At least 150 homes destroyed in Bootleg Fire, report says

LAKEVIEW, Ore. – A damage assessment concluded over 150 homes were lost in the Bootleg Fire.

Lightning started the wildfire in rural Klamath County on July 6. It grew rapidly in the following days, expanding into neighboring Lake County. By July 27, the fire covered an estimated 410,731 acres, making it one of the largest Oregon wildfires in recent history.

This past Monday, crews were finally able to tally the damage done by the fire, determining 161 residences were destroyed along with 247 outbuildings and 342 vehicles. The numbers may increase as firefighters continue to survey the impact of the Bootleg Fire.

“We will continue operations with a focus on the safety of the community and our firefighters,” said Commander Norm McDonald. “We’re continuing with community and agency partners to suppress the fire as effectively as possible to protect timber, ranchlands, and other local values.”

While the southern boundary of the Bootleg Fire continues to hold, suppression is proceeding slowly on the northern side.

Evacuations continue to be dynamic. An interactive map of evacuation levels in Lake and Klamath Counties is available at tinyurl.com/bootlegevac