09/17/2020 Slater, Devil, and Fox Fire Evening update from 9 p.m. on 9/16/2020

 

FIRE SUMMARY 

Please note: As of 6 a.m. today, the northern portion of the Slater and Devil Fires (currently including the Gasquet area and all of Oregon) is being managed by Northern Rockies Team 2 and the southern portion of the fire continues to be managed by California Team 10. Information for both fires will continue to be available at www.facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation and on InciWeb at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7173/

 

North Zone: (Gasquet and Oregon) The Northern Rockies Incident Management Team #2 will be providing updates regularly starting tomorrow, Thursday, September 16, 2020. Live daily operational briefings will be posted to the Slater and Devil Fire Facebook page at 10:00am and Slater Fire Inciweb page will be updated by mid-morning daily. Additionally, trapline and media needs were assessed by the team and the Northern Rockies Team 2 will continue to look for ways to engage with the community to fulfill informational needs. Note to Level 3 evacuees: We are working hard to get you back into your homes. We ask for your patience as we work to ensure your safety. Northern Rockies Team 2 will continue to work shoulder to shoulder with local fire, state, and federal firefighting resources to fight the north area of the Slater and Devil fires. For the latest information on evacuations, please visit: www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM.

 

South Zone: The air cleared around the south zone of the Slater Fire today. Operational priorities continuing into tonight are falling hazard trees, monitoring the fire as it backs down to Highway 96, and conducting strategic firing to usher the fire safely down around structures in the Thompson Creek area. A wildland fire module is camping out along the Pacific Crest Trail tonight and will carry on prepping the trail as a containment line along the eastern edge of the Devil Fire. Evacuations have begun to lift in the Happy Camp area. The latest information on evacuations in and around Happy Camp are at: www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff

 

Fox Fire: The Fox Fire was discovered September 14, burning southwest of Callahan on the Klamath National Forest. The fire is now estimated at 1,800 acres. With fire resources stretched so thin nationally, the Fox Fire is minimally staffed, with 143 personnel assigned including three crews and 17 dozers. The Slater Fire incident south zone is lending a hand assessing and fighting the fire until more resources arrive to help. CALFIRE is also assisting with Fox Fire suppression. EVACUATION ORDERS and WARNINGS are in effect for the town of Callahan and surrounding areas. Please check www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff for more information.

 

 

Acreage: Slater - 141,403 ; Devil - 6,180

Containment: Slater - 10 %; Devil 0 %

Crews: Slater 16 ; Devil 2

Engines: 76

Dozers: 26

Water tenders: 22

Helicopters: 7

Masticators: 6

 

EVACUATIONS 

California: EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for a few neighborhoods in Happy Camp where downed power lines and hazardous materials remain a concern. EVACUATION WARNINGS are still in place for most of Happy Camp including Elk Creek Road, and for Seiad along Highway 96, as well as for Gasquet, Hiouchi and Big Flat. 

 

Oregon: In Oregon, Level 3 “Go” orders are in effect in the O'Brien, and Takilma areas, Dick George Road (including most of Holland Loop) and Takilma Road areas, Brown Road, O'Brien and all areas south of Brown Road O'Brien. EVACUATION WARNINGS are in effect for Gasquet in California, while nearby communities of Hiouchi and Big Flat are on Level 1 “Get Ready” alert. Level 2 “Get Set” orders are in effect south of Kerby and Cave Junction areas in Oregon. 

 

MORE INFORMATION: 

Community and evacuation information can be found at Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/. 

For Del Norte County evacuation information, see www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices or www.preparedelnorte.com/

Evacuation order/warning info and other resources for Josephine County can be found by calling Josephine County Fire Information Center 541-474-5305 (7am-10pm) or online at: www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM , https://www.co.josephine.or.us/fire or www.rvem.org 

 

ROAD CLOSURES 

Highway 199 remains closed from Panther Flat (north of Gasquet) to the California/Oregon state line and from O’Brien south across the state line into California. Some other roads in Oregon are experiencing serious visibility impairments due to smoky conditions from the Slater Fire.

 

Highway 96 is open to one-way controlled traffic. Expect delays and use caution when traveling. Air quality is currently classified as hazardous. If you have questions, please contact the Siskiyou Emergency Operations Center at (530) 643-3662.

 

PUBLIC LAND CLOSURES 

National Forest Closures, California: National Forests in California have been closed since September 9 and new closure orders have been issued to extend for one week. However, these orders are being assessed on a daily basis to consider cancelling. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found at inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7173/

 

National Forest Closures, Oregon: 

The Wild Rivers and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger Districts are currently closed due to extreme fire danger. These closures cover all National Forest forested areas, developed campgrounds, dispersed camping, day use areas, wilderness areas, and all forest roads and trails within those two Districts. 

 

Bureau of Land Management Closures: As a result of extreme fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all Bureau of Land Management-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website.     

###