Sunday fire prompts evacuation - Corning

Corning Fire Department firefighters Robert Snow and Bob Nelson hose down an olive orchard on Highway 99W Sunday. ( DN-Zeeb )


CORNING- A cloud of smoke, visible from Interstate 5 about 10 miles north of Corning, rose over the city Sunday after a fire started near the northbound I-5 off ramp at Liberal Avenue. "With the exception of a few places, it stayed pretty much between I-5 and 99W," said Dave Harp, a CalFire investigative officer. "There are a few places east of 99 that burned." The cause of the 120-acre fire, which started at 11: 40 a.m. was unknown as of Sunday afternoon, said Laura Klima, CalFire communications operator.

California Highway Patrol officers and Tehema County road workers directed traffic from Highway 99W onto Liberal Avenue where the traffic was diverted. The highway was closed until the fire was put out around 1:45 p.m. The fire may have been started by a vagrant in the area, CHP Sgt. Stephanie Drake said. "We had a report of a party near the fire who may have started it, but it's under investigation," Drake said.

CHP is asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to call the CHP office at 527-2034. Although the cause is unknown, it is "definitely a wind driven fire," CalFire Battalion Chief Dale Kinyon said. Driven by 30-40 mph gusts of wind, the fire spread quickly from the off-ramp, skirted I-5 and entered Highway 99W within minutes of starting, Drake said. A handful of mobile homes were evacuated along 99W and only one structure burned, Kinyon said. CalFire did not know if the structure was occupied. Other structures threatened were able to be saved because of clearance around them, Kinyon said. There were no injuries reported, he said. No other information was available.

Sunday's fire was the second to take place near the I-5 over the weekend with a fire burning half an acre next to northbound I-5 at the scales near Cottonwood.

The second fire was reported Friday at 10:10 p.m. and CalFire was on the scene at 10:23 p.m., said CalFire Capt. John Wilson. The scene was cleared by 11:51 p.m., he said. There was no damage and the cause is under investigation. No further information was available.

Source Article: Red Bluff Daily News, By Julie Zeeb (Daily News Staff Writer)
Photo Credit: Julie Zeeb (Daily News Staff Writer)