The Klondike Fire started on 7/15/18 by lightning. It is currently 6,693 acres and 0% contained.
On July 23, 2018, management of both the Klondike and Natchez Fires was transferred to Pacific Northwest Team 3. Fire managers are continuing to utilize available resources to suppress both the Natchez and Klondike fires while minimizing risk to the public and firefighters.
A Level 3 evacuation remains in place in the Oak Flat area of Josephine County. The evacuation affects approximately 13 residences.
Firefighters are utilizing the Chetco Bar and the Laborador Fire scars to stop overall fire expansion on the west and east. Dozers are being used to open up roads from the Illinois River Road to the wilderness boundary south of the fire to be used as alternate containment lines.
Crews will continue to maintain and improve the structure protection in Oak Flat. The fire is slowing and holding in the area of the Chetco Bar fire scar. An additional division is being staffed today at the north end of the fire. Fire crews and managers continue to identify areas on the east side of the fire for alternate line construction and are improving primary control lines, including the 675 and 091 roads on the north as well as the 087 Road to the south.
Lightning started the Natchez Fire on 7/15/18. As of July 25, 2018, the fire is 2,414 acres and 0% contained.
On July 23, 2018, management of both the Klondike and Natchez Fires was transferred to Pacific Northwest Team 3. Fire managers are continuing to utilize available resources to suppress both the Natchez and Klondike fires while minimizing risk to the public and firefighters.
The Natchez fire has no evacuation warnings or orders. There are no closures in place for the Natchez Fire.
On Wednesday, burnout operations continued along the dozer line on the north side of the fire between the 4808 and 4810 roads while crews hold and continue to secure Tuesdays firing operations on the eastern line.
Construction of dozer line along the southern edge of the fire will commence and crews will continue preparing roads to contain the fire to the west. Structure protection activities to protect communities east of the fire will continue.
The Taylor Creek Complex Fire consists of Taylor Creek fire at 11,831 acres, Grave Creek/Ditch Creek fire at 7,047 acres, Pleasant Creek fire at 832 acres, Spencer Creek fire at 228 acres, and King Mountain fire at 6 acres.
2432 fire personnel with 112 engines, 35 dozers and 27 aircraft are battling the very large fire.
All day Wednesday burnout operations were conducted on the south and east sides of the Taylor Creek fire and the south side of the Grave Creek Fire. These burnout operations were critical for widening the control firelines that are strategically placed to control the fire.
Today’s weather will continue to be very hot and dry. There will be light variable winds this morning until around 1:00 this afternoon. At that point, winds will be west-northwest at 5-10 miles per hour. This will cause smoke to blow towards the SE side of the fires.
The Carr Fire, located just north of Whiskeytown Lake on Highway 299, has charred 6,773 acres and is 10% contained as of 10:00pm Wednesday night. The blaze has also closed Highway 299 at the base of the Buckhorn Summit at JFK Memorial Drive and will remain closed through Thursday. Trinity Mountain Road at Highway 299 and Whiskey Creek Road at Highway 299 are also closed. Highway 36 and Highway 3 are recommended as detours, but both routes have truck, recreation vehicle and bus length restrictions.
The California Department of Transportation has no estimate when Highway 299 will reopen.
Resources, including 1,344 Fire Personnel, 110 Fire Engines, 10 Helicopters and 22 dozers, worked throughout the day to increase containment but the fire remained active.
Steep terrain and access limitations for fire apparatus make it necessary for bulldozers to construct and improve containment line along ridgetops. Firefighters will be working throughout the night to reinforce existing containment lines and constructing new line around the fire. Continued hot dry weather is forecast for the remainder of the week.
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