Klamath Falls News - Locally owned news brand, reporting stories affecting citizens of the Klamath Basin.
Approximately 125 people remain engaged on the Silver Creek Fire in the southeast corner of Silver Falls State Park. The 27 acre fire is burning in the Howard Creek drainage, a remote steep, timbered areas over a mile from the park boundary.
Read MoreSILVERTON, ORE. – A 10-acre wildfire is burning in the southeast corner of Silver Falls State Park. This area is remote, steep and timbered terrain. Smoke was first reported late in the evening on Thursday, July 12. Crews from Drakes Crossing Fire District responded quickly, but the small size of the fire and thick undergrowth made it difficult to pinpoint the source before darkness made further work impossible.
Read MoreVisitors to Oregon state parks in 2016 contributed $1.1 billion to the state's economy and supported 16,000 full- and part-time jobs, according to a report released today by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).
The report, Economic Activity from Recreation Use of Oregon State Park Properties -- System Report, measures how communities near parks benefited economically from the 54 million-plus visits to state parks in 2016. Visitor spending supported 16,000 full-and part-time jobs statewide, equating to a combined salary of $550 million.
"The report clearly shows that Oregon's state parks are more than great places to visit, but also a vital economic engine for local economies across the state," said OPRD recreation planner Terry Bergerson.
