Lava Fire (2021)

The cause of the fire is believed to be due to lightning.[2]

Firefighters focused on securing the southern and western edges of the fire to protect populated areas like Weed, Mt. Shasta, Mount Shasta Vista, and Big Spring.[9] Their containment efforts were hampered by extreme heat, difficult terrain, poor road access to the fire, and poor access to water resources.[9] The fire reached 77% percent containment by July 15, 2021.[2]

The fire was reported fully contained on September 3, 2021.[1]

At least a few thousand people living near the foot of Mount Shasta were forced to flee their homes, including people in Lake Shastina, Juniper Valley, and the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision.[10][11]

Evacuation efforts were complicated by ongoing tensions between Siskiyou County authorities and the local Hmong communities that operate cannabis farms in the area. One man was shot and killed by police after allegedly brandishing a firearm at authorities at an evacuation checkpoint.[12][13][14] Additionally, 14 people were arrested in the Mount Shasta Vista subdivision after refusing to leave amid the evacuation order.[15]

The Lava Fire forced the closure of few major transportation arteries through Siskiyou County. Highway 97 was closed between the city of Weed and the Oregon state line from June 28, 2021 until July 6, 2021.[16][17] The fire caused damage to Union Pacific-owned trackage and the Dry Canyon Bridge, which forced the company to shut down that segment of the railroad on June 28 and reroute freight trains over the Donner Pass.[7][18] The Union Pacific railroad closure forced Amtrak to effectively suspend passenger service between Sacramento and Eugene, Oregon, with the Coast Starlight service being suspended north of Sacramento and only Amtrak Cascades trains running between Seattle and Eugene.[8][19] Passenger service on the Coast Starlight resumed between Eugene and Klamath Falls, Oregon on July 15, 2021 with a bus bridge to Sacramento.[19][20] Full service on the Coast Starlight between Seattle and Los Angeles was restored on August 23, 2021 after the Dry Canyon Bridge was repaired.[21]

The fire destroyed 23 buildings, 14 of which were residences. One additional structure was damaged.[2] Six firefighters were injured battling the blaze.[2]