Professional Firefighter Gene Griffin falling a fire-damaged tree.

Klondike Fire continues to smolder

Professional Firefighter Gene Griffin falling a fire-damaged tree.

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – A fire that covered over 175,000 acres in Josephine and Curry Counties is still smoldering.

The Klondike Fire started on July 15. Now, over three months later, 224 fire personnel are continuing to put out slow-burning heavy fuels like logs and stumps and repair the area.

Timber following teams worked to eliminate the hazard posed by fire-weakened trees over the past weeks. Professional loggers like Gene Griffin from Selma (pictured) are trained and authorized to mitigate hazards from large-diameter trees, also known as “killer trees.”

Over the next few days, heavy fuels are expected to continue smoldering. A potential drying trend could allow some unburned pockets to slowly burn as well.

Suppression repair will continue as crews are available. 45% of the repair work has been completed in areas such as camps and heli-bases. 75% of the fireline has been repaired.

80% of the Klondike Fire is contained. Growth of the fire outside of established firelines is not expected.

© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.

Skip to content