Containment increases on Elk and Hagelstein fires; crews support suppression on nearby new start
Bonanza, Ore. Firefighters increased containment on the Elk and Hagelstein fires despite increased winds and high temperatures yesterday. On the Hagelstein Fire crews continued to increase the mop-up depth around the fire perimeter and pulling apart large slash piles which hold intense heat and require significant water and manpower to extinguish. The Elk Fire has reached 84% containment, with much of the perimeter being in patrol status. The Hagelstein Fire increased containment to 35%, reflective of several aggressive shifts where resources have focused on gridding along the fire’s edge for heat and flames.
Late Saturday afternoon resources from the Hagelstein and Elk fires supported initial attack alongside Oregon Department of Forestry’s Klamath-Lake District. The coordinated effort successfully kept this new start small.
Gusty winds, warm temperatures, and dry conditions will continue today as the cold front passes through the fire area. The weather will help identify heat trapped below the surface on these fires, allowing firefighters to uncover the burning material and soak with water.
The Fremont-Winema National Forest has implemented forest area closures around the fires for public and firefighter safety. The closure area is posted and maps are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/fremont-winema/alerts.
The increase in containment allows firefighters to be released from the incident for deployment to other fires or to return home for rest.
Areas of smoke can be expected in the Klamath Basin from local and regional wildfires; air quality may be unhealthy for sensitive groups at times. Visit https://www.oregonsmoke.org/ for air quality information and ways to reduce impacts from wildfire smoke.
The Klamath County Sheriff has evacuation levels around the Elk Fire. For the latest evacuation information, please visit: https://protect.genasys.com/search
