© 2025 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
Listen | Discover | Engage a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Fire Near Redding Closes Part Of I-5

Victoria Reed/JPR

UPDATED 4:08 p.m.

A wildfire north of Redding forced new evacuations and a temporary closure of Interstate Five late this morning.

First fire reports came in around 11 AM.  The fire that Cal Fire says was human caused burned more than sixteen acres in the community of Mountaingate.

Police evacuated homes, businesses, and a school along Wonderland Boulevard and Fawndale Road, and opened an evacuation center at the Family Celebration Center. The evacuations were later lifted.

Firefighters quickly contained spot fires on both sides of the freeway, up to a mile from the source fire.  Cal Fire says crews were able to reach 75% containment by mid-afternoon. By 4pm both lanes of I-5 were re-opened.

Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.
Valerie Ing’s history with JPR goes back to the stone age, when she volunteered to answer phones during the 1981 fund drive. Today she's Classical Music Director, and hosts the morning music program First Concert.
Recent threats to federal funding are challenging the way stations like JPR provide service to small communities in rural parts of the country.
Your one-time or sustaining monthly gift is more important than ever.