale and Honeybee roads.
Demobilization of excess resources will begin tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.
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UPDATE noon Friday: Evacuations are in effect on Clear Creek Road between Cloverdale Road and Texas Springs Road, and all off-streets.
Clear Creek Rd between Cloverdale Rd and Texas Springs Rd remains closed.
Total fire personnel 1,016, 88 engines, 37 fire crews, 4 air tankers, 6 helicopters, 7 bulldozers and 14 water tenders. The fire is burning toward the northwest.
Dale Fire viewed from near Secluded Valley Road in west Redding, taken by Joe McCarthy of Redding from his home's deck, approximately 1 mile from the fire line.
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UPDATE 8 a.m. Friday: Cooler overnight temperatures helped firefighters hold the Dale Fire to 1,200 acres. CalFire reports that the fire is 40 percent contained.
Evacuations were lifted on Cloverdale Road. Road closures and evacuations remain in effect for Diggins Way south of Placer Rd, Clear Creek Rd, Honeybee Rd, Whispering Canyon Dr, and Oak St.
Affiliated agencies include Cal EMA, Shasta County Sheriff office, CHP, BLM, Shasta Co. Fire Dept., Anderson Fire Dept., Happy Valley Fire Dept., Cottonwood Fire Protection Dist.
Regarding weather, Redding meteorologist Chris Fontana forecasts that today’s temperatures will be about 3 to 6 degrees warmer than yesterday, with temperatures climbing steadily through the weekend and into next week, topping out as high as 102 to 107 by next Thursday in the valley and in the high 90s and low 100s in the foothills and mid-elevations. Click here for full forecast.
Stay tuned for updates.
Air tanker dumps retardant on Dale Fire near the end of Secluded Valley in west Redding. Photo by Joe McCarthy of Redding, taken approximately 1 mile from the fire line.
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Slideshow photos courtesy of readers Dave Mundt, Darla Hoeft, Duane Langshaw and journalist Candace Brown.
For updated online Calfire information click here.
For the Dale Fire information line, call (530) 225-2510.
Click here to hear the CDF-SHU, Redding Fire and Medical Dispatch emergency scanner feed that includes periodical information about the Dale Fire. (Click on the small speaker icon to listen. Do NOT click where it says download. That’s an ad.)
Click here for Redding Firefighters Facebook page to see more photos and video.
Readers, we welcome your information in the comments section. We are especially interested to hear from people in the Happy Valley, Cottonwood, Anderson and Igo/Ono communities.
Photos or longer comments may be emailed to donig.anewscafe@gmail.com.
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UPDATE: 11 p.m. – The Dale Fire, southwest of Redding, has burned about 1,200 acres, and the fire is 30 percent contained. Approximately 150 residences and 200 outbuildings have been threatened. Two outbuildings were destroyed in the fire and four residences were damaged.
Evacuations remain in effect for Diggins Way south of Placer Road, Clear Creek Road, Honeybee Road, Whispering Canyon Road, Cloverdale Road and Oak Street.
The Salvation Army has set up an evacuation and fire mobilization center at U-Prep School, east of Shasta High School, 2500 Eureka Way in Redding.
The fire’s cause remains under investigation.
As of 11 p.m. Thursday, resources thus far used to battle the Dale Fire include 394 personnel, 44 engines, nine fire crews, five air tankers, three helicopters, seven bulldozers and seven water tenders.
The fire is estimated to be about 30 percent contained, and continues to move in a northwest direction.
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Smoking hot sunset, by Duane Langshaw.
The Dale Fire that started at Dale Lane and Cloverdale Road in Happy Valley, southwest of Redding, has burned more than 1,200 acres. The fire remains about 30 percent contained.
Evacuations remain in effect in some parts of Happy Valley and its surrounding areas, specifically Diggins Way south of Placer Rd, Clear Creek Road, Honeybee Road, Whispering Canyon Drive, Cloverdale Road, Oak Street and Secluded Valley Road.
By 8 p.m. firefighters were reporting a “moderate rate of spread” though were considering evacuating some west Redding neighborhoods south of Placer, including those in the vicinity of Horsetown and Texas Springs roads.
Road closures include Clear Creek Road, and Cloverdale Road from Clover View Road to Oak St.
Dale Fire viewed from Hilltop Drive in Redding. Photo by Dave Mundt.
So far, about more than 1,000 acres have burned in what’s being called the Dale Fire, southwest of Redding in the location of Dale Lane and Cloverdale Road in Happy Valley, southeast of Redding. The fire is burning in a northwest direction.
Dale Fire as seen while driving east down Clear Creek Road. Photo by Darla Hoeft.
According to CalFire, the blaze began around 1:54 p.m. today, and is 30 percent contained. Presently the Dale Fire is being battled by 25 engines, eight fire crews, give air tankers, 2 helicopters, eight water-tenders.
A fire command staging center has been set up at Highway 273 and Clear Creek Road in Redding.
Tanker flies over west Redding on its way to the Dale Fire, southwest of Redding. Photo by Candace Brown.
Readers, we welcome your information in the comments section.
Photos or longer comments may be emailed to donig.anewscafe@gmail.com.
Independent online journalist Doni Chamberlain founded what’s now known as anewscafe.com in 2007 with her son, Joe Domke of the Czech Republic. Prior to 2007 Chamberlain was an award-winning newspaper opinion columnist, feature and food writer recognized by the Associated Press, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and E.W. Scripps. She lives in Redding, CA.
