JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – Due to the slow southward movement of the Klondike Fire, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office is notifying some residents to be ready to evacuate.
Deputies said increased fire activity and burnout operations—along with predicted changes in weather patterns—necessitates new Level 1 (be ready) evacuation notices. All residents on the west side of U.S. Highway 199 between Eight Dollar Mountain Road and the Oregon-California border are affected. This includes West 6th Street, Finch Road, Waldamar Road, Westside Road, West River Street, West Lister Street, West Watkins Road, Illinois River State Park, Burch Drive, Airport Drive, Lone Mountain Road, Arrowhead Drive, Dwight Creek Road and all secondary roads off these main roads.
The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office said pre-planned burnout operations will take place near Highway 199. The plan is to create a wide buffer zone between the Illinois Valley and the Klondike Fire. The burnouts will likely be visible to residents of Kerby, Cave Junction and O’Brien. They will be monitored by firefighters.
Residents of Josephine County are encouraged to sign up for the citizen alert system at http://www.rvem.org
Current southwest Oregon fire information can be obtained by calling 541-474-5305 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. any day of the week.
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