Jackson County, Ore. — Effective immediately, Bureau of Land Management lands southeast of Ashland are closed due to the ongoing fire activity.
BLM and Oregon Department of Forestry say a temporary closure of the BLM lands SE of Ashland is necessary in order to protect public health and safety. The closure is effective immediately and will be in place until the area is deemed safe for public access.
The closure impacts the following areas: Emigrant Creek Road, Baldy Creek Road, Soda Mountain Road, Pilot Rock Road, the Lone Pilot Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 66 west to the boundary of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Additionally, all BLM lands and roads within Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument within the closure area marked on the map are closed.
From ODF Southwest Oregon District: “Currently, firefighters are actively fighting the Klamathon Fire; an ODF Southwest Oregon District branch is building control line in partnership with the Klamathon Fire Team in order to stop the fire’s further rate of spread to the north, deeper into Oregon. Although the wind conditions will be working in our favor over the next 48 hours, we would like to keep our firefighter, public, and land safety a priority by reducing the risk of excess traffic in this region. We will continue to work on the flanks of this fire swiftly and efficiently. For official fire information, please visit: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2108.
Closure signs will be placed at main entry points to the area. The closure area is on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management out of its Medford District office. It is a popular hiking area, which includes a segment of the Pacific Crest Trail, that attracts several visitors during the summer months. Therefore, we hope this precaution keeps both visitors and firefighters safe as crews continue to make progress.“
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