The Monument Fire to the north, the McFarland Fire to the south. Graphic: Inciweb.

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There’s no good way to go east this morning. Both Highway 299 and Highway 36 are closed due to wildfire, as two major fires burn along the roadways.

The Monument Fire, which is burning along the Trinity River near Del Loma — between Willow Creek and Weaverville — was at 4,256 acres with no containment last night, when the Highway was closed. It was sparked by Friday’s lightning storms.

The McFarland Fire. | U.S. Forest Service

Down to its south, the McFarland Fire, near the Highway 36 community of Wildwood, is already at 15,565 acres and is 5 percent contained. Evacuation orders are in place around Wildwood, and warnings are in place for the nearby communities of Trinity Pines and Post Mountain.

There’s no telling when the highways might open again, or for how long. Best plan to take other routes if you need to do so. Current traffic information is available on the CalTrans Quickmap, but remember that conditions on the ground can change quickly.