One person killed in N. California wildfire
(Update: Person killed in Klamathon Fire; I-5 reopens)
HORNBROOK, Calif. (AP) – A fire official says a person has died in a fast-moving blaze near the California-Oregon border.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Suzi Brady said Friday the person died in the Klamathon Fire that started Thursday about eight miles south of the border but that she couldn’t release any other details because next of kin have not been notified.
She said the blaze is threatening 300 homes near Hornbook, California, a town of 250 people about 14 miles south of the Oregon border.
The fire in Siskiyou County has burned more than 12 square miles (7,600 acres). It is 5 percent contained.
Brady said the fire is being fueled by hot weather and extreme winds.
California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency, citing “extreme peril” to people and property.
Interstate 5 reopened near the Oregon-California border Friday morning after the wildfire burning on both sides of the freeway south of the Hilt interchange in Northern California prompted its closure on Thursday.
ODOT reported that CalFire was allowing I-5 to reopen, but said, “Expect heavy and slow moving traffic in the area previously closed due to the Klamathon Fire.”
For a couple hours, ODOT and Oregon State Police were metering and escorting several hundred vehicles through the burn zone from milepost 11, south of Ashland, while Caltrans and CHP was doing the same northbound from Yreka.
But that was dropped before 9 a.m., allowing free-flowing traffic.
“Depending on Klamathon Fire behavior throughout the day, conditions could change,’ the initial ODOT traffic advisory said.
ODOT had closed southbound Interstate 5 at Ashland on Thursday afternoon, while Caltrans stopped northbound I-5 traffic at the North Yreka exit.
They had advised California-bound travelers to consider using state highways 58 or 140 to U.S. Highway 97 in Central Oregon.
In addition, Oregon Highway 273, the Old Siskiyou Highway, was closed at Oregon Highway 66. Travel on Oregon 66 was not advised for commercial motor vehicles.
Follow traffic updates at our ODOT TripCheck page.
