The Lime Fire was over 1600 acres and zero percent contained as of Tuesday evening. The Kidder 2 Fire was 141 and 15 percent contained. They’re both burning in the Klamath National Forest. U.S. Forest Service officials said the location of the fires is extremely remote but conditions are changing, and firefighters are now on the clock.
“We’re trying to get as much work done as possible,” said U.S. Forest Service Public Information Officer Marc Peebles, “because with higher temperatures come increased fire activity and fire behavior. It’s very steep, rocky and rugged terrain, so firefighters have been working really hard to make access into the fire to be able to go direct on the fire.”
Crews are worried about the upcoming change in temperatures, as drier conditions helped it spread last week. “The fire you know was originally down around 250 to 400 acres,” Peebles said, “and it quickly grew to over 1,000 acres once that fire kicked up from the weather.”
Tuesday crews from southern California were protecting over 40 homes along the Klamath River. “Going around, making sure there are no hazards,” said Los Angeles City Fire Department Captain Brian Stires, “any wood piles, 100 feet of defensible space around the structure.”
Stires said a majority of the homes are unoccupied, so his crews are the last line of defense. Forest Service officials told NBC5 News they hope to have more containment numbers by Tuesday night.
Stay with NBC5 News for updates.
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