Klamath County Archives

Happening Friday: Prescribed burn planned to protect Crescent homes from wildfires

April 30, 2026 8:40 am Matthew Draxton

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters on the Deschutes National Forest are planning a 44-acre prescribed burn on Friday in the Crescent Ranger District.…

Portland driver killed in head-on collision with semi-truck on Highway 97 in Klamath County

April 13, 2026 4:20 pm Barney Lerten

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Portland man was killed Sunday afternoon in a head-on collision with a semi truck on Highway 97 in Klamath County…

Redband rainbow trout in springs near Upper Klamath Lake

‘Short of need’: 2026 irrigation water supply will suffer, Klamath Water Users Association says

April 7, 2026 9:00 am Silas Moreau

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (KTVZ) — In alignment with the current drought-like conditions across the west, the Klamath Water Users Association says this…

Klamath Tribes work to protect rare Mare’s eggs

March 15, 2026 12:36 am Tracee Tuesday

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — In the Klamath Tribes’ treaty territory, tribal councilors are working to protect a rare blue-green algae known as…

Update: Truck driver charged in the death of a La Pine woman, extradited to Oregon, arraigned in Klamath County court

February 13, 2026 2:33 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Today, KTVZ news learned Desiree Johnson, the truck driver charged in the crash that took the life of Elise Adair Farrens from…

Wolf from Upper Deschutes Pack spotted in residential area near Sunriver

February 11, 2026 5:19 pm Harley Coldiron

THREE RIVERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A wolf from the Upper Deschutes Pack was recently filmed running along a biking path in the Caldera Springs community…

Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation awards $759K to 93 Southern Oregon nonprofits

January 16, 2026 8:09 am KTVZ - News Team

ROSEBURG, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation awarded $759,930 to non-profit organizations across Southern Oregon on Thursday at…

Fatal 2-vehicle crash on Highway 97 in Klamath County

January 12, 2026 7:56 pm Triton Notary

KLAMATH CO. (KTVZ)– A two-vehicle crash on Highway 97 near milepost 228 in Klamath County resulted in one fatality Friday evening, according to…

Bend man killed, another seriously injured in Highway 31 pickup rollover crash

January 5, 2026 4:49 pm Barney Lerten

One Bend man was killed and another seriously injured in the rollover crash of a pickup truck Sunday morning on state Highway 31 south of La Pine,…

Recreational advisory lifted for Upper Klamath Lake; Pet warning remains

December 23, 2025 8:01 pm Tracee Tuesday

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Health Authority has lifted the recreational use health advisory for Upper Klamath Lake in Klamath County. The…

Chiloquin man killed in head-on collision of two pickups on Highway 97

December 17, 2025 4:23 pm Barney Lerten

CHILQQUIN, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 26-year-old Chiloquin man was killed in the head-on collision of two pickup trucks Tuesday evening on Highway 97 south of…

Salmon return to Klamath Basin sparks urgent and renewed push for fish screens to protect farms

October 27, 2025 5:34 pm Harley Coldiron

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — The discovery of Chinook salmon swimming through irrigation canals in the Klamath Drainage District is prompting renewed…

Comeback story continues: Salmon reach more milestones on the Upper Klamath River

October 17, 2025 5:16 pm KTVZ

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Salmon are making exciting progress in their return to the upper Klamath Basin, with fisheries biologists from the…

Oregon Health Authority issues recreational use advisory for Odell Lake due to harmful algae blooms

August 14, 2025 3:51 pm Barney Lerten

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) —The Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use health advisory Thursday for Odell Lake on the Deschutes National…

2,000-acre Elk Fire in Klamath County forces evacuations; state fire marshal sends five task forces

July 9, 2025 4:09 pm Barney Lerten

BONANZA, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing several structural task forces and its Red Incident Management Team to the Elk…

‘Hardening the community’: National nonprofit helps neighborhood south of La Pine stay wildfire-ready

June 11, 2025 11:21 am KTVZ

Update: Adding video, comments from incident commander) LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A small community south of La Pine is getting some help this wildfire…

Highway 97 crash Klamath County TripCheck 2

Highway 97 reopens after car-semi collision south of Diamond Lake in Klamath County

May 13, 2025 2:53 pm Barney Lerten

A crash closed Highway 97 in Klamath County for a time Tuesday afternoon, the Oregon Department of Transportation…

Employees say severance packages at risk for hundreds laid off from Klamath County Jeld-Wen facility

May 2, 2025 3:15 pm Harley Coldiron

Jeld-Wen has announced that its Chiloquin Doors plant is closing permanently and the 128 people who work there are losing their…

Amtrak passenger arrested in Chemult, accused of stabbing fellow rider, waving scissors at others

May 1, 2025 6:12 pm Barney Lerten

CHEMULT, Ore. (KTVZ) – An Amtrak passenger was arrested on assault and other charges Wednesday night at the Amtrak train station in Chemult, accused…

Humane Society of Central Oregon Responds to Urgent Dog Surrender Bend, OR (March 27, 2025) – In a major coordinated effort with the Klamath County Sheriff’s Department and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control, the Humane Society of Central Oregon (HSCO) is currently addressing the surrender of over 30 dogs from a property south of La Pine. The dogs, ranging from young puppies to senior dogs, are suffering from various health issues, including malnourishment, significant injuries, and chronic disease. This urgent circumstance has put a strain on the resources of the shelter, which is at full capacity for dogs. With an ongoing effort to care for and manage this large intake of dogs, HSCO is calling for community support: Adoptions: Visit the shelter to adopt one of our currently available dogs, helping free up resources for incoming animals. All available animals are listed at hsco.org/adopt. Fostering: We are in need of short-term foster care for young and senior dogs. Donations: Many of the animals will need ongoing medical treatment and long-term care requiring significant funding. Secure donations can be made directly at hsco.org/donate. Executive Director’s Statement: Amber Kostoff, Executive Director of HSCO, says, "Right now, our top priority is giving these animals the medical care they urgently need. We’re calling on our community for help: adopt, foster, or donate. Your support will help ensure these animals get the care they need.” About the Dogs and Care Efforts: The surrendered animals are receiving comprehensive medical assessments and treatments from HSCO’s veterinary team. The dogs will become available as they are medically cleared and have been spayed or neutered. When the dogs become available for adoption, they will be listed on HSCO’s website: hsco.org.

La Pine-area woman facing 69 animal neglect charges; 18 of the surrendered dogs brought to HSCO in Bend

March 28, 2025 11:09 am Barney Lerten, Harley Coldiron

A woman was cited on 69 counts of first-degree animal neglect after surrendering dozens of dogs from her property south of La Pine, Klamath County…