The Gap Fire: This Afternoon Will Be ‘Pivotal,’ Says Forest Service Spokesperson

Gap fire Helicopter dumping water

A helicopter dumps water on the Gap Fire. [Photo from a Klamath National Forest tweet]

The Gap Fire made an unexpected run southward yesterday pushing past dozer containment lines and down to the Klamath River. (See map below.) The Forest Service issued mandatory evacuation orders for six residences along Ladd Road from Walker Gulch to Hicks Gulch. They were concerned that the residents and crews battling the fire might impede each other as they traveled on the rural road.

The Forest Service also advised residents along Hwy 96 between Seiad Valley and Hamburg and in the surrounding areas to be prepared to evacuate.

Capture

The flames reached the Klamath River late yesterday according to this map created from heat imagery. The spots to the northeast are from backfires, according to the US Forest Service.

According to the Forest Service Inciweb page, the Gap Fire  has reached over 20,200 acres and is 14% contained. It is growing to the southwest but, as of 8 a.m., firefighters had contained it to north of the Klamath River.  According to Adrienne Freeman, a Public Information Officer for the US Forest Service, writing to a local resident group, “[T]his afternoon will be pivotal– it’s socked in right now, but when the inversion lifts I’m sure it’ll get busy. Yesterday fire activity picked up at about 5pm, but it’s forecasted to lift earlier today.”

Gap Sept 3

[Click on the map for a larger pdf image.]

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22 Comments
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John Leslie
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John Leslie
7 years ago

Hey Kym,
Thanks for your maps that actually show the progress of the fire from day to day. Much better than the inciweb maps. I live on Seiad Creek, furthest up the creek and closest to Panther Gulch. There is an inversion and the smoke is very heavy this morning. I plan to drop my gas powered pump with a 5.5hp Honda motor with several hundred feet of 1 1/2 ” hose in the creek today, just in case. If the winds keep blowing from the North , I should be okay.

brian
Guest
brian
7 years ago
Reply to  John Leslie

Be safe. Have yourself packed up if it gets too hairy.

While you have time clear brush and short trees, limbs and all. Improve your defensive line if its invading your house area.

Hopefully u have some one to help with pump/hose work. Radios r a must have for two operating hundreds of feet of hose. Snacks and water.

I hope you can get some sleep @ night. Good luck

Raggedy
Guest
Raggedy
7 years ago
Reply to  John Leslie

Has the fire reached Scott Bar? My good friend who owns property there is currently in the hospital in the bay area. He’s worried. Thanks.

Chris
Guest
Chris
7 years ago

Hey Kim, is there a new fire going, or are we just getting smoke from this one down in Blocksberg today?

Who
Guest
Who
7 years ago

If you stay and fight have as much stored not pumped water on hand as you can .You can’t fight a storm but you can a creeper.Have a good xscape plan as well.

PinkAsso
Guest
PinkAsso
7 years ago

Lots of smoke out near wildwood / 36 hope its from this fire.

Jj
Guest
Jj
7 years ago

Kym is smoke coming towards southern humboldt? Just thot i smelled some out west of briceland, valley is hazy

spam
Guest
spam
7 years ago

Lots of smoke in Gville.

Ernie Branscomb
Guest
7 years ago

Smoke in Benbow! What’s up? Gap fire blowover?

CnD
Guest
CnD
7 years ago

Yes, it is likely smoke from the gap fire, according to the National Weather Service in Eureka: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?prod=XXXAFDEKA&wfo=EKA

Zz
Guest
Zz
7 years ago

A bit hazey outside of hayfork as well

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
7 years ago

Lots of smoke in the Piercy area.

Guest
Guest
Guest
7 years ago

Thick in alderpoint area.

Liz
Guest
Liz
7 years ago

Smokey in northern mendocinco county.

Downriver
Guest
Downriver
7 years ago

I believe there are only one or two homes between Walker & Hicks gulch.

John Leslie
Guest
John Leslie
7 years ago
Reply to  Downriver

Actually it’s ridiculous to issue a mandatory evacuation on Ladd Rd. between Walker and Hicks Gulch’s. There are zero homes. There are some on the south side of Hwy. 96 on the south side of the river.

Kat
Guest
Kat
7 years ago

Very smokey all the way from Redding to Bridgeville. Coming home this morning I was worried maybe there was a new fire here

prefer not to say
Guest
prefer not to say
7 years ago

Yeah, lots of smoke in laytonville.