‘Lava Fire’ Erupts in California After Lightning Strikes Mount Shasta

U.S. Forest Service

By IE Staff

First Published: 8:29 AM PDT, June 29, 2021

Cal Fire and local resources including ground crews and aircraft battled the flames through the weekend, CBS San Francisco reported.

A fire is raging in Weed, California, after lightning has struck Mount Shasta over the weekend and as of Monday has spread across 5,000 acres, according to reports.

The fire, known as a “lava fire,” spread fast as temperatures were nearing triple digits in the area, according to an Incident Information report. Smoke rose to 25,000 feet in the sky, according to San Francisco Gate. Mount Shasta is located in the northern part of the Sunshine State which has been experiencing record high temperatures in recent weeks.

"Very impressive shot of the #LavaFire, currently burning on western flank of Mt. Shasta," climate scientist Daniel Swain said on Twitter. "In the pre-social media era, I suspect more than a few folks would have been concerned that Shasta was experiencing a volcanic eruption (which, to be clear, it is not!)."

The fire spread Monday as winds picked up, according to U.S. Forest Service.

Residents in Siskiyou County have been ordered to evacuate. No injuries have been reported, according to People.