Klamathon fire rages as season starts
The deadly Klamathon Fire continued to devour acreage Sunday, crossing the OregonCalifornia border as it tore through 30,500 acres and threatened hundreds of homes, fire officials said.
The fire was 25 percent contained but continued to spread into the Klamath National Forest, Horseshoe Ranch Wildlife Area and private timber lands. Erratic winds and dry vegetation are driving the fire’s growth, officials said. Fire crews completed containment lines on the southern portion of the fire. Steep, thickly wooded terrain proved a challenge for crews working around the clock on the western and southeastern portions of the blaze, officials said.
“The conditions are a little less smoky and the sun is coming in a little more, but the downside to that is that the fire behavior is more active,” said Cheryl Buliavac, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. “Having the visibility, we’re able to get aircraft in there.”
The blaze threatened more than 600 homes in Hilt and Hornbrook (Siskiyou County), where the fire broke out Thursday, and Colestin, Ore., authorities said. The water systems that serve Yreka and Hornbrook were at risk, as well as threatened and endangered species habitats in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.
A resident of Hornbrook was killed in the blaze, the state’s first fire fatality of the year. The person has not been identified. Three firefighters also have been injured, but their injuries were non-life-threatening, said Toni Davis, a spokeswoman for Cal Fire.
One firefighter, Brandon Feller, sustained severe burns to his face while battling the fire Thursday when his engine was overwhelmed by the blaze. In those first couple of nights, firefighters dealt with winds of 35 to 40 mph, Buliavac said.
“It was a very, very fast-moving fire,” she said.
Feller was flown to UC Davis Intensive Care Unit Burn Center, according to a GoFundMe page set up for him.
Increased humidity Saturday night helped firefighters control parts of the blaze, according to a statement from Cal Fire.
More than 2,300 firefighters, aided by 176 fire engines and 14 helicopters, were trying to control the inferno in tinder-dry conditions.
“We were able to punch a (containment) line in the far north portion of the fire,” Davis said. “With some of the terrain and areas like the wilderness above the Oregon border, I know those areas are a lot thicker and there hasn’t been fire activity up there ever, so that’s an area we’re going to be focusing on.”
Prevailing northerly winds continued Sunday, but weren’t expected to pick up significantly.
“We’re not looking at really strong winds that will be a significant concern in the afternoon,” said Mike Petrucelli, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “The winds are really the driving factor. That’s what causes the fire to spread in combination with relative humidity. Relative humidity will be low, but not as critical as ... a couple days ago when the fire really grew.”
The situation, however, remained unpredictable along the fire line, officials said.
“The fire is still actively burning in a lot of areas,” Buliavac said. “We’ve had some huge challenges because of the winds. It’s a very dynamic time right now.”
Seventy-two structures had been destroyed by Sunday, and new evacuation orders were put in place for parts of the communities of Irongate Reservoir Estates and Klamath River Country Estates near Hornbrook.
Tommy Davis of Hornbrook stayed at his property to defend his home despite evacuation orders that came Thursday. His horse pasture caught fire Saturday night, forcing him to move his five horses and 90 cows, he wrote in a Facebook message. He lost a shed, but his house was safe as of Sunday morning, though he continued to put out nearby spot fires. On Saturday evening, he and a friend carved a new containment line around his house, bulldozing trees and shrubbery near his property.
“Thankfully we own heavy equipment,” Davis wrote. “It’s just sad to see it all go.”
Interstate 5, the main thoroughfare between California and Oregon, remained open under the watch of Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol. It was temporarily closed on Friday.
The Klamathon blaze may have been started by a resident southwest of the Klamath River who lighted a small fire on a friend’s property that ignited a tree, jumped the river and spread into nearby hills, according to Yreka CHP dispatch records.
The blaze is among more than a dozen burning throughout California in a fire season that has gotten off to an unusually early start. A state of emergency declared by Gov. Jerry Brown for Siskiyou County remained in effect.
In two other Northern California blazes, firefighters reported small progress.
The 15,185-acre Pawnee Fire in Lake County was declared 100 percent contained on Sunday evening, and the 90,288-acre County Fire east of Lake Berryessa in Yolo and Napa counties was 65 percent contained early Sunday.
“Containment lines continue to grow, and many hazards are mitigated,” Cal Fire officials said of the County Fire. Full containment is expected by Thursday. Fifteen structures have been destroyed, with three others damaged.
Full containment of the Pawnee Fire is expected by Tuesday, officials said.
The Irish Fire, which broke out Friday near the small town of Ione at the base of the Sierra Nevada in Amador County, had burned 790 acres and was 98 percent contained by Sunday evening, officials said. All evacuation orders were lifted after firefighters made “excellent progress” carving containment lines over Saturday night, officials said.
In Southern California, fires broke out late last week, spurred by an intense heat wave and strong winds. Firefighters worked to contain the blazes that have forced evacuations of thousands of people and threatened hundreds of homes.
In Santa Barbara County, the Holiday Fire erupted in the town of Goleta, where strong winds Friday propelled the blaze, forcing 2,500 people to flee their homes Friday night. The fire destroyed around 20 structures — including 10 homes — burned 100 acres and was 80 percent contained Sunday, with full containment expected Wednesday, officials said.
In San Bernardino County, the Valley Fire had burned 1,139 acres and was 5 percent contained by Sunday, officials said. In brutally high temperatures, firefighters also battled two other blazes in the county, a 33-acre fire that started June 30 and a 100-acre fire. At least eight firefighters suffered heat-related injuries, officials said.
In San Diego County, the West Fire destroyed at least 18 structures and covered more than 500 acres. It was 81 percent contained on Sunday.