Where's Redding? As fire draws national attention, online searches about the California city spike

REDDING, Calif. – As news of the Carr wildfire lights up media outlets around the U.S., more people are looking to learn more about the city it threatens. Or at least where it is.

Specifically, Google searches for the phrase "where is Redding on a map" have skyrocketed. The search engine estimates that the phrase was looked up 1,012 times from Thursday to 3 p.m. Friday.

For those non-Reddingites who are looking to learn more about the city, here are five must-know facts about Redding.

1. Redding is the most-populated California city north of Sacramento. 

But not by much. The 2016 U.S. Census pinned the city's population at 91,808, just above Chico, which sits about 60 miles south of Redding and has a population of 91,567.

2. Redding makes headlines when it comes to heat

Despite a latitude similar to New Jersey's, Redding experiences some of the hottest summers in the country. Situated in a valley with hills to the east, west and north, the temperature in Redding reaches more than 100 degrees regularly in the summer.

3. The symbol of the city is the Sundial Bridge

Since it opened in 2004, the 700-foot long, glass-decked walking bridge has become a relaxing and inviting outdoor area. The bridge stretches over the Sacramento River. The diagonal pillar holding the suspension cables is about 217 feet high, according to the city's website.

4. 2 large mountains sit east and north of the city

On a sunny day, two hard-to-miss landmarks are Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak, two of the taller peaks in Northern California. Driving an hour and a half north from Redding will bring you to Mount Shasta, the fifth-tallest summit in the state, at 14,179 feet. Driving an hour and a half east will take you to Mount Lassen, which has a 10,479-foot peak and is located near Bumpass Hell, a renowned place to sight see for geothermal activity.

5. Redding is a 20-minute drive from the Shasta Dam

The 602-foot tall dam distributes water from manmade reservoir Lake Shasta to the 400-mile long Sacramento River, where the water helps farmers irrigate the main agricultural valley in California. When the dam was opened in 1945, it was the second-highest dam in the U.S. behind only the Hoover Dam. Nowadays, the dam is instrumental in preventing floods and generating power.

KIRO