KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. – Hundreds of structures remain threatened by the Bootleg Fire in Klamath and Lake Counties.
The wildfire started on July 6 about 15 miles northwest of Beatty. Since then, it’s grown to 212,377 acres in size.
The Bootleg Fire triggered the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office to issue evacuation orders in the area surrounding the fire. After the fire spread to neighboring Lake County, the sheriff there issued Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation notifications.
The fast-growing wildfire destroyed at least seven residential structures and 43 outbuildings. It threatens nearly 2,000 other structures.
Due to the Bootleg Fire’s size, it’s been split into two separate management zones. In the south zone, crews were reportedly successful keeping the fire out of populated areas as they improve dozer lines and extinguish hot spots. The northern zone appears more active, with crews fighting three new fires near Summer Lake.
Fire managers said, “Firefighters on the northeast side of the fire helped safeguard 11 people when winds pushed the fire toward them. Residents and firefighters retreated into a meadow, a safety zone. Once the fire passed, firefighters returned to the area and continued firefighting around the structures. These firefighters also assisted residents in two vehicles when they became trapped by the fire and were unable to escape because of downed trees. The firefighters removed the trees from the roadway, allowing the group to safely escape. Other crews extinguished small fires around structures along the fire’s south end.”
A Red Flag warning and heat advisory were been issued for the area until Wednesday night. Due to weather conditions, fire managers expect the fire to spread rapidly over the coming days.
National Forest Systems closures are in effect around the fire. An interactive map showing evacuation areas and the fire perimeter is available at https://kcgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=4bfb02b41eb7473ca95b04c3cbd1da21.
The cause of the Bootleg Fire is unknown.
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