Oregon wildfires: Klondike Fire grows to 55,000 acres, new evacuations issued

The Klondike Fire burning southwest of Grants Pass roared to life this weekend, growing to over 55,000 acres and spreading across the Illinois River.

Large smoke columns and flames could be seen from U.S. Highway 199 in Salma and Cave Junction, and a new round of evacuations warnings were issued. 

For now, the most important containment line protecting Selma from the fire has not been crossed. 

The Klondike is now the largest of the wildfires burning in Southern Oregon and demands the most firefighting attention.

The increased fire activity brought a new round of level 1 evacuations — meaning "get ready" to go — in the Eight Dollar Mountain Road outside Selma.

See this post for the most detailed information on evacuations. 

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On Saturday evening, high winds pushed multiple spot fires across the Illinois River on the fire’s southeast flank. The spot fires grew to 400 or 500 acres near Eight Dollar Mountain.and has become the main focus of fire teams. 

There remains a strong fire line between Selma and the wildfire.

“If the fire jumps this line, we will go to level 3 evacuation level — meaning 'go now,'" Illinois Valley fire chief Dennis Hoke in a Facebook post.

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In response to the fire’s growth, fire teams fought back using fire on Sunday. They used controlled burns to remove fuel ahead of the fire’s advance, but that put up a scary-looking plume visible from U.S. Highway 199 on Sunday. 

“Our goal is to remove the fuels ahead of the main fire,” fire spokesman Sam Harrell. “That way, if the fire comes over the ridge it’s not going to have the full amount of fuel to take a run at the community.”

Fire teams will face somewhat improved conditions today, but just barely. Temperatures will be in the 90s, but winds aren’t expected to be as gusty, Harrell said.

“We’re still facing critical fire weather, but the wind won’t be as big of an issue as it has been,” he said.

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There remain 1,600 fire teams working the Klondike and Taylor Creek Fires.

Here's a map showing the most recent movement of the fires and evacuation areas. 

Here's a roundup on all the other fires burning in the area. 

Taylor Creek Fire

All the major fire lines appeared to hold on the Taylor Creek Fire, which is now more than 48,000 acres and 45 percent contained.

The fire that brought the most closures and evacuations last week hasn’t gone away by a long shot, but it hasn’t seen the same amount of growth as the Klondike.

Bear Camp and Peavine Roads remain closed to traffic due to firefighter activity. Officials said the ongoing risk of trees and other debris falling on roads continues to threaten traveler safety. 

Monday saw critical fire weather conditions due to increased temperatures and wind direction shifts.

Temperatures will climb to the high 80s with winds gradually shifting from the northeast to the northwest, which will push the fire to the southwest. 

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Despite the heat and wind shift, the weather will allow for drone operations and helicopter missions. 

"Drone use continues for lighting strategic fires to even out and increase depth of fire lines in difficult terrain where fire crew safety would be compromised," fire officials said. 

Miles / Columbus / Snowshoe / Roundtop Fire complex

This collection of fires, formally known as the Sugar Pine and South Umpqua complexes, is located north of Medford near Prospect. 

The Miles Fire has spread to 30,974 acres and is 10 percent contained as of Monday morning. 

Crews are continuing to make progress, including on the southern flank of the fire, where it has jumped Elk Creek Road twice in the last week, fire officials said. 

The Columbus Fire is at 9,545 acres and is 14 percent contained, the Snowshoe Fire is at 3,816 acres and is 93 percent contained, and the Round Top Fire remains at 154 acres and is 95 percent contained.

Fire officials said that with 65 days since the last meaningful rainfall, the area is in the midst of "moderate drought" conditions, and the parched vegetation is at high-risk of igniting. 

The lift of the smoke inversion Monday is expected to moderate fire behavior until humidity levels bottom out in the afternoon. After 3 p.m., increased fire activity is anticipated as maximum heating and drying sets in until 8 p.m.

Though the fire led to some area closures, officials stressed that the region is not completely shuttered to tourists. 

"Southwest Oregon remains open for business and ready to welcome visitors," officials said. "Please check with local chambers of commerce and businesses as there are many opportunities for recreationalists, including access to Lost Creek Lake through Joseph Stewart State Park."

For updated evacuation levels due to this fire, see this map. 

Natchez Fire

The Natchez Fire south of Cave Junction grew to 13,155 acres as of Monday morning, with containment remaining at 52 percent.

Fire personnel anticipate an increase in activity as warm, dry weather persists until Tuesday.  

The northern half of the fire has held at containment lines with mop up and patrol operations continued over the weekend. 

The fire is backing down to containment lines on the southern half at the South Fork Indian Creek area. 

Officials say the fire is estimated to be fully contained by the end of the month.

A Level 1 "Ready" evacuation has been issued for the community of Sunstar. Closures remain in effect on the Rogue River-Siskiyou and Klamath National Forests.

Hendrix Fire

The Hendrix Fire burning southwest of Ashland has held steady at 1,082 acres and grew to 82-percent containment as of Monday.

Fire crews will continue to patrol, monitor and mop up the edge of the lightning-caused fire.

"We haven't had any changes with the footprint or perimeter," Donna Mickley of the U.S. Forest Service said.

"It'll likely continue to do what it's doing until we get rain."

Crews are expecting to fully contain the fire by September. 

Meanwhile, firefighters are pulling surplus equipment off the fireline and redirecting their resources to other fires in the area. 

A chipper is also being used to grind vegetation piled along roads used during fire suppression activities.

The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest area closure for the southern portion of the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District remains in effect. Detailed information and a map of the area closure are available here. 

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