(Above: CHP photo)
(UPDATED at 12:37 p.m. PDT July 6, 2018)
From KOBI5:
A civilian has died due to the Klamathon Fire, CAL FIRE reported Friday morning. The identification of the person will be released after further investigation and notification of next-of-kin. No further information was released.
(UPDATED at 7 a.m. PDT July 6, 2018)
CAL FIRE reported at 6 a.m. MDT Friday that the Klamathon Fire along Interstate 5 just south of the Oregon border is now 8,000 acres with “multiple structures threatened and damaged or destroyed”. Evacuation orders are in effect.
The California Highway Patrol is now escorting traffic on Interstate 5 through the burned area.
(Originally published at 3:35 a.m. PDT July 6, 2018)
The Klamathon Fire that started Thursday afternoon under windy conditions in northern California spread very quickly into the small community of Hornbrook. Burning on both sides of Interstate 5 it kept going north at least another seven miles to another small town, Hilt, which is about a mile south of the Oregon border.
CAL FIRE said approximately 5,000 acres and multiple structures have burned.
Interstate 5, the major thoroughfare connecting California and Oregon, was closed Thursday night between Yreka, CA and Ashland, OR.
While the fire was growing quickly Thursday afternoon a 20 to 26 mph south wind was pushing it along the Interstate. By midnight the wind slowed to just a few miles per hour and that trend is predicted to continue Friday, but the relative humidity will still be low, around 15 percent. This should slow the spread somewhat, but now firefighters have thousands of acres of fire to contend with.
There are no details yet about the extent of damage in the communities, but the early indications are that it could be severe.
#Klamathon (UPDATE) Fire is 5000+ acres and 0% contained with multiple structures threatened and damaged or destroyed. An Evacuation Order is in effect for Klamathon Rd from I-5 to ager and all Hornbrook City all the way to and including Hilt /Colestein Valley. pic.twitter.com/1VRBKY7BYN
— CAL FIRE SKU (@CALFIRESKU) July 6, 2018
#Klamathon fire burning both sides of I-5 south of Hilt interchange. No ETA on when I-5 will reopen. I-5 closed SB at #Ashland. NB at #Yreka. pic.twitter.com/xSb1gG6vNc
— Oregon DOT (@OregonDOT) July 6, 2018
We were right there when the I5 was closed today due to the #Klamathonfire at the Oregon / California border. This is right by the #Hornbrook exit. Currently stuck in Yreka, couldn’t get to Ashland, Oregon today pic.twitter.com/hmEoWngdxO
— Denise Van Patten (@DeeVP) July 6, 2018
