Fire crews are dealing with six forest fires in Oregon Sunday, with two being described as problematic.
“In past years we were dealing with 20 fires at this time of the season,” said Carol Connolly of the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, a war room of sorts for dealing with wildfires. “But a wet spring means a later fire season.”
She said the main focus remains on two fires: The Flat fire and the Golden fire.
More than 1,200 crews are battling the 2,000-acre Flat fire, which is burning near the town of Agness at the confluence of the Illinois and Rogue rivers. The fire started July 15 at Oak Flat Campground, four miles from Agness.
Sunday, Connolly said, is a “transition day.
“We have zero containment,” she said. “But the team is maintaining momentum on hot spots, burnout operations and assessing where to put control lines.”
She said a Level 2 warning (meaning resident should be prepared to go) remains in effect from Agness to Quosatana Creek, with evacuation decisions being made by local officials.
The other major blaze is the Golden fire, also about 2,000 acres and not contained. The fire started Saturday afternoon on Bly Mountain, east of Klamath Falls, and continues to spread.
Highway 140E is closed, and a Level 3 evacuation order (meaning, go now) has been issued for Bly Mountain from Kodiac Road south to Coyote Road east of Highway 140.
American Red Cross, along with Klamath County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), has set up shelter for evacuees at Bonanza High School, 31601 Mission Street, Bonanza, Oregon 97623.
There is a red-flag warning issued for Klamath County for today through Monday for strong gusty winds and low relative humidity.
Connolly said Oregon’s wildfire season is just getting started.
“The Pacific Northwest is getting warmer and will remain that way through autumn,” she said. “That’s pushing the season back.”
— Tom Hallman Jr
503-221-8224; thallman@oregonian.com; @thallmanjr
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