Single Publication

Size: 851 acres   Location: 5 miles west of Crescent Lake Junction, OR   County: Klamath  

Start Date: July 17, 2024   Cause: Lightning   Containment: 0%   Total Personnel: 132

Activities – Crews continued to haul chips out of the area between Odell Lake and Crescent Lake and clean up the shaded fuel break. Dump trucks and excavators are working again today to reduce the chip depth in the area. Hand crews made good progress on the shaded fuel break between Crescent Lake and Summit Lake.

Closures – To provide for the safety of firefighters, equipment operators, and the public, the Deschutes National Forest emergency closure around Crescent Lake and in the Diamond Peak Wilderness is still in effect. Forest Service Road 60 is closed, and road guards have been posted for public safety. The emergency closure is being reevaluated daily as conditions continue to change. More closure information is available at: https://www.fsa.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices/?aid=89091 

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is closed from north of the Windigo Pass (mile 1883.5) to Highway 58 (mile 1909.5) due to the Red Fire and Willamette Complex South in the Diamond Peak Wilderness. The Diamond Complex has also closed lands to the west of the trail. Refer to the PCT Closures App and the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) for current and accurate trail closure information for the PCT.

The 2024 season for commercially harvesting Matsutake mushrooms will open for the Deschutes National Forest the day after Labor Day, September 3, and will close November 4, 2024. A commercial permit must be purchased for the picking of any Matsutake mushrooms on National Forests that are harvested for resale. The emergency fire closure that is currently in place for part of the Crescent Ranger District due to the Red Fire and may impact certain harvesting locations. 

Incident Weather, Fire Behavior, and Smoke – A low pressure system will move across the fire area Monday into Tuesday morning. This system will moderate temperatures, raise relative humidity, increase cloud cover, and produce potentially mostly dry thunderstorms. Fire activity is expected to moderate with somewhat cooler and more humid weather today coupled with cloud cover. Single tree torching can be anticipated along with low intensity upslope surface runs.

Strategy – A full suppression strategy is being implemented utilizing indirect tactics, shaded fuel breaks, structure protection equipment, trail, and hose lay. Firefighter and public safety remain the incident management team’s highest priority in managing this fire. Expect to see increased fire activity due to the warmer and dryer conditions.

Evacuations – The WILDFIRE! Level 1 – BE READY to Evacuate notice issued by Klamath County Emergency Management for Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, and Crescent Junction areas remains in effect (INCENDIO FORESTAL! Nivel 1 - ESTÉ PREPARADO para evacuar de las siguientes zonas: Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, Crescent Junction). Visit www.klamathcounty.org/300/emergency-management for more information or to sign up for alerts.

Fire Restrictions – Stage 2 Public Use Fire Restrictions – which prohibit open fires, including in developed campgrounds – remain in effect for the Deschutes National Forest. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level is currently Level III “Partial Shutdown.” Visit fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/home/?cid=stelprdb5297376 for more information.  

Drone Restrictions – Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized drones are in the area. Unauthorized drone use over a fire area poses serious risks to fire personnel and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. If you fly, we can’t.