Single Publication

Little Yamsay Fire Update - May 13, 2024  

Fire Information: 971-978-7899 

Email: 2024.littleyamsay@firenet.gov 

Size: 6340 acres  Location: 15 miles southeast of Chemult, OR near Klamath Marsh 

Start Date: Detected April 20, 2024  Cause: Lightning  Total Personnel: 102 

Crews: 3  Engines: 5  Heavy Equipment: 1  Water Tenders: 3 

This will be the final update from the type 3 IMT for the Little Yamsay Fire. Fire managers are anticipating a transition early this week from the type 3 incident management team (IMT) to a smaller type 4 IMT as resources are released. 

Sunday saw the completion of phase three of firing treatments, with multiple hotshot crews and engines strategically bringing fire to the final corner on the southwest side of the control line perimeter. With phase three done, roughly 6000 acres of low-intensity firing operations were accomplished on the Little Yamsay Fire, helping to re-introduce a natural regime of fire to the landscape for fuels reduction and forest health benefits. 

Fire managers will assess whether or not to complete phase four of firing operations this week. Smoke may linger for several days after firing operations have been completed and, within the perimeter of control lines, could be visible into the early summer. Firefighters will remain on scene well after firing operations are complete, patrolling control lines and monitoring smoke, and taking proactive measures to protect legacy pines and ensure fire does not cross control lines. 

In combination with the Dillon Creek Fire from 2023, these treatments cover 10,000 acres along the Silver Lake Highway. This is 10,000 acres of forest that now has 

• Reduced chance of disease from insects 

• Enhanced nutrient content in the soil 

• Less competitive vegetation for the larger pines 

• Enhanced protection from large, destructive wildfires 

Utilizing natural starts to re-introduce fire to the landscape, at the right place and the right time, is a shift in land management practice that is exceedingly important if we are to return the West’s forests to a level of health and resilience that can withstand drought, increasingly unpredictable and hot summers, and large fast-moving fires. 

There are no closures or evacuations for the Little Yamsay Fire. Residents and visitors traveling to the area are encouraged to drive responsibly as emergency firefighter vehicles will be present. Expect delays as traffic control may be implemented due to smoke and/or hazards. 

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