U.S. Forest Service Klamath National Forest News Release Six Rivers National Forest South Zone (530) 324-2528 Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest North Zone (503) 867-8593 [email protected] Facebook @SlaterandDevilFireInformation or @KlamathNF or @SixRiversNF or @R6RRSNF Smoke information: https://wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlooks InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7173/ Slater and Devil Fires Update Wednesday, October 14, 2020; 9:00 a.m. Fire managers are asking for help from the public in observing the various area and road closures in effect for public and firefighter safety. Slater Fire - 156,610 acres and 78% containment Two crews are dedicated to removing hazard and danger trees along the Grayback Road (Happy Camp Highway), with one working from Oregon towards Happy Camp and one working from Happy Camp toward Oregon. Each group is progressing approximately two to three tenths of a mile per day. This priority work occurring in dense stands of fire-weakened trees is necessary to open the road safely for firefighters, residents, and those working to bring power back to Happy Camp. A few hot spots linger inside containment lines on the northeastern corner of the fire, near Swan Mountain. Crews are working diligently to remove residual heat in them. Overall, patrols report finding fewer hot spots along containment lines on the northern perimeter of the fire. Chipping operations continue there as well. In the Knopki and Chicago Creek drainages, near Sanger Peak, firefighters remain focused on extending and improving fire lines south of Swan Peak. Connecting those lines to the 2018 Natchez Fire scar is a precaution against further fire spread to the west. Crews continue to patrol, monitor, and strengthen containment lines near Happy Camp and along the southwest flank extending up to Kelly Lake. Efforts are underway to ensure that drainage features along roads, staging areas, drop points, hand lines and dozer lines will be able to accommodate fall and winter rains. Devil Fire - 8,885 acres and 58% containment The Devil fire is in patrol status using aviation and ground resources. Weather and Fire Behavior The forecast for the next five days calls for warmer temperatures with a dry northeast wind flow. Dampening effects from last weekend’s rain will likely begin to wane over the next few days as fine fuels such as leaves and grasses begin to dry out. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. Evacuations For specific information regarding the evacuations see the following: Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services information: Incident Statistics (530) 643-3662 or www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountyOES Size: Del Norte County information: (707) 464-7213 or Slater 156,610 www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices and Devil 8, 8 85 www.preparedelnorte.com/ Containment: Slater 78% Closures and Restrictions Devil 58% Injuries: 10 The Klamath, Six Rivers, and Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forests Fatalities: 2 have issued fire area closure orders for the Slater and Devil Fires. Date detected: 9/8/2020 The Pacific Southwest Region is under emergency fire restrictions, Cause: Under although the use of gas stoves is allowed in open developed investigation recreation sites. Find closure orders and maps at: Structures Threatened: 150 www.fs.usda.gov/klamath, www.fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou, and Structures Damaged: 11 www.fs.usda.gov/srnf. Structures Lost (total): 440 Residential 197 Portions of both the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest’s Wild Commercial 1 Rivers Ranger District and Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District have Mixed 5 reopened for use. Some areas remain closed for emergency crews’ Other 237 safety and to allow for fire suppression and burned area recovery. Estimated cost: Find closure orders and maps at: www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue- Slater $43.4 million siskiyou/alerts-notices. Fire danger levels and public use restrictions Devil $685,330 are changing. Find the latest information at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/rogue-siskiyou/news- Resources events/?cid=FSEPRD824854. Hand Crews: 19 Engines: 51 The Bureau of Land Management Medford District has public lands Helicopters: 4 closures in effect near the Slater Fire and South Obenchain Fire. Fixed wing aircraft: 2 Find closure area maps at: www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety- Dozers: 3 and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire- Water tenders: 8 restrictions. Total Personnel: 938 Burned Area Emergency Recovery information and resources for private landowners impacted by the Slater and Devil Fires are available at: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7237/. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. .