Klamathon Fire tops 35,000 acres, 30 pct. contained
The numbers, good and bad, keep growing on the now 35,250-acre Klamathon Fire on the California-Oregon border, which reached 30 percent containment Monday but also saw a rise in the number of destroyed structures: 81.
Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place, the Monday morning update showed. And the firefighting force has now grown to 2,716 people, including 80 crews, nearly 200 engines, 14 helicopters, 26 bulldozers and 21 water tenders.
The fire has killed one woman in her home and injured three firefighters.
Several communities on either side of the state border remain threatened and some are under evacuation orders or warnings.
While firefighters are making progress in steep, rugged terrain, Cal Fire and its Oregon partners said more areas of Jackson County east of Interstate 5 were placed under a Level 3 (Go!) evacuation notice, including BLM and private lands west of the Jackson-Klamath County line, north of the California border and south of a line that extends from the intersection of I-5 and the Mount Ashland Ski Road, due east to the Jackson-Klamath County line.
Other areas were placed under a Level 2 (Get Set) pre-evacuation notice, including the area east of I-5 and north to Highway 66. The earlier evacuation orders and notices remain in place.
“While we do not anticipate the fire activity to pick up and/or spread north further into Oregon, we want to do our best to serve the community by ensuring public and firefighter safety in case conditions do change” the joint news release at 2:45 p.m. Sunday stated.
Officials said the fire continues to spread to the southeast and into the Klamath National Forest.
KOBI-TV reported a total of three firefighters have been injured, including Cal Fire firefighter Brandon Feller, who was fighting the flames in Siskiyou County on last Thursday when his engine was burned over and he sustained severe burns to his face.
A GoFundMe page for Feller already has raised nearly $30,000 in less than 24 hours.
The page says Feller has amazed his doctors with how well he’s recovering, considering his injuries, and fellow firefighters say he’s in good spirits.
The page says any money raised will help Feller support himself in the coming year, since he makes most of his money working overtime as a firefighter.
Fire investigators say the cause still has yet to be determined.
