Fire prompts Chemult Ranger District area closure

An emergency closure order has been put in place on the Chemult Ranger District of the Fremont-Winema National Forest bordering Crater Lake National Park, officials said Friday night.

The action is a result of the Timber Crater 6 Fire burning in the northeast corner of the park and approaching the forest boundary.

As of Friday afternoon, the fire was expected to cross into the Fremont-Winema National Forest within the next 12 to 24 hours.

The closure area is on National Forest System lands from the Forest boundary approximately 3 miles west of Diamond Lake Junction on U.S. Highway 97 to the junction of the Pacific Crest Trail and State Highway 138 at the widest point, and from Forest Road 9777 and Cottonwood creek on the north end of the closure area to Forest Road 7033 and Pothole Butte on the south end.

U.S. Highway 138 is not closed as a result of this closure order. Any potential closures along Highway 138 will be coordinated and managed through the Oregon Department of Transportation. Travelers can visit TripCheck for current state highway closure information.

The Forest in this area is closed for public safety due to work being done to engage in full suppression of the Crater 6 Fire on the Fremont-Winema National Forest.

While the fire was not burning on the Forest as of late this afternoon, firefighters have already started preparing for suppression efforts in existing fuel reduction treatment areas on the Chemult Ranger District. This work is resulting in increased firefighter traffic in the area and potential burning operations to remove additional fuels as conditions allow.

The closure is formally referenced as Order Number 06-02-11-18-01 and will be lifted when conditions allow or December 1, 2018, whichever occurs first.

Violations of the closure order are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment of not more than 6 months or both.

For more information on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/fremont-winema, follow the Forest on Twitter @FremontWinemaNF or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/R6FWNF.