2022 Fire Season in Review
Below is a recap of the 2022 wildfire’s in the Klamath-Siskiyou region. Some of this season’s wildfires were deadly, including the Mill Fire in Weed, CA and the McKinney Fire along the Klamath River in northern CA. Please see the bottom of this post for ways in which you can contribute to the relief efforts for those people and communities most impacted.
McKinney and Yeti Fires
Aerial photo of the McKinney Fire. Photo credits: Inciweb
On July 29th, several fires started in the mid-Klamath River Drainage. These include the Yeti and Alex Fires that burned 7,886 acres between Seiad Valley and Happy Camp along the Klamath River and the McKinney Fire that burned 60,138 acres. The most damaging of these fires was McKinney. Much of this fire burned at high severity in a checkerboard of private industrial forest and US Forest Service land.
What was different about the McKinney Fire was the fast rate of spread and overall enhanced fire behavior, especially through the night when extreme fire behavior is usually moderated. This was not the case with McKinney. High overnight temperatures and winds drove this fire through the night and it devastated the small river community of Klamath River. Four people died in the fire, including Kathy Shoopman, 74, who was a fire lookout for the Klamath National Forest.
The fire burned at such high severity that when an unexpected thunderstorm passed over the area, it destabilized slopes and produced a mudslide that sent ash and sediment into tributaries to the Klamath River. The resulting ash cut off oxygen to fish in the river, resulting in thousands of dead fish. The ripple effect of this fire, enhanced by climate change, past logging and fire suppression, was to increase the risks to the already endangered salmon runs in the Klamath River.
Rum Creek Fire
The Rum Creek and nearby Hog Creek Fires were ignited by lightning on August 17th. On August 26th, hot and dry conditions combined with winds caused significant increases in fire activity and spread of the Rum creek fire. As the fire grew, the communities of Rand and Galice, Oregon became threatened.
Located along the Rogue River, Rum Creek was one of the largest fires in southern Oregon. With a mix of high, medium and low severity, this fire made runs that threatened many local residents and neighbors and closed the famed Wild Rogue River for rafting and hiking. The fire burned through many different forest types and age classes managed by both industrial timber companies and the Bureau of Land Management.
Notice: Due to the Rum Creek Fire, the Rainie Falls Trail is still closed until further notice. Please check with the Bureau of Land Management for trail conditions before recreating.
Six Rivers Lightning Fires
View of Six Rivers Complex in northern California. Photo credits: Inciweb
On August 5th, lightning sparked several fires along the Trinity River near the town of Willow Creek, California. In rugged terrain, these fires burned for several weeks, ultimately covering 41,596 acres on the Six Rivers National Forest and adjacent land. Much of this fire complex burned at low to moderate severity, likely contributing to increased forest resiliency in many forest stands.
Mill and Mountain Fire
The Mill Fire started at the Roseburg Forest Products mill property in Weed, California on September 2nd. Fanned by strong winds, the fire took two lives and burned 118 structures.
Roseburg Forest Products representatives said a pile of ash in one of their buildings combusted and spread fire to neighborhoods north of the mill site.
On the same day as the Mill Fire, the Mountain Fire started just to the west of Weed, California and ultimately covered 13,440 acres in a mix of private and US Forest Service land. While hundreds of people evacuated their homes, no injuries or building damage was reported.
What can you do to help?
Support
The road to recovery and rebuilding is a collective effort. By supporting each other through hard times our communities will grow stronger and more resilient. KS Wild asks that first and foremost, you consider contributing to the resources listed below for relief efforts to the impacted communities of northern California:
GoFundMe pages for McKinney fire survivors
How to help survivors of the Mill Creek Fire
Visit KS Wild’s website for an additional list of resources for community relief efforts
Prepare
Fall is an opportune time to check items off your to-do list to reduce fire risk around your home and property. The actions you take now will help reduce the chance of damage in the event a wildfire threatens your home.
