The latest and most comprehensive coverage of local News, Sports, Business, and Community News stories in the Klamath Basin, Southern Oregon and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM / 102.5FM, The Herald and News, and BasinLife.com, and powered by Mick Insurance. Call 541-882-6476.
Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
Klamath Basin Weather
Poor Air Quality Alert
Red Flag Warning in effect Friday 6AM-9PM
Today
A 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am, otherwise mostly sunny, with a high near 95. Light winds becoming southerly 8 to 13 mph in the afternoon. Overnight a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South southwest wind 8 to 15 mph.
Today’s Klamath Falls Headlines
The annual Tulelake Butte Valley Fair is this weekend. It runs through Sunday at the Tulelake Fairgrounds.
General Admission (ages 6 and over): $4.00 Season Pass General Admission: $10.00 for all four days General Admission (5 and under): Free. Season Pass (good for all 4 days) $10.00 Parking is Free everyday! Sunday, September 8, 2024 is free admission for everyone!
Travis Denning will be in concert on Friday night. Crater Lake Trolley will provide a free shuttle service from Klamath Falls and Merrill to Tulelake on Friday, September 6, Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8! Let The Shuttle do the driving and drop you off at our main gate to enjoy a day at the fair.
The theme for the 73rd annual Tulelake Butte Valley Fair is “Where the Countryside Meets the Carnival”.
The Tulelake Butte Valley Fair Parade is one of our favorite traditions that takes place during fair week. It is always the Saturday of the fair and begins at 12:00noon. The parade begins at the corner of Main St. and Modoc St. and continues down Main Street until they reach the fairgrounds. Anyone is welcome to enter the parade and show your community support.
Chiloquin Copperfield Fire Update – Friday, 8AM
Chiloquin, Ore. – Yesterday and last night, fire crews expanded the
cold black perimeter of the fire, extending hose lines and cooling hot
spots along the fire line to achieve 26% containment.
Most of the fire
growth was due unburnt pockets consuming fuels within the fire lines
to assist in containment. Hot spots putting up smoke are still visible
within the footprint of the fire, which is being addressed by aircraft
water drops as well as crews working further into the main fire. The goal for containment is 100’ feet around the perimeter.
Fire Statistics:
Estimated Size: 3,802 acres
Containment: 26%
Cause: Under Investigation
Estimated Cost: $3.6 million
Primary residences destroyed: 8
Other buildings destroyed: 19
Fire Crews on scene: 644
Today the focus will be on preparing for a change in weather. Later this afternoon there will be an increase in SE winds, low humidity, and higher temperatures, which will increase the risk of spot fires. Task forces will continue supporting structure protection and mop up in wildland sections of the fire.
The wildland crews will continue to strengthen the western perimeter of the fire to hold the present footprint.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) will be demobilizing two task forces today from Washington and Lane Counties to return to their local fire departments.
Today will also be the last full shift for OSFM; the remaining task forces and OSFM Incident Management Team members will return to their home agencies on Friday. ODF Team 3 will remain in command of the fire.
Hundreds of wildland resources, along with local resources, will continue mop-up operations, containment efforts, and structure protection.
Evacuation levels will continue to change with the increase of the fire containment. Evacuation levels are determined by the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with fire officials and agency administrators. Current evacuation areas and levels can be found at
https://www.klamathcounty.org/300/Emergency-Management.
Klamath & Lake Long-Term Recovery Group Asking For Donations For Chiloquin Copperfield Fire Victims
On September 1st, 2024, the Chiloquin community was struck by the devastating Copperfield Fire in the Chiloquin/Sprague River area. While firefighters continue to battle the blaze, this wildfire has affected 19 structures, including at least 8 homes. The journey to recovery from such a disaster is long and challenging, often taking months or even years.
To support the survivors in rebuilding their lives, we need crucial funds to provide them with the necessary resources. Together, as a community, we can help these families—moms, daughters, sons, dads, just like you and me—get back on their feet.
Let’s unite to offer hope and support to those who need it most. Every penny counts, 100% of the Proceeds go to assisting survivors.
Klamath & Lake Long-Term Recovery Group is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity.
PLEASE DONATE WHAT YOU CAN HERE:
https://givebutter.com/vqPqGk
Another wildfire in Klamath County is burning 877 acres just five miles west of Crescent Lake Junction.
Started by a lightning strike on July 17, the Red Fire is located within the Willamette National Forest and Diamond Peak Wilderness area. The wildfire exhibited mild growth throughout Tuesday night, increasing its footprint by about 26 acres.
The blaze is in close proximity to the Whitefish Creek Trail where crews have laid a 1.5 mile hose lay to protect the trail from the fire’s reach. Northern Rockies Incident Management Team leads 100 personnel on the fire, utilizing chip, slash and log removal to lower fuel availabilities.
Forest Service Road 60 is closed with road guards in place to prevent through traffic from entering the area. The Pacific Crest Trail is also closed from just north of Windigo Pass all the way to Highway 58. PCT’s closure is caused by the Red Fire as well as the Willamette Complex Fires just south of the area. A portion of popular harvesting grounds for Matsutake mushroom hunters will remain closed during the fire as well.
The city of Klamath Falls is working to reduce groundwater use in the Klamath Basin after accepting a federal grant for improved recycling of wastewater flows.
Klamath Falls City Council approved the receipt of a one-to-one matching grant of $345,000 from the Bureau of Reclamation at the regular council meeting Tuesday night. A summary of the project design says the goal of the new “water strategy plan” is to develop recycled water treatment upgrades to reduce the need for and use of potable water taken from ground water supplies.
“The city of Klamath Falls must supplement recycled water produced at their wastewater treatment plant with potable water from their groundwater supply to meet the obligations of the Avangrid Cogeneration Plan,” the project’s technical proposal reads.
Use of groundwater supplies has ecological impacts, according to the report, influencing habitat loss and increased nitrogen presence in the Upper Klamath River and Lost River, where the South Suburban Sanitation District and Spring Street Sewage Treatment Plant discharge recycled wastewater flows.
By increasing recycled water use, the city can help reduce these environmental impacts while improving efficiency. Wastewater manager Chris Claymore said staff applied for the USBR WaterSMART grant back in 2023. Claymore said the grant is a one-to-one match, requiring the city to match any portion of the USBR funding that is used for the project. City wastewater services also received council’s approval for another project which will improve sewer infrastructure in the Pacific Terrace residential area.
In an amount not to exceed $771,308 (with a contingency of just more than $115,000), council approved a piping rehabilitation project for sewer lines which have fractured or experiencing root intrusion, according to staff.
The city also partnered with South Suburban Sanitary District to increase the size of the project during the meeting to reduce costs during both entities’ concurrent infrastructure projects’ undertakings.
Another grant award of $100,000 was accepted to assist with Klamath Housing Authority’s project building affordable low-income and veteran housing units. Insufficient sewer services in the location of the projects — just east of Homedale Road — require a pressurized lift station with force-main sewer services. The acceptance of the grant award from Business Oregon was approved to implement an upgraded lift station at the site.
The southbound U.S. 97 off ramp to Klamath Falls City Center will be fully closed for three days beginning Monday September 9 at 6:00 a.m. until Wednesday September 11 at 6:00 p.m. while workers continue work on the U.S. 97: OR 58-California Border Bridge Retrofits project at Link River Bridge.
The purpose of this project is to improve the seismic resiliency of bridges on U.S. 97 so the highway can continue its role as a primary north-south lifeline route in the aftermath of a major earthquake. Drivers should follow the signed detour route as follows: From U.S. 97 Southbound:
- Continue south on U.S. 97 and take EXIT 277 (HWY 66/HWY 140)
- Turn left on South-Side by-pass (HWY 140), then turn right on to the U.S. 97 North (Klamath Falls/Bend) on-ramp.
- Continue north on U.S. 97 and take the Klamath Falls City Center exit, EXIT 275.
Please use caution when traveling through work zones. All work is dependent on weather conditions and schedules are subject to change.
The intersection of Main Street, East Main Street and Michigan Avenue has been reopened to traffic and a pedestrian route is open as well.
At this time N. Eldorado Avenue remains closed at Main Street. Construction crews are still working in the area to complete the sidewalks, lane striping and traffic signals. Temporary lane closures are anticipated during these construction activities. The sidewalks are anticipated to be completed and open to pedestrians on September 16th.
It is anticipated that N. Eldorado Avenue will remain closed until the traffic signals are installed at the end of October. For more information, please contact Public Works at 541-883-5363.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is launching a new community air monitoring pilot program supported by an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant.
The program is designed to empower communities to assess their local air quality and identify potential strategies to reduce their exposure to pollution. DEQ selected four communities from 200 applications to participate in the Community Air Action Planning pilot program, or CAAP. The communities in Southern Oregon include:
- Chiloquin
- Medford (downtown & north Medford)
DEQ selected the four communities using environmental justice principles and criteria identified by a team of program co-designers representing advocacy, nonprofit, and environmental groups. DEQ and project partner Neighbors for Clean Air will hold listening sessions to hear community concerns, discuss where to locate air quality monitors, and provide education on air quality issues.
As grasshoppers and crickets continue to wreak severe crop damage that has impacted many Klamath County farmers and ranchers, as well as food supplies and the overall health of the basin’s ecosystem, the Board of Klamath County Commissioners announced Tuesday that relief is available.During the weekly meeting, commission Chairman Dave Henslee said the Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Financial Assistance Grant is ready to accept applicants, and has $100,000 available from the Oregon Department of Agriculture to help tackle the problem.
Affected farmers and ranchers can apply for the grant now through 5 p.m. on Oct. 31. A special grant committee has been formed that will review the applications in early November and provide the county commission with funding recommendations. The application for the Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Financial Assistance Grant can be found on the county website.
The form can also be filled out at the Klamath County Grants Office located at 305 Main Street in Klamath Falls inside the government center.
Another announcement made during Tuesday’s meeting was the forming of a Policing Task Force that carries the mission of providing fair and equitable policing throughout the county. Deciding that it was a countywide issue, the Council of Governments (comprised of Klamath County, the cities of Bonanza, Chiloquin, Klamath Falls, Malin and Merrill, and the Klamath Tribes) agreed to assign two representatives from their respective entities to participate in the newly formed task force and begin exploring options.
DeGroot said that, in regards to law enforcement, he has tossed the idea around of funding the service using the entire property tax collected each year minus veteran’s services. In doing so, DeGroot said it would be up to the commission to find other means to fund other county departments and services, which he said would be achievable.
Each month the Klamath County Board of Commissioners recognizes employees for their service starting with their first five years. County Maintenance Director Glen Gregory was recognized during Tuesday’s meeting for 30 years of service.
Gregory was hired as a maintainer for Klamath County maintenance on Sept. 12, 1993, under then-director Tom Banks. Dan Golden, county juvenile director, said was the best decision Banks had ever made. Gregory said that much has changed around the county in his 30-year tenure, and he hopes to remain employed by the county until he is ready to retire.
The 10th annual Ride the Rim Days will be held at Crater Lake National Park the next two Saturdays — Sept. 7 and 14.
The event is hosted by the park in partnership with the Friends of Crater Lake and Discover Klamath. On both days East Rim Drive from the North Junction to Park Headquarters will be closed to motorized vehicles at 7 p.m. on the Fridays before the event until 4 p.m. on Saturdays to allow for non-motorized recreation including biking, hiking and running.
The event is free, but normal park entrance fees apply. Ride the Rim has grown in popularity each year. “It provides an opportunity to experience East Rim Drive in a unique way, under your own power, whether you’re on a bicycle or on your own two feet,” notes Superintendent Craig Ackerman. “It is a strenuous endeavor, but the rewards of a slower pace, opportunities for quiet reflection, and healthy, vigorous recreation make it a special experience for many people.”
In accordance with National Park Service policy, e-bikes (low-speed, electric bicycles with power assistance) are permitted as part of this event. The operator of an e-bike may only use the motor to assist pedal propulsion.
The motor may not be used to propel an e-bike without the rider also pedaling, except in locations open to public motor vehicle traffic. The closed route around the lake is about 25 miles long with 3,500 feet of climbing at elevations over 7,000 feet.
In a statement, park officials suggest, “Make sure your battery power, or leg power, will last this long, or consider a shorter out-and-back route. There is no SAG wagon provided.”
Park visitors on the Ride days should expect a large number of bicyclists on park roads. Cyclists and motorists on West Rim Drive are asked to ride and drive with “caution and patience.”
Cyclists should ride single file when sharing the road with motorists. West Rim Drive will be open for all travel. North Entrance Road will also be open beginning at 7 p.m. on Fridays before the rides. Park staff recommend that cyclists avoid riding on West Rim Drive, if possible, because of increased traffic from Ride the Rim participants, shuttles, and other park visitors. Ride the Rim parking will be available at the North Junction, Park Headquarters, and the Picnic Hill area of Rim Village.
Participants are encouraged to share rides to help ease parking congestion. A free shuttle will transport participants to the start of the ride or to their vehicles after the event.
The shuttle will run between North Junction, Rim Village and Park Headquarters. The shuttle will not carry bicycles to accommodate more people. “A person or people from each party will need to remain with bicycles while members of their party park or retrieve vehicles.
For single riders, there will be a limited bike valet at North Junction and Park Headquarters,” note park officials.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting free pheasant hunts for kids 17 and under. There are two hunts in Southern Oregon, one in Central Point and another Klamath Falls.
Kids must have a valid Hunter Safety Education card and a valid hunting license. They must be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older. The Central Point hunt is taking place at the Denman Wildlife Area on September 14 and 15. Check in starts at 7 a.m. and the hunt goes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To join the hunt, participants must register beforehand. For more information on this hunt, call 541-826-8774.
A celebration of life for one of Klamath County’s most invested, driven individuals is slated for this Saturday following his death last week.
Chuck Wells died last Wednesday, the day of his 99th birthday. Both Chuck and his wife, Sally Wells, have been residents of Klamath County for more than 30 years and have accomplished many a feat in their time here.
The celebration of life memorial will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, in the Chiloquin Community Center, 140 S. First St., in Chiloquin, in the Chuck and Sally Wells Meeting Room located in the middle portion of the building which the couple helped create. All are welcome to attend.
The Shaw Historical Society is planning a banquet dinner from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at Oregon Tech’s College Union. The guest speaker will be Ryan Bartholomew.
Cost is $40, with rib roast or beef. A vegetarian option will be available upon request. A no-host social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Visit oit.edu/shaw2024 to make reservations online. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6. For more information, contact Katie Cavendish at (541) 885-0222.
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Around the State of Oregon
On Thursday, Sept. 5, just after midnight, Oregon State Police SWAT responded to a Lincoln City residence to assist the Lincoln City Police Department with a barricaded suspect.
Responding officers made multiple attempts to negotiate with the suspect who fired at police and refused to comply with commands. The suspect was ultimately shot by responding police and died at the scene.
On Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at approximately 12:42 p.m., the Lincoln City Police Department requested assistance from local law enforcement agencies regarding an incident involving a suspect shooting at police officers while investigating a parking violation. The suspect fled the scene in a vehicle and later on foot.
Oregon State Police (OSP) responded and deployed a SWAT K-9 unit. The K-9 tracked the suspect to a residence at 1905 NW Jetty Ave. in Lincoln City. Occupants exited the residence and knew the suspect but denied seeing him that day. It was later confirmed the male suspect was within the residence and a search warrant was granted.
OSP SWAT personnel were activated and responded to the scene. Negotiators made numerous attempts at communicating with the suspect as well as issuing verbal commands through a public address system. The suspect made numerous threatening statements and began to shoot through windows from within the residence. For unknown reasons, a fire started within the residence.
As the fire spread the suspect exited an upstairs window to the roof carrying a rifle. He refused commands to drop the rifle. Shots were fired and the suspect fell from the roof to the ground below.
OSP SWAT personnel secured the suspect’s firearm and pulled him away from the burning residence to render medical aid. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.
Four OSP SWAT members were determined to have fired rounds during the incident.
Oregon Schools Are Failing
A national education research organization says Oregon deserves a failing grade for the report cards on individual schools’ performance that it releases every fall, which the group says mask just how far behind many students remain in the wake of the pandemic.
Oregon was one of just 13 states that the nonpartisan Center for Reinventing Public Education gave an F for making it wildly difficult for parents to find and compare data about long-term school performance. Neighboring Washington state received a B.
The state’s current report card site, its federally-mandated effort to inform Oregonians about the state of their schools, requires members of the public to download PDFs for individual schools and districts.
In most states, there are clear signs of a rebound in such metrics, even if students have yet to return to pre-pandemic norms. But Oregon has yet to show any upticks, save for in its graduation rate data, which has risen modestly post-pandemic.
The fire danger level in Jackson and Josephine counties will increase from high to extreme starting Friday, Sept. 6th.
“Fire danger decreased to high in Jackson and Josephine counties following significant rainfall in late August,” ODF Southwest Oregon District said in a release. “Due to increased temperatures, dry vegetation and the potential for east winds and thunderstorms, fire danger is once again increasing to extreme on the ODF Southwest Oregon District.”
For more information visit ODF Southwest Oregon District’s website.
Former President Donald Trump has once again missed a chance to submit a statement for Oregon’s widely-distributed Voters’ Pamphlet, which was released Tuesday. He will of course appear on the ballot.
One unnamed spokesperson for Trump said, “You know who he is and hw much he wants to protect this nation’s people. We hope Oregon voters will elect him.”
Oregon sends nearly 2 million Voters’ Pamphlets to all households ahead of elections. Candidates don’t have to appear in the pamphlet, but for a fee of $3,500 for presidential candidates, it’s a cheap and easy way for candidates to get their face and a 325-word statement in front of the state’s 3 million voters. (Local candidates pay less; the fee is only $600 for a city or county candidate).
A Republican state senator who represents part of the Oregon coast has submitted a plan to exclude state income taxes on tips.
Sen. Dick Anderson of Lincoln City said in a news release last week his “No Tax on Tips” proposal is designed to offer tax relief to people working in the service industry who are increasingly squeezed by rising inflation and “poor economic policies.”
Under Oregon law, employers must staff at least the minimum wage, regardless of whether they receive tips or not. Many other states allow tips to be counted as wages.
His proposal follows calls by former President Donald Trump in his Republican presidential bid to exclude taxes on tips. Under his plan, tips collected by restaurant workers, barbers, caddies, movers, drivers and others would not be taxed on their tips. The Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, suddenly has the same plan as well, that would exclude taxes on tips for hospitality and service workers.
More Covid-19 testing kits are on the way to Oregon.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, free at-home tests will be available from the federal government by the end of September. Each household can order four test kits, with each kit containing two tests. The kits will then be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Additionally, the FDA has extended the expiration dates of many at-home testing kits.
To order testing kits or to check whether or not a kit has actually expired, visit the Department of Health and Human Services website.
An Oregon community college basketball coach, arrested in Douglas County in 2022 for online sexual corruption of a minor, is headed to federal prison.
The Oregon U.S. Attorney’s Office says 38-year-old Nathan Bowie of Portland, is going to prison for more than 13 years after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.
Bowie was the head coach of the Mount Hood Community College basketball team in Gresham. During a basketball clinic in Glide, police said he encouraged female athletes to follow him on social media. According to police, he then used one of those connections to start an online relationship with an underage girl and asked for intimate images of her.
Police say he planned to meet the girl for a sexual encounter while in Douglas County representing his college when he was arrested.
A woman is facing charges after her eight-year-old child called 9-1-1 on Monday to report that mom was driving recklessly along Beltline toward Springfield.
Local police say word reached officers that 43-year-old Camie Sorensen’s blue Subaru was driving at a high rate of speed and running multiple red lights. Officers reportedly brought Sorensen to heel after her vehicle came to an abrupt stop in the middle of the intersection of Pioneer Parkway and Q Street.
She was taken into custody for reckless driving, reckless endangering and attempt to elude. Officials say the child came through the experience unharmed.
Ghost Guns To Be Outlawed this week
So-called ghost guns, privately made firearms that don’t have serial numbers and are largely untraceable, will be banned across Oregon starting Sunday after a federal judge denied a legal challenge that tried to block the prohibition.
Ghost guns differ from weapons manufactured by licensed companies in that the latter are generally required to have serial numbers — usually displayed on the frame of the gun — that allow officials to trace them back to the manufacturer, the dealer and the original purchaser.
The U.S. Department of Justice reported recovering 25,785 ghost guns in domestic seizures in 2022. In the Oregon case, Stephen Duvernay, a lawyer for the Oregon Firearms Federation and the Firearms Policy Coalition Inc., argued in federal court this month that self-made guns without serial numbers are common in the U.S., The Oregonian/OregonLive reported.
Duvernay also said requiring his clients to add serial numbers to their guns or gun parts would be impractical, adding that about 1 million people own such weapons in state and would be affected by the new law. In 2023 the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2005 banning ghost guns.
State Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, had pushed for the legislation for years, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
When the ban takes effect, firearms made after Oct. 22, 1968, must have a serial number, and violating the law could result in a $1,000 fine. Repeat offenders could face higher fines and potentially incarceration. Under the law, people with firearms that currently do not have serial numbers can have numbers put on them by federally licensed gun dealers so they comply with the statute.
Since July 2023, Oregon has also barred the sale, transfer and import of unserialized firearms and the possession, sale and manufacturing of firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or X-ray machines.
Federal officials are moving ahead with plans to promote the shipment of goods by zero-emission trucks up and down the West Coast.
Authorities say the U.S. Department of Transportation is giving Washington, Oregon and California 102-million dollars to create a network of charging and fueling stations to power battery and hydrogen fuel-cell semi-trucks traversing the three states. Officials say major hubs would be built in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle.
Federal officials are taking action to save a threatened and endangered owl, but it will come at a cost to another species.
The goal is to help the Northern and California Spotted Owl from the ‘invasive’ Barred Owl. The Barred Owl Management Strategy has now been finalized and will be rolled out thanks to lobbyists and environmentalists.
Fish and Wildlife officials wrote, “The Service has a Migratory Bird Treaty Act special purpose permit to implement the strategy. Under this permit, the service can designate interested tribes, federal and state agencies, companies, or specific landowners to implement barred owl management on their lands.” The agency emphasized, “Absolutely NO public hunting is allowed under the strategy.”
The plan calls for a maximum of about 15,600 invasive barred owls per year that could be removed over 30 years under full implementation of the strategy. Joshua Morris with the conservation organization ‘Birds Connect Seattle’ said the Spotted Owls face multiple issues, including the destruction of old-growth forests and the competition with food and resources from the Barred Owls.
A medical helicopter called to the scene of a fatal crash on Interstate 5 on Friday couldn’t immediately respond due to interference from a civilian drone flying over the crash site, spokespeople for the Oregon State Police and Life Flight Network said.
The Linn County crash killed the driver, 45-year-old Dustin Andrew Brown of Sweet Home, and injured his 19-year-old daughter and an additional 19-year-old passenger. An Oregon State Police spokesperson said Brown lost control of his Hyundai while trying to avoid a rear-end collision. All three people in the car — whom troopers said did not appear to be wearing seatbelts — were ejected from the car as it rolled over, coming to a stop on top of Brown.
Troopers and other motorists lifted the car off Brown, but he was declared dead at the scene. The medical helicopter had no way to contact the operator of the drone to make sure it didn’t run into rescuers. But Hannah, the spokesperson for Life Flight, said first responders were able to take the two passengers to a hospital by ground instead, and so the flight was called off.
The Warner Creek Fire that burned more than 82,000 acres of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge in northern Lake County is now 100 percent contained.
But the refuge will remain closed through June 15, 2025, because of extensive fire damage and the potential threat of invasive species. In a press release, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials for the Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Lakeview said beginning Sept. 2 visitors will have access to 186,000 acres of the refuge, including Hart Mountain Road, Frenchglen Road, Camp Hart Mountain Campground, Shirk Road, Flook Lake Road and Poker Jim Ridge. When the refuge reopens, visitors are asked to clean their vehicles to prevent invasive weeds from entering the refuge that could affect sagebrush rehabilitation.
The lightning-caused fire started Aug. 5 and quickly spread to more than 65,000 acres, or nearly 24 percent of the refuge.
Both Post Meadows and Hot Springs campgrounds had significant damage, especially in riparian areas and surrounding seasonal roads. The fire also resulted in the temporary evacuation of staff living at refuge headquarters but bulldozers and other equipment were used to prevent damage to the residences, offices and visitor center. According to the release, FW&S will “work with partners to assess the burned areas and develop a rehabilitation plan that balances the needs of wildlife, habitat and public recreational opportunities.”
Be Prepared with Fire Weather Tools
As August rolls on, the National Weather Service (NWS) reminds wildland fire managers that we have tools to help you monitor and fight wildfires. Whether it is a prescribed burn, ground fire or crown fire, fire managers can use this information to make decisions on how best to combat fires and keep the public safe.
Fire weather forecasters – The NWS issues Fire Weather Outlooks for the next eight days. These outlooks show areas where pre-existing fuel conditions, combined with forecast weather conditions, may result in a significant threat of wildfires.
Our Fire Weather Program supports land managers and firefighters who mitigate and respond to fires. Our weather forecasts are designed to highlight times and locations where a fire may be exceptionally hard to control. For example, we offer Red Flag Warnings, which mean warm temperatures, very low humidities and stronger winds are ongoing or expected to produce an increased risk of fire danger in 12 to 24 hours for specific locations.
Need a fire weather Spot Forecast? Land managers can request a site-specific, localized forecast for prescribed burns and wildfires to assess a potential threat. NWS recently updated this tool and will deliver additional enhancements to the application later this year. Learn more about the new Spot Forecast tool.
For federal and select state large wildfires, onsite weather forecasting support to firefighters is critical. An NWS Incident- Meteorologist (IMET) can be deployed to your incident command post. IMETs arrive on scene within 12 to 24 hours after activation and can serve up to 14 consecutive days before being relieved by another IMET. https://www.weather.gov/news/241507-fire-weather-tools
PLEASE Help Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires
- Immediately call 911 to report fires.
- Drones and other unmanned aircrafts are illegal to fly near fires.
- Fireworks, incendiary/tracer ammunition and exploding targets, are prohibited during fire season (May-October).
- Use caution when target shooting. Clear a 20-foot radius around the target by removing all vegetation and rocks.
- Ensure vehicles and trailers are properly maintained
- Make sure chains and other metal parts are not dragging.
- Keep exhaust systems clean and use spark arrestors.
- Do not park on dry grass.
- Carry extra water, shovel, and/or a fire extinguisher with you.
- Ensure your campfire is completely extinguished before leaving your campsite by making sure it is cool to the touch.
- Please don’t smoke and if you do, don’t throw out cigarette butts.
- Please be mindful and think about your actions
To ensure all Oregonians remain safe during the 2024 wildfire season, we urge everyone to stay tuned into these communications channels and follow all official safety guidelines related to air quality and recreation:
Watch Duty app: Download this app on your smartphone to understand where wildfires are in real time as well as monitor air quality and other metrics. https://app.watchduty.org
Northwest Interagency Coordination Center: During fire season, this web-based interactive map is updated daily with current fire perimeters and locations. This website acts as the wildfire resource coordination center for the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Oregon Dept of Forestry, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Washington Dept. of Natural Resources and the National Park Service. https://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/index.aspx
InciWeb the Incident Information System: The federal interagency all-risk incident information management system provides an interactive map with real-time location information on wildfires. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/
Oregon Department of Forestry Wildfire News: The official wildfire news blog for the Oregon Department of Forestry. Look here for all wildfire news related to state forest lands. https://odffire.com/
Keep Oregon Green: A partnership comprised of statewide and interagency groups working together to promote awareness of the risk and causes of wildfires and how to be prepared in case of a wildfire emergency. https://keeporegongreen.org/
OregonLive Wildfire Map: A project managed by OregonLive that incorporates data from InciWeb, National Interagency Fire Center, Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, Oregon Office of Emergency Management, NOAA into an easy-to-use map tool. https://projects.oregonlive.com/wildfires/map
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality – Air Quality Monitoring Data: A real-time map and cell phone application you can use to track air quality, including wildfire smoke impacts, across the state. Check your app store for OregonAir. https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map
Purple Air – Air Quality Map System: Real-time air quality information using crowdsourced data and data from EPA air sensors. https://map.purpleair.com/1/mAQI/a10/p604800/cC0…
NOAA High Resolution Rapid Refresh Data Visualization: The High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency(NOAA) is an experimental data visualization tool for wildfire smoke. Be sure to turn on the “Vertically Integrated Smoke” layer to see smoke paths. https://hwp-viz.gsd.esrl.noaa.gov/smoke/index.html
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