Map: Carr Fire perimeter and evacuations west of Redding

A wildfire west of Redding tripled in size overnight, and Gov. Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency.

The Carr Fire was sparked Monday afternoon by what CalFire described as a mechanical failure of a vehicle on Highway 299 west of Whiskeytown Lake.

At 6:15 Wednesday evening, the burn zone was 6,673 acres. At 9 a.m. Thursday, it was 20,000 acres, with 10 percent containment.

Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for:

• The communities of French Gulch, Keswick and Old Shasta.
• Highway 299 between Trinity Mountain Road and the base of Buckhorn Summit.
• Whiskey Creek Road.
• Lower Springs Road.
• Swasey Drive between Highway 299 and Lower Springs Road.
• Victoria Drive, Benson Drive, Rock Creek Road, Iron Mountain Road, Middle Creek Road, Muletown Road and all roads off of them.Highway 299, which runs from Arcata to Redding, is closed to westbound traffic at Buenaventura Boulevard in Redding and to eastbound traffic at the Shasta County line.