Oregon Invokes Conflagration Act Again as Elk Fire in Klamath County Grows Fast and Evacuations Expand

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore. — Invoking the Conflagration Act, the Oregon State Fire Marshal mobilized its Red Incident Management Team, along with several task forces, to the Elk Fire in Klamath County, approximately eight miles north of Bonanza, which had grown to 2,000 acres.

Elk Fire Klamath County Update

Initially reported on Tuesday morning, the fire quickly grew to the point that it threatened homes and critical infrastructure.

For the fourth time this year, the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked to deploy essential resources to the area, following a round of lightning and continued dry conditions in Southern Oregon, which have kept the state’s fire service and wildland partners busy.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal sent five task forces: two were scheduled to arrive on Wednesday evening, and three more were expected early Thursday morning.

The Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team will be in unified command with the Red Incident Management Team 1. The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office has implemented levels 1, 2, and 3 evacuation notices for those living near the fire.

The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at Living Springs Church, 31897 Mission Street, Bonanza, OR 97623. The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership is providing fire updates. Up-to-date evacuation information and a map can be found on the Genasys website.

Effective from Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the area as dry conditions and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 90s are expected to persist through the coming week.

State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple confirmed that the extended forecast won’t provide any relief and said, “Please pay attention to our critical wildfire conditions and take the necessary steps to prevent sparking a human-caused fire.”