Gopher Fire burns 220 acres along the Jackson-Klamath County line in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. (USFS)

At least 95 lighting caused wildfire fires are burning in the Southern Oregon and Northern California region. The largest fire is the Lone Fire in the Modoc National Forest at 5,000 acres. Depending on the amount of moisture associated with the thunderstorms and the vegetation types on the ground, it can take several days for the smoke to become visible from a lightning-caused wildfire. Firefighters may be responding to new starts and holdovers throughout the weekend and early into next week.

Lone Fire, 5,000 acres

The Lone Fire grew by over 2,000 acres in the last 24-hours. Higher temperatures and decreased humidity along with strong winds pushed the fire to 5,000 acres.

In addition to the weather, a lack of adequate roads for fire equipment to access the fire made it difficult for firefighters to make headway. One helicopter and several air tankers, including a DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT), were responded and made multiple retardant drops on the fire.

Additional helicopters have been ordered to assist the 119 personnel assigned to the incident.

This lightning-caused fire is burning in grass and juniper in the area of Pinnacle Lake. Since the initial report on Sept. 5 the fire has grown over 2,000 acres per day and is currently the largest fire burning on the Modoc National Forest.

Outlook

Planned Actions: Build fireline where necessary and tie the fire into natural barriers and the existing road system.
Projected Activity: Winds out of the west are pushing the fire to the east.
Current Weather: A low pressure system is expected to bring cooler temperatures and gusty winds through the weekend.

Lone Fire Details

Cause: Lightning

Size: 5,000

Containment: n/a

Location:
Pinnacle Lake, California (Modoc NF)

Resources:
119 Personnel
Several Air Tankers
1 Helicopter

Fuel: Grass, brush, juniper

Gopher Fire, 230 acres

Located in the Sky Lakes Wilderness and Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest, the Gopher Fire is approximately 200 acres and burning inside the burn scar of the 2008 Middle Fork Fire.

The remote area is steep and full of timber, snags, dead grass, and brush roughly halfway between Prospect and Chiloquin.

The Gopher Fire formed when five smaller lightning fires grew together.

A local Type 3 Fire Management Team are in command. The Type 3 team has employed the use of 1 helicopter and 2 air tankers. More resources are on order. Crews are working to open and use old firelines from the 2008 Middle Fork Fire.

Fire managers are optimistic that cooler weather with higher relative humidities will provide for an opportunity to make good progress on containment efforts.

There are currently no closures in the Sky Lakes Wilderness, although some trails near Alta Lake could be closed. The Pacific Crest Trail is not affected.

Those wishing to access the Sky Lakes in the near future are encouraged to access from the East side to avoid fire traffic on access roads in the area.

Further information on this fire is limited.

Gopher Fire Details

Cause: Lightning

Size: 230

Containment: n/a

Location:
Sky Lakes Wilderness
Klamath-Jackson County Line

Fuel: Timber, snags, brush, grass

Lime Fire, 200 acres

The Lime Fire and nearby Collier Fire began the evening of September 4, 2019 during multiple thunderstorms and lightning strikes. Identified on September 5, it remained small throughout the day, then increased in intensity at approximately 2:00 pm Friday, September 6, 2019.

Currently at approximately 200 acres, 4 crews, 2 air tankers, 1 helicopter, and 1 dozer are on the fire, with more resources ordered to arrive soon.

The wildfire is located in fuels of moderate to high risk - in steep, difficult terrain.

Outlook

Planned Actions: Resources are actively engaged in stopping forward direction and in structure protection. Direct strategy is being used with backup plans for alternative strategies.
Projected Activity: Ordering additional resources and continuing current strategies.
Current Weather: Managed by local type 3 incident command

Lime Fire Details

Cause: Lightning

Size: 200

Containment: n/a

Location:
Lime Gulch, Klamath NF, California

Resources:
200 Personnel
4 Hand Crews
2 Air Tankers
1 Helicopter
1 Dozer

Fuel: Grass, brush, juniper

R-6 Fire, 260 acres

This fire is burning sagebrush, timber and rangeland grasses about 22 miles north of Susanville, Calif. The fire is about six miles east of Eagle Lake's north shore. No structures have been damaged, although three rural ranches are threatened. Lightning sparked this fire in the early afternoon of Friday, Sept. 6.

Today, fire crews will continue direct fireline construction and work to improve fire lines built yesterday.

Outlook

Planned Actions: Continue direct line construction and reinforce existing fire lines. Access is difficult
Projected Activity: The fire could continue to spread north/northeast toward Termo and Juniper Ridge
Current Weather: There is high spotting potential and longer mop up times because of timber. The fire threatens three remote rural ranches. No structures have been damaged. The fire threatens livestock grazing areas, sage grouse habitat and timberlands.
Weather Concerns: Winds with gusts to 40 mph this afternoon.

R-6 Fire Details

Cause: Lightning

Size: 260

Containment: 10%

Location:
22 miles NE of Susanville, California. 6 miles E of Eagle Lake

Resources:
200 Personnel
4 Hand Crews
2 Air Tankers
1 Helicopter
1 Dozer

Fuels:
Sagebrush
Rangeland grasses
timber

South Central Oregon Lighting Fires

Fire suppression resources continue to respond to new fires caused by to the recent lightning over South Central Oregon. Multiple new incidents have been reported but are not yet confirmed. There are 17 confirmed new fires as of today bringing the total number of from 9 to 26 over the past 2-days. The majority of the fires range from 1/10 of an acre to 6 acres in size.

All fires are currently staffed, and crews are actively suppressing each fire.

Fremont-Winema National Forest – 9 confirmed fire.
Bureau of Land Management – 6 confirmed fires.
Oregon Department of Forestry – 6 confirmed fires.
Crater Lake National Park – 5 confirmed fires.

Adobe Fire
The Adobe Fire, the largest of the recent lighting fires in South Central Oregon and currently holding at 93 acres. Fire suppression resources worked through the night holding this incident to its current size and will continue to strengthen containment lines and patrolling the fires edge for hotspots.

Depending on the amount of moisture associated with the thunderstorms and the vegetation types on the ground, it can take several days for the smoke to become visible from a lightning-caused wildfire. Firefighters refer to these fires as “holdovers.” Firefighters may be responding to new starts and holdovers throughout the weekend and early into next week.

SCOFMP Lightning Fires Details

Cause: Lightning

Number of Fires: 26

Location:
Klamath and Lake Counties

Personnel: 176

Fuel: various

Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest Lighting Fires

Rogue Valley Interagency Dispatchers continues to move resources across the Forest to assist with smoke checks, mop-up, patrols and suppression efforts where needed. There are currently 176 firefighters working across the Forest doing protection.

Middle Fire in the High Cascades Ranger District's Sky Lakes Wilderness, located approximately 2 miles northwest of Red Lake. This fire is 100% contained with heat in the interior.

Needle Fire on the High Cascades Ranger District is 1/10 of an acre in size, and is located approximately 1 mile south of Jim Creek Campground. This fire is mopped up, controlled and will be in patrol status.

Buck Peak Fire on the Wild Rivers Ranger District is 1/10 of an acre in size, and is located near the north boundary of the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. This fire is showing no smoke and is in mop-up status.

Elder Fire on the Wild Rivers Ranger District is ½ acre in size, is currently in mop-up status and contained.

Ramsey Creek Fire on the Wild Rivers Ranger District is 1/10 of an acre in size, and is approximately 2 miles from the Forest Boundary, east of Slate Creek Road. This fire is controlled and in patrol status.

Lake Mountain Fire on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District is ½ an acre in size, and is in the mop-up phase with patrols monitoring for interior smokes. The fire is located on the eastern edge of the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve boundary.

Flumet Fire on the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District is ½ an acre in size, and located approximately ½ mile south of Little Grayback Peak. The fire is showing no smoke and is controlled.

RRSNF Lightning Fires Details

Cause: Lightning

Number of Fires: 7

Location:
Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest

Personnel: 176

Fuel: various

Klamath National Forest Lighting Fires

38 fires have been confirmed in the Klamath National Forest. Most have been managed and remain small, between 1/10th of an acre to five acres. Resources are on scene or responding to all of these fires.

A local type 3 incident team is being put in place for a larger fire of between 30 and 40 acres in the Oak Knoll Ranger District area. New fires may be discovered today as air resources continue to perform reconnaissance flights over the forest.

Outlook

Planned Actions: Resources are actively engaged in initial attack suppression activities on lightning fires.
Projected Activity: Resources will continue to monitor and respond to new fire starts as they are detected. Lime Fire on the Oak Knoll District will be managed by a local Type 3 incident team.
Current Weather: Red Flag Warning has been lifted with a cooling trend forecast.

KNF Lightning Fires Details

Cause: Lightning

Number of Fires: 38

Location:
Klamath National Forest

Personnel: 100

Fuel: various

Modoc National Forest Lighting Fires

Since Thursday’s thunderstorms 20 fires have been discovered on the forest, nine of these remain uncontrolled. Good progress was made Friday on several of the small fires. Five incidents were declared “controlled/contained”, and two were declared out. All but one of these fires were less than one quarter of an acre.

Shooter Fire (43N 9E Sec 25) 0.1 acre
Ingal Fire (45N 11E Sec 33) 0.1 acre
Spring Fire (44N11E Sec 14) 0.1 acre
Caldwell Fire (45N 4E Sec 26) 0.1 acre
Swamp Fire (44N 11E Sec 4) 10 acres
Foster Fire (37N 10E Sec 17) 0.1 acre
House Fire (42N 9E Sec18) 0.1 acre
Joseph Fire (43N 14E Sec 10) 0.1 acre
Kelly Fire (40N 10E Sec 32), Controlled/Contained
Site Fire (40N 10E Sec 6), Controlled/Contained
Knob Fire (44N 4E Sec 7), Controlled/Contained
Benton Fire (44N 14E Sec 3), Controlled/Contained
Porcupine Fire (43N 13E Sec 1), Controlled/Contained
Grouse Fire (40N 10E Sec5) Declared out
Avanzino Fire (45N 10E Sec3) Declared out.

MNF Lightning Fires Details

Cause: Lightning

Number of Fires: 20

Location:
Modoc National Forest

Personnel: 176

Fuel: various

Klamath Falls News coverage of the 2019 Wildfire Season is brought to you by Ace Towing and Turn Thom Point S.