Crews at the scene of a grass and brush fire off Dersch Road near Highway 44 reported that there is a fire line built by bulldozer and a firehose line also laid around the entire blaze.
The fire was at 50 acres and 5% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The blaze was the latest in a week that had already seen numerous fires break out in Shasta and Trinity counties.
The Dersch Road blaze had reached 6 acres by about 11 a.m. and quickly grew in size. Fire officials at the scene of the blaze alerted the California Highway Patrol to a vehicle possible dragging an emergency tow chain on the rear of a green Toyota, according to emergency scanner traffic.
By 11:30 a.m., the fire had reached 35 acres, spreading rapidly with spot fires breaking out in front of the moving flames, according to crews at the scene. By 1:50 p.m., the fire had grown to 50 acres.
Shortly after the fire broke out, an official requested five additional fire engines, three hand crews, three water tanker trucks and two additional bulldozers to help fight the blaze, according to scanner traffic.
Sheriff's department officials were also requested to help out at the fire. The fire was burning near Scharsch Road, according to fire scanner traffic.
Dersch Road was closed at Highway 44 and at Ash Creek Road. Evacuations were ordered in the area of Dersch Road and Ash Creek, as well. Those evacuation orders were later lifted.
The collection point at Foothill High School in Palo Cedro was closed down, but cooling centers were opened to the public at the Cottonwood Community Center, 20595 Gas Point Road and St. James Lutheran Church, 2500 Shasta View Drive, Redding.
Several others fires have broken out this past week, while the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning. The high temperature Friday was expected to reach 117 degrees and 118 on Saturday, the weather service said.
Crews that had been assigned to a 98-acre blaze in Happy Valley were released Friday morning to help out on the fire on Dersch Road, according to scanner traffic.
On July 4, a vehicle caused eight small fires along Highway 299 west of Weaverville. Another fire also broke out Thursday near where Friday's blaze was ignited off Dersch Road, according to Cal Fire. Thursday's fire burned 5 acres.
The Yolla Fire, which started Tuesday, burned 19 acres in western Shasta County.
Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on Twitter at @damonarthur_RS . Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today !
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: UPDATE: Fire crews have a hose lay and bulldozer-built fire line set around Dersch Fire
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