Klamath Falls News - Locally owned news brand, reporting stories affecting citizens of the Klamath Basin.
KLAMATH BASIN - For several weeks now, as the morning cool turns to the heat of the day, vast swarms of voracious grasshoppers have been pouring out of the dry, largely barren Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge into the surrounding irrigated farm fields around Merrill and Tulelake. Concerns are growing that crop damage could extend into the millions of dollars.
Read MoreYREKA, CALIF. – California has seen a historic rainy season with precipitation totals of 145 % of normal statewide. While there has been a reduction in the number of fires this year due to the unusual conditions, the protracted drought has led to significant loads of dead vegetation, and the abundant rain is producing an extra-large fine grass crop and other vegetation. CAL FIRE is preparing now, and we call on all Californians to be prepared and launch individual prevention efforts—whether around homes, while recreating, or by supporting efforts in your local community and sharing information with your neighbors.
Read MoreKLAMATH RIVER BASIN – Gathering along the Klamath River in Siskiyou County today [December 8, 2022], Governor Kate Brown joined California Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and leaders of the Klamath, Yurok, and Karuk tribes to celebrate final approval of a transformative dam removal project that will revitalize nearly 400 miles of the Klamath River and tributaries – the largest river restoration project in American history.
Read MoreLower temperatures and higher relative humidity, including rain over some areas of the fire, moderated fire behavior allowed firefighters to make good progress on the fire yesterday. In the absence of the explosive fire behavior observed previously, firefighters were able to take a more direct posture and engage directly on the McKinney, China 2, and Alex fires.
Read MoreMuch of the McKinney Fire saw rainfall overnight, keeping fire growth minimal. The fire continues to actively back toward structures in the Walker Creek area, and night crews were on hand to do structure protection there. The southern and eastern edges of the fire, closest to Fort Jones and Yreka, showed very little growth.
Read MoreYREKA, Calif. - Activity on both fires moderated into the evening as a heavy smoke inversion settled over the fire. The fire became active again at about midnight. Crews were actively engaged in structure protection overnight, especially in the Klamath River area. Little progression was observed on the fire’s edge closest to Yreka City.
Read MoreYREKA, Calif. - There is a special place within the Klamath National Forest where visitors can honor Veterans all year long. Open from sunrise to sunset, the Living Memorial Sculpture Garden (LMSG) is an exceptional 136-acre art installation and war memorial along Highway 97 (13 miles northeast of Weed, CA) on the Goosenest Ranger District of the Klamath National Forest.
Read MoreNORTHERN CALIFORNIA - Yesterday, interior islands of unburned fuels continued to put up smoke throughout the fire area. Around Tamarack and Garner Mountain, fire was observed moving through understory. Firefighters continue to work and move through the entire fire perimeter, to ensure that the fire containment line is not threatened by any heat sources.
Read MoreNORTHERN CALIFORNIA - The Antelope fire was slightly more active than previous nights as vegetation continues to dry out from last week’s rain. Crews are actively patrolling lines and extinguishing any remaining heat during night shift. Some heat was detected in dry fuels near Tamarack yesterday, and additional resources arrived late yesterday to help access and suppress that heat overnight. Activity increased in Lava Beds National Park overnight as well, as was expected with the drier conditions.
Read MoreWEED, Calif. - The first time a Union Pacific fire-fighting crew tried to reach the Dry Canyon Bridge in Northern California, they had to turn back. The risk of being trapped by the Lava Fire sweeping across the Shasta-Trinity National Forest was too high.
Read MoreSISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. - The Lava Fire in Siskiyou County has caused 25,000 acres of destruction at the base of Mount Shasta. Timber, grass, brush, are just some of the burned vegetation in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. So far, vegetation is not the only property damaged by the fire. The highly-trafficked Union Pacific rail line has also received significant damages.
Read MoreMT HEBRON, Calif. - Due to effective suppression efforts by Tennant Fire personnel, resources have been able to focus their efforts in containing hot spots on the western and southeastern areas of the fire perimeter.
Read MoreMT HEBRON, Calif. - Crews remained engaged through the night on the Tennant Fire, constructing fireline and doing structure protection as needed. An infrared flight occurred over the incident last night, mapping the Tennant Fire at 8,159 acres. Containment is reported at 5%.
Read MoreMEDFORD, Ore. - As winter settles into communities throughout the Southern Oregon and Northern California region, ending a year that has brought challenges like no other, it’s the arts and humanities programs that continue to provide needed connection and healing.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – Following Thursday’s announcement of 54 new COVID-19 cases associated with an outbreak at Planasa Oregon Operations, specific details of the incident were not clear. The only association with MacDoel is Planasa has a presence there. Siskiyou County has no association with the outbreak.
Read MoreKLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has programs to assist growers planting cover crops on land that will not be irrigated in 2020, according to Klamath Water Users Association.
Read MoreA Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory is in effect from 5:00 AM Tuesday to 2:00 AM Wednesday for areas above 3000 feet.
For the Winter Storm Warning, heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations 6 to 10 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.
Read MoreSISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. - It was a dark and stormy fall night in a pine-juniper forest of rural northern California. A group of 30 visitors had carefully made their way about 200 yards inside Barnum Cave, located off an unmarked dirt track halfway between the towns of Yreka and Weed.
Read MoreOn Tuesday, September 3, 2019, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) coordinated a series of counter-drug operations, seizing 610 very large, mature, illegal marijuana plants in the Butte Valley area of Siskiyou County, southwest of Macdoel, California.
Read MoreAt 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.
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![Tennant Fire grows to over 8,159 acres [UPDATED]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b9f24c64b05fd6531db026/1625085864496-0GJZR4G215JEBGRKDUG1/DSC_6473.jpg)
![Winter Storm Warning for areas of the quad county region [UPDATED]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/59b9f24c64b05fd6531db026/1584384487075-4QLF02TZFVPU3F49BXRU/Winter+Storm+-+Warning+-+2019-20+ACE.jpg)
