Yreka, Calif. August 6, 2016 – Yesterday afternoon and evening a thunderstorm moved across Siskiyou County with 165 lightning strikes recorded. As of this morning the lightning had resulted in fifteen small fires throughout the County.
The Klamath National Forest reported five new fires. The 1/2 acre Crest fire and 1/4 acre Pointer fire are located about five miles north of Etna Summit. A 20 person initial attack fire crew is working on the Crest fire and 10 smoke jumpers are working on the Pointer fire. The 1/4 acre Summer fire is located east of Petersburg, California and has four smoke jumpers currently working on it. The Deadwood fire near Fort Jones, California and the Dry fire south of Tennant, California are both declared controlled.
CAL FIRE responded to 10 fires caused by lightning in the Scott, Shasta and Butte Valleys. All fires are contained and being patrolled. The smallest fire was a single tree and the largest fire was less than a tenth of an acre.
Dry and warmer temperatures persist and more lightning is predicted for the weekend. During the increase in lightning fire activity, the public is urged to be extra careful to prevent human caused fires. Both the Klamath National Forest and CAL FIRE have brought in additional aircraft, engines and crews to help with the recent increase in fire activity.
Please remember that CAL FIRE is in a County wide Residential Burn Ban and the Klamath National Forest is under Fire Restrictions. Every citizen is requested to do their part in preventing human-caused fires this summer.
To find out more about what you can do to prevent wildfires please go to www.readyforwildfire.org