Main California highway closed by fire until declared safe

SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. (AP) — Authorities are still mulling whether to reopen a major highway that’s been closed for two days by a raging Northern California wildfire.

Officials must first determine if it’s safe to resume travel on a 45-mile stretch of Interstate 5 below the Oregon state line. The road was closed on Wednesday as fire erupted on both sides of the highway.

Fire spokesman Brandon Vacarro says work crews have cleared away burned and abandoned trucks that littered the road after the swift-moving blaze erupted but they must also determine whether charred 70-foot trees along the road are in danger of falling.

The Delta Fire has burned more than 34 square miles and prompted evacuation orders for scattered homes and buildings in three counties in and around Shasta-Trinity National Forest.