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McKinney, Klamath NF, USFS. IMT 2 (CA Team 12). Fifteen miles northwest of Yreka, CA. Timber, tall grass and brush. Minimal fire behavior with backing, creeping and smoldering. Several communities and numerous residences threatened. Evacuations, area, road and trail closures in effect.
Suppression repair efforts are underway and crews continue to work around communities patrolling for hot spots. Chances of storms and lightning are reduced. Any new starts will have the potential for rapid growth due to hot, dry and windy conditions.
The McKinney Fire remains at 95 percent containment. Firefighters continue to make excellent progress with containment along the entire fire perimeter. An Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) flew the area of the fire using infrared to identify the latitude and longitudes of new hot spots. With the help of the UAS, crews are seeking out those areas and continue with full suppression tactics. The suppression repair process carries on in areas of ground surface disturbance. Examples of disturbed surfaces include hand line and dozer lines.
Crews mitigate the impact of erosion by placing water bars throughout the impacted area. Water bars are shallow channels or raised barriers laid diagonally across the surface of a road or trail to direct water off the line and reroute it into the vegetation to absorb. Firefighters monitor islands of unburned fuel that sit well within the interior. Smoke and heat still exist in those green islands. Air operations is supporting firefighters by cooling the heat that still exists.
Red Flag Warning in effect Wednesday from 12:00 pm through 11:00 pm for dry lightning. Thunderstorm chances have risen to 30% and are possible through the operational period. Chances for wetting rain have risen to 15%. Strong outflow winds up to 50 mph are possible with any thunderstorm. Heat Advisory in effect for afternoon highs in the low to mid 100s. However, cloud cover from thunderstorms may limit heating to below advisory criteria.
Suppression repair efforts are underway, and crews continue to work around communities patrolling for hot spots. Hot, dry and windy conditions with the possibility of dry lighting present the risk of new starts with rapid growth.
Monday was sunny, dry, and hot. High Temperatures ranged from the mid 80s on ridgetops to 100 in the valley. Relative Humidity ranged from 11 % in the valleys to 18% on ridgetops. Wind gusts to up to 16 mph were observed from the northwest.
A Heat Advisory is in effect today. High temperatures will climb into the lower 100s across the valley and upper 80s on ridgetops. Relative Humidity will range from 10 to 20%. Breezy afternoon wind gusts from the west, northwest are expected up to 18 mph. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon through late evening, if we see storms dry lightning is expected.
As the McKinney Fire reaches 90% it is easy to think “it’s a wrap”- when in fact firefighters still continue their work on keeping the fire contained in its current footprint, mopping up, and repairing the area from any impacts of firefighting operations. Yesterday crews put in a significant amount of effort in the Fort Jones area on suppression repair work to bring the landscape back to a healthy state after putting in dozer line in the initial stages of the fire to protect communities.
Mop-up continues throughout the perimeter of the fire with the intention to work inwards using a seek and destroy method for any hot spots. Using hose during mop-up operations is how those hot spots are reduced. A water shuttle system has been in place during the McKinney Fire by setting up snap tanks, or portable tanks. These tanks can hold anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 gallons of water, depending on the size. A water tender truck will shuttle to an authorized nearby body of water to fill up, take the water back to the tank, and then use a portable pump to get the water to the hot spots.
Crews will continue to work along Highway 96 to mitigate hazards to themselves and the general public in order to get that area reopened without any driving restrictions as soon as possible. A pilot car is currently in place through the fire area, so drivers should be extra careful when approaching these checkpoints.
The Smokey Fire and the George Fire continue to be patrolled by crews to ensure the fire remains within their containment lines. Both fires remain 100% contained.
Today will remain consistent with the week so far, hot dry and sunny. Temperatures will be in the low 90s with a gradual warm up into Monday. Humidity expected to read 13-20% and winds will be from the east/ northeast with possible gusts up to 20 mph.
Minimal fire activity was observed yesterday. Smoldering and creeping, some interior islands continuing to burn out aggressively.
Suppression repair efforts are underway in areas of the fire that are no longer posing a potential risk of escape. These repairs minimize potential soil erosion and impacts resulting from fire suppression activities. Fire crews, along with cooperating agencies, are working around the clock to repopulate the areas within the fire perimeter. There was no fire growth overnight and containment is at 80%. Crews continue to work around communities patrolling for hot spots and providing structure defense.
Firefighters continue to backhaul hose, tools, and other supplies used during the attack of the McKinney Fire as well as begin restoration and repair of areas disrupted by firefighting operations. The Mill Creek area saw a great amount of heat from the vegetation burning in the area yesterday. The focus of today’s efforts will be on the southern end of the fire.
Hazard trees and other safety concerns along Highway 96 are being assessed and mitigated to safely open up the road to the public as soon as possible. Mop-up operations and securing of containment lines are still in full effect while firefighters ensure nothing will threaten the integrity of those lines. Crews have been flown into the eastern edge of the fire near Clear Creek to patrol. Tuesday’s spot fire near Fish Gulch is holding with constructed line. Throughout the entire fire footprint, some interior areas remain active with smoldering fuels of dead and down timber.
Winds from the west and northwest bring focus to the southeast portion of the fire. The western edge of the fire will benefit from the winds pushing any heat back in towards the black. Fire personnel continue to work to contain the fire within its current footprint.
Temperatures will be in the low 90s with heat building through the week. Expect temperatures in the 100s by the weekend. Winds will generally be out of the west / northwest. The lower end of the relative humidity will be about 13-20%.
Projected Incident Activity: Hold fire within perimeter control lines, Structure defense of values at risk operations continue along the Highway 96 corridor near Walker Bridge, Horse Creek and Scott Bar.
Last night there was a spot fire of around 1-acre in the area of north of Klamath River. However, fire crews were able to quickly contain it. As of this morning, the spot fire had both handline and hose all around it. Throughout the rest of the fire, lines held overnight with crews patrolling and looking for heat sources.
With the assistance of aircraft, firefighters continue to keep up on their mop-up operations while focusing on limiting the fire in its current footprint. As improvements are made to the constructed handline, crews are focusing on backhauling laid hose in areas where they have mopped up about 150ft in depth or to the extent necessary. Crews stay alert while on patrol looking for any rolling debris that could challenge their line.
Severe drought has provided for heavy dry vegetation loads. Known by firefighters as fuel, this includes dead trees, pine needles, leaves, and other dry vegetation. Fire behavior analyst, Dennis Burns, recalled on his patrol of the fire yesterday seeing an oak tree’s leaves already changing color- with the fall still 5 weeks away, this is an indicator of severe drought.
Added to today’s incident objectives is to begin suppression repair on those backhauled areas and contingency lines. Fire suppression repair actions are taken to repair fire damages, minimize potential soil erosion, and reduce other impacts resulting from fire suppression activities.
After 11 days of arduous labor, firefighters have accomplished 55% containment in the McKinney Fire and have constructed initial line around the entire 80-mile fire perimeter. The next step for our fire personnel is to continue to maintain this line by aggressive and thorough mop-up with the intention to gain depth and keep the fire in its existing footprint. Crews continue to patrol and evaluate alternate lines, should the firefighters experience rolling burning material or any spot fires that could challenge their primary line. Fire crews along Scotts Bar and Oak Knoll are starting to assess contingency lines for repair.
Just in time for Smokey Bear’s 78th birthday today, the Smokey Fire is now 100% contained for 34 acres burned. Crews continue mop-up by adding depth to the containment line to the extent necessary and are assessing suppression repair needs.
Anticipate high temperatures, reaching up to 100 degrees, in the lower elevations and high 80s in higher elevations. Conditions are expected to be dry with the relative humidity reading 7-8%. Winds from the south / southwest could produce gusts up to 35 mph in high elevations. Large dust devils have been observed and are a hazard to look out for on the fireline from the unstable atmosphere. The fire remains in a red flag warning, keeping fire personnel on high alert for any other initial attacks in the area.
Expect mainly active backing fire. As the fire progresses east, road systems will help check fire spread. Rollout will challenge containment lines. There are multiple green islands near the line if they begin to actively burn expect spot fires over established lines.
The fire will continue to actively back to the south. Watch for slope reversals as the fire reaches drainage bottoms. As the wind transitions at night, the potential for head fire runs will increase. Areas around Baldy Gap did not burn clean, expect islands near the line to burn out and the potential for reburn either of which will challenge existing lines.
Main fire progression will be towards Scott Bar and down the Hwy 96 corridor. Rollout will continue to be problematic and challenge any established lines. If skies clear and a plume develops, spotting distances will increase, and the river and highway will be compromised. Little to no rain on the branch clouds and smoke will continue to moderate fire behavior.
Along the northwestern portion of the McKinney Fire, much of the fire has burned in a variety pattern, creating less severity in that area. Crews continue their mop-up operations; securing and evaluating primary and secondary lines and working to achieve more fireline depth. The 40% of fire that is contained continues to be patrolled as firefighters progress about 100 feet from their line inward. Several interior islands of vegetation ignited leading to multiple group torching observations, but this was no threat to current containment lines. As the fire progresses east, road systems are expected to help limit fire spread. With the steep terrain and the fire backing downhill, the concern for potential rollout that could challenge current established containment lines remains on the forefront of firefighters’ minds.
Firefighters are keeping their heads on a swivel with the red flag warning in effect, expecting periods of critical weather conditions across northern California. This warning impacts fire suppression efforts as the hot and dry afternoons, along with winds, could make control efforts difficult. If there is a thunderstorm, outflow winds could contribute to quick fire spread. This warning is in place until Tuesday evening. Smoke may limit air operations until the inversion clears this afternoon.
The Smokey Fire is at 75% containment and remains at 34 acres. Crews are working on mop-up operations around their containment line and working to secure the entire perimeter of the fire.
A community meeting is being planned for this Monday, August 8, 2022, in Fort Jones, CA at the Scott Valley Junior High School starting at 7:00 p.m. The address is 237 Butte Street, Fort Jones, CA, 96032.
The meeting will also be livestreamed on https://bit.ly/McKinneyFireYouTube and the CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CALFIRESKU for those not able to attend in person.
Questions desired to be answered are appreciated in advance and can be sent to 2022.mckinney@firenet.gov
Temperatures will be 97-107 degrees in the lower elevations and 87-95 in higher. Red flag warning in effect with relative humidity reading low at 8-13%. Winds from the south/southwest are expected to reach 8-12 mph with gusts up to 25 mph in high elevations.
Multiple Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit https://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff andhttps://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountyOES Additional evacuation information and a map can be found on the Zonehaven site at: https://community.zonehaven.com/
A shelter has been established at Karuk Wellness Center at 1403 Kahtishraam, Yreka, CA, 96097.
Highway 96 remains closed through the fire area.
Expect mainly active backing and flanking fire. As the fire progresses east, road systems will help check fire spread. Rollout will challenge containment lines. There are multiple green islands near the line if they begin to actively burn expect spot fires over established lines.
The fire will continue to actively back to the south. Watch for slope reversals as the fire reaches drainage bottoms. As the wind transitions at night, the potential for head fire runs will increase. Areas around Baldy Gap did not burn clean, expect islands near the line to burn out and the potential for reburn either of which will challenge existing lines.
Main fire progression will be towards Scott Bar and down the Hwy 96 corridor. Rollout will continue to be problematic and challenge any established lines. If skies clear and a plume develops, spotting distances will increase, and the river and highway will be compromised.
Crews continue to tie-in and secure their firelines around the perimeter of the fire. Much attention has been brought to the northeastern portion of the fire that runs parallel with Highway 96 because of the steep terrain and likelihood of roll outs that could make control of that line much more hazardous and difficult to achieve. Mop-up operations are initiated in the contained areas to further secure lines and as they continue to be patrolled. Firefighters successfully completed a defensive low-intensity tactical firing operation, in order to protect the Klamath River School and other surrounding structures.
The fire held on the northern edge overnight, but with the forecasted weather, firefighters will pay extra attention to the Pipeline Gap area. Fire has backed down to Mill Creek where crews have put direct hand and dozer line in for reinforcement. Air resources are still very active on working to suppress the fire in areas to help firefighters on the ground gain access for direct attack opportunities. There is an east contingency group in place working in the area of the communities of Yreka and Fort Jones focusing on structure defense operations should the need arise.
The Smokey Fire has resources from the McKinney Fire working on its perimeter and were able to reach 75% containment. The size remains at 34 acres. Crews are working on mop-up operations about 150 feet in from the containment line and continue to secure and patrol.
A community meeting is being planned for this Monday, August 8, 2022, in Fort Jones, CA at the Scott Valley Junior High School starting at 7:00 p.m. The address is 237 Butte Street, Fort Jones, CA, 96032.
The meeting will also be livestreamed on https://bit.ly/McKinneyFireYouTube and the CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CALFIRESKU for those not able to attend in person.
Questions desired to be answered are appreciated in advance and can be sent to 2022.mckinney@firenet.gov
A local Red Flag Warning has been put into effect and will extend through Monday. This means warm temperatures and very low humidity readings will be paired with winds up to 25 mph in higher elevations, increasing the potential risk for fire danger and active fire behavior. Temperatures are expected to be in the low 100s with south / southwest winds in the hottest areas.
Conditions were sunny, hot, and dry over the incident on Saturday. High temperatures ranged from the lower 80s on the ridges to near 100 in the valley bottoms. Minimum humidity values were 20 to 35% across the entire incident. Winds were light to moderate downslope in the morning then switched to westerly in the afternoon with gusts from 15 to 20 MPH.
Mostly clear conditions are expected tonight with moderate humidity recoveries and mainly slope-driven winds. Sunday, a Red Flag Warning for wind and RH is in effect for the McKinney fire.
Conditions were sunny, hot, and very dry over the incident on Friday. High temperatures ranged from the lower 80s on the ridges to near 100 in the valley bottoms. Minimum humidity values were 8-15% across the entire incident. Winds were light to moderate downslope in the morning then switched to west-northwest in the afternoon with gusts up to 20 MPH.
Mostly clear conditions are expected Friday night with poor to moderate humidity recoveries and mainly slope-driven winds. Hot, dry, breezy weather continues Saturday. There will be just enough moisture and instability that a thunderstorm cannot be ruled out over the incident.
McKinney Fire Initial Damage Assessment
Yreka, CA – The initial damage assessment for the McKinney Fire is more than 50% complete. The initial report of damaged or destroyed structures is as follows:
An interactive structure status map is available at Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services webpage: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices
The Klamath River community remains under Evacuation Order. Evacuation areas are reviewed daily by a multi-agency team. Once the area is safe for re-entry, the evacuation order will be downgraded and announced to residents. The Evacuation Zone map can be accessed on Zone Haven: community.zonehaven.com. or on the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services (OES) webpage.
Siskiyou County OES is coordinating with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal-OES) for recovery assistance. Recovery resources for those impacted by the McKinney Fire can be accessed at: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/environmentalhealth/page/mckinney-fire-recovery The McKinney Fire Recovery page will be updated as new recovery resources become available.
Firefighters continue to make great progress around the perimeter of the fire with opportunities to go direct and put in aggressive handline while working to tie-in those lines with adjacent divisions. Crews continue to get depth on containment lines on the west side of the fire.
The main tactic remains the same as fire personnel work to secure direct and indirect line construction on all sections of the fire. Weather is playing a major role in this fire’s behavior. Slope and terrain driven runs still influence rate of spread. Thunderstorms continue to creep into the forecast with isolated cells, potentially creating outflow winds that could produce erratic gusts up to 30 mph. Contingency lines from bulldozers are in place around much of the fire’s perimeter should the firefighters’ lines not hold, in order to protect the communities at risk. Flanking and backing continue with the weather and terrain driven fire behavior, especially in the Mill Creek area.
Mop-up operations have been initiated along Walker Bridge and other communities along Highway 96 from Highway 263 junction to Seiad, east towards Yreka, Scott Bar, and Horse Creek on the west. Protection of human life and the safety of the firefighters remains the main priority.
Yesterday in the early afternoon, the Smokey Fire ignited just north of the McKinney Fire, about 2 miles south of the Oregon border. With resources on the McKinney Fire so close by, firefighters were able to quickly respond for initial attack on the 34-acre spread. Firefighters have control line and hose-lays completely around it and aircraft continue to be utilized in the area as needed.
A community meeting is being held for the #McKinneyFire at 7:00 PM at the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds. The meeting is in building 1, the first building on the left as you pass through the main gate.
Address: 1712 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097
Questions can be sent ahead of time at 2022.McKinney@firenet.gov.
If you can’t join us in person, we are offering livestream on the following platforms:
Active fire behavior with flanking and backing observed. Structures remain threatened, with Evacuation Orders and Warnings in effect. Multiple communities remain threatened. Critical communications and water infrastructure, private timberlands, cultural sites, and wildlife habitat threatened. Highway 96 remains closed. Road, area and trail closures are in effect. Type 1 CA Team 2 (Johnny) is in command, Unified Command with Cal Fire.
Evacuation Orders for the following Zones in the Yreka and Hawkinsville area have been downgraded to Evacuation Warning. Residents may return to their homes. This area primarily encompasses the area of Yreka from Fairchild Street/Shasta Ave west to edge of the residential district, this involves the following Zones:
To access the evacuation areas map and road closures, go to Zone Haven: community.zonehaven.com or to the Siskiyou County OES website: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices
Safety is our first priority for our community. The Zones that have been downgraded and residents allowed to return home are because it is now deemed safe to do so by law enforcement, fire, and emergency services. All other Zones outside of the Yreka and Hawkinsville area and not listed here remain as Evacuation Order.
Evacuation Zones are reviewed daily to determine safety to repopulate.
Disasters are stressful. Crisis counseling services are available through Siskiyou County Behavioral Health. Call the Access Crisis Line to speak to a local counselor: 800-842-8979.
The National Disaster Distress Helpline is also available for anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, or incident of mass violence.
The National Disaster Distress Helpline can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at:
www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline
For general information call 2-1-1 or follow Siskiyou County OES on Facebook
With drier and hotter weather in the forecast, increased fire activity is anticipated over the next few days. Yesterday’s showers kept the fire from gaining significant growth. This allowed firefighters to move to an offensive approach where they can now focus on opportunities to go both direct and indirect on the fire. With the rainfall also comes hazardous debris, such as mud, downed trees, and rockfall; ultimately causing fire personnel to work more cautiously in these areas of the fire.
The one to three inches of rainfall last night over the eastern portion of the fire helped firefighters to gain ground on tying in handline throughout night operations. Crews are making good progress on the 200–300-acre spot fire from a few days ago on the northern edge of the fire.
Additional fireline has been constructed from Humbug Ridge to Baldy Gap aiding in securing the fire’s edge. The fire has progressed to Collins Baldy Lookout in the south and is backing towards Scott Bar and the Humbug Creek Drainage, where the fuel load is heavy with dead and down trees. Hand crews were able to cut handline along Scott Bar to get access on the western edge of the fire.
A community meeting is scheduled for tonight, August 3, at the Scott Valley Junior High School starting at 7:00 p.m. The address is 237 Butte Street, Fort Jones, CA, 96032.
The meeting will also be livestreamed on https://bit.ly/McKinneyFireYouTube and the CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CALFIRESKU for those not able to attend in person.
Questions desired to be answered are appreciated in advance and can be sent to 2022.mckinney@firenet.gov
Temperatures are forecasted in the low 90’s with low relative humidity and chances of thunderstorms in the afternoon just east of the fire. Gusty west winds are possible, ranging from 15-20 miles per hour in drainage areas.
Active fire behavior today with flanking, backing, and group torching observed. Structures remain threatened, with Evacuation Orders and Warnings in effect. Multiple communities remain threatened. Critical communications and water infrastructure, private timberlands, cultural sites, and wildlife habitat threatened. Highway 96 remains closed and road, area and trail closures are in effect. A Red Flag Warning in effect until 2300 for abundant lightning on dry fuels today. Type 1 CA Team 2 (Johnny) is in command, unified command with Cal Fire.
OES Intel 24, Aug 2nd on the #McKinneyFire KNF. Fire is mapped at 56,320 acres at 11:04 hours. Video #1 pic.twitter.com/C45fDdyB7N
OES Intel 24, Aug 2nd on the #McKinneyFire KNF. Fire is mapped at 56,320 acres at 11:08 hours. Video #2 pic.twitter.com/BiF8qPxDC4
Lower temperatures and higher relative humidity, including rain over some areas of the fire, moderated fire behavior allowed firefighters to make good progress on the fire yesterday. In the absence of the explosive fire behavior observed previously, firefighters were able to take a more direct posture and engage directly on the McKinney, China 2, and Alex fires.
On the McKinney Fire west of Yreka, direct line has been initiated along Humbug Ridge down to Baldy Gap. This area received significant rain Sunday night, and the wet fuels will allow line improvement to continue over the next few days. On the southeast portion of the fire, dozers are working east to open up access to the fireline from Scott Bar. This will allow crews and equipment to have better access to the fire. Crews are also working around structures in that area. Dozers are working the northwest corner while four hotshot crews build direct line on the northern edge.
The China 2 fire has burned up to dozer lines on China Peak as well as to Highway 96. Firefighters will continue to work those lines to hold the fire. Engine crews are prepping structures south of Highway 96.
There was no significant movement on the Alex Fire. Helicopters assisted hand crews on the ground with water drops.
Today firefighters will continue to look for areas on the fires where they can have direct attack opportunities as well as work to place contingency line in areas where direct attack is not possible. Life, firefighter safety, and property remain the most significant priority to the incident. The combination of moisture and thunderstorms in the forecast are creating an unstable atmosphere which may make firefighting conditions much more hazardous with wind speeds potentially reaching 50 mph during those storms.
California Interagency Incident Management Team 2 in unified command with CAL FIRE assumed command of the McKinney Fire at 6:00 a.m. this morning. California Interagency Incident Management Team 10 has assumed command of the China 2, Alex and surrounding lightning fires, now known as the Yeti Complex.
Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office: On Monday, August 1, 2022, search teams located two additional deceased individuals in the McKinney Fire perimeter. Both individuals were located at separate residences along State Route 96. This brings the confirmed fatality number to 4.
There will be no additional information pending positive identification and notifications to next-of-kin.
At this time there are no unaccounted for persons.
To report a loved one, someone you have regular contact with, who is unaccounted for please call (530) 842-8741.
Moderate fire behavior overnight with flanking, backing, and creeping spotting. Structures remain threatened, with Evacuation Orders and Warnings in effect. Multiple communities remain threatened. Critical communications and water infrastructure, private timberlands, cultural sites, and wildlife habitat threatened. Highway 96 remains closed and road, area and trail closures are in effect. A Red Flag Warning for abundant lightning on dry fuels today. CA Team 10 (Mack) in command. Type 1 CA Team 2 (Johnny) is assigned and transfer of command at 0700 today.
Evacuations result in displacement of persons from their homes and loss of communication with family and friends. First try all known phone numbers, emails, and social media to make contact with the person, followed by family and friends. Contact the American Red Cross concerning a missing friend or relative that may be in an evacuation shelter by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
After trying all known contacts and shelters, if the person is still unaccounted as the result of the McKinney or China 2 Fires and you believe they are missing, you may contact the Siskiyou County Emergency Operations Center – Unaccounted Persons line at: 530-842-8741. This line is staffed by the EOC from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Please be prepared to provide information including name, date of birth, address, last known whereabouts etc.
DO NOT call 9-1-1 for non-emergency information. Dispatchers are busy routing emergency traffic. Please use the dedicated phone line to report missing/unaccounted persons from the fire.
Much of the McKinney Fire saw rainfall overnight, keeping fire growth minimal. The fire continues to actively back toward structures in the Walker Creek area, and night crews were on hand to do structure protection there. The southern and eastern edges of the fire, closest to Fort Jones and Yreka, showed very little growth. The China 2 Fire (west of Seiad Valley and south of Highway 96) did not receive any precipitation but showed only moderate growth due to the high humidity. To the north, the Alex Fire (at the summit above Doggett Creek) received heavy rain.
While last night’s weather mitigated fire spread, vegetation in the area is extremely dry and the continued threat of thunderstorms and the associated strong, erratic winds could result in increased fire behavior. Firefighters will take advantage of the moderated conditions to construct containment lines today, while staying aware of the continued threat for convective activity in the area.
There have been numerous lightning strikes in the area in the last 48 hours, and at least 12 holdover fires have been detected on the Klamath National Forest, in addition to the ones listed above. They range in size from less than 1/10th acre to several acres. All are being fully suppressed.
The low-pressure system keeping high humidity in the fire area is expected to hang on for another day, and the National Weather Service has issued another Red Flag Warning in the fire area from 12pm to 8pm tonight. The Red Flag Warning is for abundant lightning on dry fuels.
Multiple Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit the Facebook pages of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services. Additional evacuation information and map can be found on the Zonehaven website. A shelter has been established at the Weed Community Center, 161 E Lincoln Ave., Weed, CA 96094.
Highway 96 remains closed through the fire area.
Fire restrictions are in effect on the Klamath National Forest. For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices/
Active fire behavior with group torching and short range spotting. Structures remain threatened, with Evacuation Orders and Warnings in effect. Communities in the Klamath River Corridor remain threatened. Critical communications and water infrastructure, private timberlands, cultural sites, and wildlife habitat threatened. Highway 96 remains closed and road, area and trail closures are in effect. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for abundant lightning on dry fuels today. CA Team 10 (Mack) in command. Type 1 CA Team 2 (Johnny) is assigned and planned transfer of command on 8/2.
On Sunday, July 31, 2022, at approximately 9:57 a.m., fire personnel located two deceased individuals inside a vehicle that was burned in the path of the McKinney Fire. The vehicle was located in a residential driveway along Doggett Creek Road, which is off of Highway 96, west of the community of Klamath River, California.
Early Monday morning two people were arrested within the evacuation zone and booked into the Siskiyou County Jail. One suspect booked for possession of burglary tools and the other for burglary within an evacuation zone.
The Sheriff’s Office along with our law enforcement partners will continue a heavy presence, patrolling and protecting life and property in the fire evacuation zone.
5,822 people evacuated. 4,576 homes remain threatened.
Evacuations in effect for the Highway 96 corridor, communities of Oak Knoll, Klamath River and Scott Bar from Interstate 5 to the town of Seiad, encompassing both the McKinney and China 2 Fires. Critical communication, water and phone infrastructure immediately threatened. Point protection of values at risk operations on-going along the Highway 96 corridor and adjoining drainage communities. Red Flag warnings for abundant thunderstorms and dry lightning in the fire area through Monday. Strong gusty outflow winds with associated high temperatures and single digit RH have driven fire behavior and high ROS.
Very low fuel moistures and available fuels have driven the extreme fire behavior. Thunderstorm development contributed to extreme ROS and increased spotting distances. ERC’s are above the 97th percentile. 1000 hr fuels at 4%. Area of fire start has not had any recorded fire history. Area was under a smoke inversion most of the burn period today.
Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services
No additional evacuations at this time. All evacuations areas stand today. To access the evacuation areas map and road closures, go to Zone Haven: community.zonehaven.com or to the Siskiyou County OES website: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/emergencyservices
The American Red Cross has the following shelters open to evacuees:
Animal Sheltering is available at the following locations:
Residents who have evacuated and may have animals at their evacuated residence that need an animal welfare check, please complete the online Animal Welfare Check Form: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/animalcontrol/webform/fire-animal-welfare-check-request
All found animals (with no known owner) within evacuation zone will be posted at: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/animalcontrol/page/mckinney-fire-lost-found-animals
Although we appreciate the donations of goods and supplies, it is very difficult to manage and distribute. Monetary donations are the best way to help. There are several locations accepting monetary donations. Money collected will be utilized to provide direct assistance to evacuees, providing the exact items needed at this time.
PLEASE DO NOT deliver donations to the shelter sites.
Project Camp: Monetary donations are being accepted by Project Camp. Project Camp provides services to evacuees and children in emergency shelters. To learn more about Project Camp or to donate, go to: https://projectcamp.co/
The Local Foodbank is accepting donations of new, sealed food and drink. To arrange donation drop offs, contact Laura Leech 530-340-6382.
Crisis counseling services are available through Siskiyou County Behavioral Health. Call the Access Crisis Line to speak to a local counselor: 800-842-8979.
The National Disaster Distress Helplineis also availablefor anyone experiencing emotional distress related to disasters such as wildfires, earthquakes, or incident of mass violence. The National Disaster Distress Helpline can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at:
Siskiyou County Air Pollution District and the Siskiyou County Health and Human Services Agency are advising all residents of Siskiyou County to reduce outdoor activities due to poor air quality from smoky conditions. Current particulate matter readings in the area are in the UNHEALTHY to VERY UNHEALTHY range on the Air Quality Index (AQI 150-270 range). Certain areas may experience higher concentrations of smoke based on proximity to wildfires and current weather conditions. All members of the public, especially those with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, pregnant women, and children should remain alert, and if necessary, reduce or avoid outdoor exertion when wildfire smoke is present. Everyone else should limit prolonged exertion in areas of noticeable smoke accumulation.
For additional information and updates, you may visit the Siskiyou County Air Pollution Control District Webpage at https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/airpollution/page/air-quality or go to https://fire.airnow.gov/ for live air quality map.
Planned actions: Continue with point protection. Scout indirect line locations where resources can be effective. Implement direct and indirect tactics as resources arrive and are engaged. Contingency planning for areas further west and east as perimeter continues to spread.
Fire weather watch in effect from Sunday through Monday for abundant lightning on dry fuels. Gusty outflow winds of 30 to 50 mph will be possible near thunderstorm cells. LAL of 3. Above normal temperatures and low relative humidity will increase the drying of the receptive fuel bed. ERC above the 97th percentile and probability of ignition of 100%.
Yreka Police Department has issued an Evacuation Order for the area west of Fairchild Street and Shasta Street to include Oakridge Mobile Estates. This area is being evacuated due to proximity to the fire and the need for additional time necessary for this this group of residents to safely evacuate. Residents in the Evacuation Order area should
An Evacuation Warning has been issued for all areas of Yreka west of I-5. Residents in the Evacuation Warning area should prepare to evacuate and should be ready if the area is changed to an order.
An Evacuation Shelter is opening at Weed Community Center 161 E. Lincoln Ave. Weed, CA.
The shelter at Kahtishraam Wellness Center in Yreka is closing.
Animal Sheltering is available at the following locations: • Dog Evacuation Shelter: 2216 East Oberlin Road, Yreka CA 96097, 530-842-0829 • Cat Evacuation Shelter: 109 North Broadway Street, Yreka, CA 96097, 541-531-1086 • Livestock Animal Evacuation Shelter: 1712 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097 (access from Sharps road at horse barns) 530-340-1038
All found animals (with no known owner) within evacuation zone will be posted at: https://www.co.siskiyou.ca.us/animalcontrol/page/mckinney-fire-lost-found-animals
Evacuation Zone map can be accessed on Zone Haven: community.zonehaven.com.
Extreme fire behavior with short crown runs and spotting. Structures are threatened with evacuations orders and warnings in effect. Critical communications and water infrastructure, private timberlands, cultural sites, and wildlife habitat threatened. Highway 96 is closed. A Red Flag Warning in effect through Sunday for abundant lightning and dry fuels. Type 2 CA Team 10 (Mack) is assigned, transfer of command to T-1 IMT planned on 07/31 at 0700. Unified Command with Cal Fire.
Governor Gavin Newsom today proclaimed a state of emergency for Siskiyou County due to the effects of the McKinney Fire, which has destroyed homes, threatened critical infrastructure and forced the evacuation of almost 2,000 residents. Intensified and spread by dry fuels, extreme drought conditions, high temperatures, winds and lightning storms, the McKinney Fire has burned more than 29,500 acres since it began.
Projected Incident Activity 12 hours: Point protection, structure defense operations continue along the Highway 96 corridor, Beaver Creek community. Scouting opportunities for indirect/direct line construction as fire moves in all directions. Fire has progressed to Collins Badly lookout in the south, and Deadwood Baldy Peak on the east flank.. Fire will continue to move west towards Horse Creek and north into the 2014 Beaver Fire scar towards Round Mountain.
24 hours: Point protection, structure defense operations continue along the Highway 96 corridor, Beaver Creek community. Scouting opportunities for indirect/direct line construction as fire moves in all directions. Fire has progressed to Collins Badly lookout in the south, and Deadwood Baldy Peak on the east flank. Fire will continue to move west towards Horse Creek and north into the 2014 Beaver Fire scar towards Round Mountain.
48 hours: Fire growth is expected to spread in all directions as Red Flag Warning for thunderstorms and lightning are in the forecast. Fire could impact Gottville, Humbug Road area on the east flank. Movement towards Scott Bar is expected as the fire moves of Collins Baldy.
The McKinney Fire is estimated at 30,000-40,000 acres. Cumulus clouds in the fire area have potential to exacerbate fire behavior. Type 2 CA Team 10 (Mack) is assigned, In-brief today at 1400, a T-1 IMT is on order.
FIRIS has mapped the fire at 29,678 acres.
🚨 As of 11:30 AM the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office is upgrading the following Zones to a MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDER for McAdams Creek Road to Tyler Gulch Road. This is Zone SIS-2004 & SIS-2007, south of current Evacuation Orders, towards Highway 3. **PLEASE LEAVE IMMEDIATELY* pic.twitter.com/o7Zo6ZBM3s
The McKinney Fire has grown significantly as winds from late evening thunderstorms kept the fire active through the night. Runs on the north and south sides of the fire occurred.
Current estimated acreage is at 18,000 acres.
Firefighters were forced to shift from an offensive perimeter control effort to evacuations, point protection and structure defense. Numerous resources from multiple agencies are committed to this fire, and additional resources continue to arrive. A California Incident Management Team is in-briefing in Yreka today and will be taking control of the fire on Sunday morning.
Another day of very active fire behavior is anticipated with very hot temps in the forecast. A red flag warning is in effect for lightning.
Fire managers are expecting a very dynamic day on the fire as predicted weather is expected to be problematic for the firefighters.
#McKinneyFire has grown significantly & was active all night. Runs on the north and south sides of the fire occurred Est ac is 18,000 A very dynamic day is expected with predicted weather expected to be problematic. Monitor this page, @SiskiyouOES & @SiskiyouSheriff for info pic.twitter.com/UglNxmPGwq
From NorthOps: 17,000 acres, brush and timber, 0% contained. structures are threatened with evacuations orders and warnings in effect. Critical communications and water infrastructure threatened and Highway 96 remains closed. A Red Flag Warning in effect today for abundant lightning and dry fuels. Type 2 CA Team 10 (Mack) is assigned, In-brief today at 1400.
A Red Flag Warning has been issued for Saturday for abundant lightning and dry fuels. Type 2 CA Team 10 (Mack) is assigned, In-brief on 7/30.
Please continue to monitor https://community.zonehaven.com/ for any updates on evacuations.
The fire has jumped Highway 96. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office has issued an EVACUATION ORDER for the following areas:
– All areas SOUTH of Forest Service Road 12, 47n66.
– All areas EAST Highway 96 including Horse Creek Road.
– All areas WEST Highway 96, and Forest Service Road 12.
– All areas NORTH California Highway 96
– All areas SOUTH of Forest Service Road 2015-417
– All areas EAST of Forest Service Road 47n66.
– All areas WEST of Forest Service Road 47n44.
– All areas SOUTH of Beaver Creek Road.
– All areas EAST of Forest Service Road 40s01
– All areas WEST of Lumgrey Creek Road and Dutch Creek Road.
– All areas NORTH of Mcadam Creek Road, Hi-You Gulch Road.
– All areas SOUTH of 45n50.
– All areas EAST of Scott Bar Road, Ridge Road.
– All areas WEST of FS Road 45n41.
– All areas NORTH of Ridge Road.
– All areas SOUTH of FS Road 46n22.
– All areas EAST of Humbug Road.
– All areas WEST of Ridge Road.
– All areas NORTH of FS Road 46n22.
– All areas SOUTH of Highway 96
– All areas EAST of FS Road 46n22, and Highway 96
– All areas WEST of Humbug Creek Road, and Highway 96.
WARNING areas are in yellow.
EVACUATION ORDERS remain in red.
Temporary Evacuation Point (TEP) will go virtual as of 8:30 pm.
Any resident needing sheltering from McKinney Fire should call 530-340-3539, 24 hours a day.
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