Slater and Devil fires update

Aaron Nilsson September 12, 2020

Last Updated: September 13, 2020

CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. — The Slater Fire that started in Siskiyou County, California is threatening the Illinois Valley.

It’s now burned approximately 122,000 acres.

Heavy smoke and cooler temperatures slowed down fire activity recently, allowing crews to get more progress.

There is potential for the nearby Devil Fire to merge with the Slater Fire burning to its west.

“We did not have any ability to ramp up as the fire was progressing, District Ranger, Scott Blower, said. “We didn’t have any ability to engage at it, so we’ve been playing catch up since day one, hour one of the fire, but I feel now we’re finally starting to get our feet under us,” he added.

The Devil Fire is approaching 4,000 acres in size.

Both fires are currently 0% contained and the causes are still under investigation.

Aaron Nilsson September 12, 2020

Aaron Nilsson

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NBC5 News weather forecaster Aaron Nilsson is a Southern California native, but most recently lived in Seattle. He's also lived in Sweden and Utah. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelors Degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Scandinavian Studies. While at BYU, he covered sports for BYUtv. Aaron is not new to the Medford/Klamath Falls market. He was a local TV journalist from 2013-2017. Outside the station, Aaron enjoys music, traveling, sports, movies, and cooking. His favorite sport is soccer.