After 4-days, Bootleg Fire now 76,897 acres
/Bootleg Fire update for July 10, 2021
The 76,897-acre #BootlegFire burns on a ridge located off Godowa Springs Road, north of Beatty, Oregon. July 9, 2021. (Image: Brian Gailey, Klamath Falls News.)
FIRE DETAILS
Cause:
Under investigation
Size:
76,897 Acres
Containment: 0%
Location:
15 Miles NW of Beatty, Oregon
Resources:
Personnel: 580
Hotshot Crews: 3
Type II Attack Crews: 5
Type II Crews: 3
Hand crews: 19
Engines: 51
Dozers: 5
Water Tenders: 15
Aircraft:
Helicopters 10
Fuels:
Heavy Timber, grass, and understory.
Incident Commanders:
Al Lawson
Lance Lightly
Initial Report:
1:45 PM, July 6, 2021
Coverage of the 2021 Wildfire Season is brought to you by Ace Towing.
KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. - The Bootleg Fire continues to expand rapidly, exploding to 76,897 acres in just four days. Extreme fire conditions, Red Flag Warnings, shifting winds, steep terrain, and varied fuel loads have all played a factor in the rapid growth of the fire - that still has zero containment.
580 Personnel are now working the fire. Support teams, aerial resources, structure protection, hand crews, and many others have traveled in from all over the west to aid in the fire suppression.
Low relative humidity and very dry fuels of brush, grass, and trees have caused fire growth to the north and east, with fire moving closer to Sycan Estates and the area of the high-voltage powerline. Firefighters held fire movement in the south and west (approx. along Forest Road 4437). Suppression efforts were focused on areas closest to residents and communities to the south and east of the fire.
How big is the Bootleg Fire?
As of today, the Bootleg Fire is the largest fire burning in the State of Oregon. The 76,897-acre fire is equal to 120.1 square miles. That is larger than Upper Klamath Lake but smaller than the City of Portland and over five times the size of the 242 Fire that wreaked havoc on Chiloquin last summer.
TODAY’S OPERATIONS
In the south and southwest portions of the fire, nearest to communities of High Tableland and Sprague River Valley, firefighters will secure and improve containment lines, continue structural triage, create defensible space around structures, and provide structure protection.
The fire is expected to continue to move toward the east toward the high voltage powerline corridor, and north toward Forest Road 46.
Firefighters are continuing structural triage, and protection in Sycan Estates and surrounding residences. They also are identifying places to safely and effectively build fire containment lines.
Around the entire perimeter, fire crews also work to identify places where secondary containment lines could be safely built in case fire moves past primary containment lines.
Aircraft, both helicopters and fixed-wing water & retardant drops, will be used to assist on-the-ground crews, however, flights will be grounded if any type of drone activity is spotted in the area.
EVACUATION INFORMATION
Bootleg Fire evacuation map as of 11:00 AM, July 10, 2021. Click here for the latest evacuation map.
As the recommendation of the Bootleg Fire Incident Commander, following are the current evacuation levels issued by Klamath County Emergency Management. Use a phone to scan the code below for a map of the fire and evacuation zones.
Level 3 (Go) – Leave immediately
Klamath County, north of the town of Beatty.
Sycan Estates Area
Evacuation starting at the forest boundary at Ivory Pines Rd 6.5 miles north of 140 extending east of Ivory Pine Rd 4 miles.
North of the town of Beatty. North end of Godawa Springs Road north of the rock quarry.
Near the town of Sprague River. Upper Tableland area north of Oregon Pines Road.
North of the town of Beatty. Sycan Estates area.
Level 2 (Get Set) - Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice
North of the town of Beatty. The area north of Highway 140, on both sides of Godowa Springs Road, south of the rock quarry.
North of the town of Sprague River. Klamath Forest Estates/Moccasin Hills area.
Evacuation Center
Klamath County Fairgrounds (in Klamath Falls), South 6th Street entrance only.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Fire officials held an hour-long public meeting yesterday in Chiloquin, Oregon to a crowd of approximately 50. Officials discuss the plan of attack, resources, expectations, and answered the communities questions regarding the forest fire. Earlier in the day, a second meeting was held in Sprague River to a reported standing-room-only crowd.
The next public meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 11 fire and county officials will be at the following sites to provide information and answer questions. Because the team will make multiple stops, times listed are approximate.
Sprague River Community Center, 1 – 1:30 p.m.
Beatty Community Center, 1:45 – 2:15 p.m.
Bly, 2:30 – 3 p.m.
Paisley (location TBA), 4:30 – 5 p.m.
Summer Lake (location TBA), 5:30 – 6 p.m.
BOOTLEG FIRE MAPS
Bootleg Fire Infrared map from 10:00 PM, July 9, 2021. [click to enlarge]
Map of the #BootlegFire. Additional fire maps available at https://www.klamathfallsnews.org/maps
Regional map of the #BootlegFire. Additional fire maps available at https://www.klamathfallsnews.org/maps
CLOSURES
Map of the Emergency Fire Closure [click to enlarge]
The Fremont-Winema National Forest issued emergency fire closure order 06-02-21-03 for the area between Forest Road 4542 on the western edge, along Forest Roads 45 and 46 on the northern edge to Forest Road 27 on the eastern side. Then to the junction with Forest Road 3462, heading west to the junction with Forest Road 3445, then south to the Forest Boundary, following the Boundary west to Forest Road 44 and then north to the junction with Forest Road 4542. Forest Road 44 is also closed between Sprague River Road and Forest Road 4542.
SAFETY MESSAGE
Watch for increased fire equipment traffic on area roads and highways, particularly in the Chiloquin area – use caution and drive defensively!
For the latest evacuation information, visit https://www.facebook.com/KlamathCountyGov. To sign up for Klamath County alerts, visit http://alerts.klamathcounty.org.
South Central Oregon is continuing to have an active and early fire season. Area residents and visitors are asked to use extreme caution with anything that could spark a wildfire. Suspected wildfires should be reported immediately to 911.
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
Extreme, crowning, short crown runs, short-range spotting.
CURRENT WEATHER
Well above normal temps to continue through the middle of next week as an upper-level high is moving through the area.
OUTLOOK
Planned actions
Establish anchor points and assess the potential to construct control lines.
Projected incident activity
The fire will continue to be extremely active in unchecked portions of the perimeter, with unstable air conditions and extremely dry fuels, and likely development of pyro-cumulus. The spread direction will be dictated primarily by topography and drought-stressed fuels. Continued persistent drought and dry conditions will encourage spotting.
Information is provided by the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Klamath County Emergency Management, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Northwest IMT 10 is current as of 1:00 PM, July 10, 2021.
Klamath Falls News will continue to follow the situation and provide updates as they become available.
RELATED:
July 9, 2021 - Bootleg Fire doubles in size in 24-hours, now 38,892 acres
July 8, 2021 - Northwest IMT 10 takes command of the 16,814 acre Bootleg Fire
July 7, 2021 - Bootleg Fire triples in size, now 11,000 acres
July 6, 2021 - Bootleg Fire 3,000 acres with no containment; Governor invokes Emergency Conflagration Act
July 6, 2021 - Bootleg Fire burning on Chiloquin Ranger District [UPDATED]
Klamath Falls News & Cascade Firewatch’s coverage of the 2021 Wildfire Season is brought to you by Ace Towing.
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