A fire broke out in Eastern Shasta County Thursday, forcing evacuations and the closure of Highway 299. The Hat Fire was first reported a little after 2:30PM behind the Hat Creek Gun Club. The first arriving firefighters reported the fire to be spreading at a critical rate. Highway 299 remains closed from Cassel Road near Burney all the way to Main Street in Fall River Mills. As of Friday morning the fire is estimated at 2500 acres and it’s now 15% contained. The evacuation area includes areas from the Pit One Grade to everything west of Glenburn Road. An evacuation center had been in McArthur but due to a power outage it’s been moved to Adin.
Two of the fires in the Hirz Incident have burned together, according to the Forest Service. The Hirz Incident began as three fires located off of Gilman Road on the McCloud Arm of the lake. The fires are burning near the road in oak understory. The smallest of the fires has been contained, but the two larger fires have merged and are burning north northwest up the slope of Hirz Mountain. The Forest Service said the total size is about 450 acres , and they are reporting 10% containment.