[UPDATE 8:36 p.m.: From 0 to 22,000 Acres in Less Than a Day, Phenomenal!] Fire Near Slater Closes Hwy 96 and Forces Evacuations of Happy Camp and Surrounding Areas

Smoke gif 9.8A fire that began this morning before 8 in Siskiyou County is forcing evacuations of the town of Happy Camp as well as surrounding areas and has shut down Hwy 96.

A post made at 3:08 p.m. on the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page states, “An EVACUATION ORDER is in effect for the entire Happy Camp Community. EVERYONE NEEDS TO IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE THE AREA ASAP.”

Caltrans says that Hwy 96 is completely closed to through traffic. It is closed to eastbound traffic from 5 miles west of Happy Camp to westbound traffic about 3 miles west of Seiad Valley. There is no estimated time of reopening.

Smoke from the fire is blowing into Gasquet and Crescent City making the areas almost as dark as at night, according to witnesses in the area.

The skies are wine red in Gasquet.

The skies are wine red in Gasquet. [Photo provided by Gasquet resident]

UPDATE 8:36 p.m.: Klamath National Forest tweeted, “Slater Fire is currently at 22,000 acres in size. A number of evacuation orders have been issued for various roads in the area as well as the community of Happy Camp. For the most current evacuation information refer to the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Facebook.”

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54 Comments
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Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

Rather apocalyptic. It’s dark, hard to breathe. And I feel so sorry for those souls who have no power, much less those direct threat of fire.

Gimmie a break
Guest
Gimmie a break
3 years ago

This is terrible! Does anyone know the status of Hwy 199 between Grants Pass and Crescent City? Prayers to all affected!

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
3 years ago
Reply to  Gimmie a break

Per Caltrans quick maps 199 is open.

Grayback out of Happy Camp is closed.

http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

Gimmie a break
Guest
Gimmie a break
3 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Thanks a lot!

Tim Schrum
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Gimmie a break

We are heading that way from crescent city… It’s dark and ominous… Very smoky
. I hope we will be ok!

R
Guest
R
3 years ago
Reply to  Tim Schrum

Can you get through?
Thanks.

Curtis
Guest
Curtis
3 years ago
Reply to  Gimmie a break

The 199 is closed at the bugg station

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
3 years ago

Here is a photo from south of the fire.

LichenLady
Guest
LichenLady
3 years ago

Praying for the folks in the small mountain town surrounded by the amazing Klamath National Forest. Thanks Kym.

Bryan Frerichs
Guest
Bryan Frerichs
3 years ago

Retired CDF here. Fought fire in that same spot back in 88. Happy Camp Lighting Series then

Rod Gass
Guest
Rod Gass
3 years ago

I’m over the hill in Old Shasta.

The wind is howling, but it’s only 98 degrees.

The local bare bones fire crews are over extended. Too many fires, not enough trained fighters.

Fire starts are springing up at the rate of 2 per hour.

Mr. Vasquez
Guest
Mr. Vasquez
3 years ago

From RVEMS’s first official school day (where we were to hand out chromebooks and packets):

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Mr. Vasquez

It looks like Mars… so freaky!

Best wishes to everyone affected right now.

Pilgrim Son
Guest
Pilgrim Son
3 years ago
Reply to  Mr. Vasquez

Google is pure evil so no Chromebooks is a GOOD thing. Get the kids reading and writing. They do not need craptops. No one did until a few years ago. America did just fine with the bible and a basic primer.

B
Guest
B
3 years ago
Reply to  Pilgrim Son

The hell are you talking about? 😂

Mark
Guest
Mark
3 years ago

I-5 is closed from CA border to Gold Hill. 199 is open through Cave Junction.

https://www.kdrv.com/

Veronika Williams
Guest
Veronika Williams
3 years ago

It was absolutely insane to drive through. The colors where unbelievable. I hope everyone evacuated safely… this was 20 mins before it blacked out. The sky turned a dark dark red I can’t even explain it.

Veronika Williams
Guest
Veronika Williams
3 years ago

If anybody knows how far the fires have spread, i am Interested I’m keeping up. Not from around the area, was just driving through

Veronika Williams
Guest
Veronika Williams
3 years ago

Highway 199

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
3 years ago

thank you for GIF

Shaman
Guest
Shaman
3 years ago

Gloomy

Barb T
Guest
Barb T
3 years ago

Does anyone know if all residents are out of Happy Camp?

Angie Fernandez
Guest
Angie Fernandez
3 years ago
Reply to  Barb T

My sister just lost her house and my nephew as well lost his house in happy camp but both families escaped and are alive thank God.

Kimberly Donahue
Guest
Kimberly Donahue
3 years ago

My mom and step dad are from happy camp praying for everyone affected by these fires

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
3 years ago

Burnt my whole neighborhood to the ground.
Every house but 3 upstream of Indian meadows were incinerated.
I tried to get out grayback to cave junction but it was a wall of flame on the California side.
They entire stretch of Indian creek road was decimated.
Downtown is standing so far, crews seems to be focusing on trying to save town.
The wind this morning was outrageous.
We didn’t stand a chance

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

So sorry to hear that, that’s terrible.

Diane
Guest
Diane
3 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

Do you know anything about the gentlemen’s house that live at the end of airport road?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

Link to Happy Camp face book. Lots of people inquiring after folks.

Chcuk U
Guest
Chcuk U
3 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

I am truly hurting for you, facing my own questions.

Lynn H
Guest
Lynn H
3 years ago

I might post this again so that people might keep their eyes open.. Not saying this fire is caused by arson, but I think it’s more common than anyone wants to believe.

I think we have a lot of copy-cat arsonists whenever a large fire or series of fires breaks out- whatever it’s caused by.

Here’s a sampling of brush and wildfire arson arrests and investigations in California alone since May 2020. This is just what made the news.. I didn’t include arsonists who “only” set structures on fire, or stupid accidents like the people that set the Creek fire with an incendiary smoke machine at a party.

In some communities in California people have formed formal “arson patrols”. They take turns watching from ridges and talk to people lighting campfires or whatever.

———————————

Sep 8, 2020 https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/man-arrested-suspected-of-lighting-fires-in-marin-county/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=socialflow
NOVATO (BCN) — A 55-year-old transient was arrested Monday evening on suspicion
of multiple counts of arson, Novato police said.

September 4, 2020 https://www.chicoer.com/2020/09/04/paradise-man-arrested-suspected-of-starting-series-of-fires-in-stirling-city/ PARADISE — A 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday afternoon on suspicion of arson in relation to a series of fires started in Stirling City.

May 23 2020 https://patch.com/california/concord-ca/arson-cases-concord-man-faces-arraignment-soon Concord. Joshua David Smith, 38, was arrested on suspicion of two counts arson on forest land

June 1, 2020 https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-news/solano-news/suisun-city/suisun-firefighters-extinguish-2-alarm-vegetation-fire-suspect-arson/ Suisun. Fire investigators finished work at the scene early Monday and suspect arson, having connected it to similar recent fires. “This indicates it was purposely set and is in line with other purposely set with other fires set on Cordelia Road that were set this year and last year,” Vincent said.

June 4, 2020 https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/south-bay/firefighters-battle-brush-fire-in-san-jose-2/2303871/
Arson Suspected in Brush Fires in South San Jose

June 13, 2020 https://abc7news.com/crews-respond-to-fires-in-larkspur-arson-suspected-authorities-say/6246179/ LARKSPUR, Calif. — Police detained a 61-year-old man Saturday morning in connection with six brush fires set overnight in Corte Madera and Larkspur that were quickly contained but kept firefighters and police officers busy for several hours. Eric Thomas Larson was detained after a witness saw him the area of a blaze at Larkspur Plaza and notified police

June 17 2020 https://carsonnow.org/story/06/17/2020/california-man-charged-with-dayton-arson-fires-railroad-depot-fire-also-appears-intention
deputies were dispatched to Dayton State Park just east of the Gold Ranch Casino for a male subject starting fires.(after burning a couple buildings)

Jul 7, 2020 https://www.actionnewsnow.com/content/news/Suspected-arsonist-arrested-by-Cal-Fire-investigators-in-Thermalito-571666821.html Butte county
Suspected arsonist arrested by Cal Fire investigators in Thermalito

July 16, 2020 https://abc30.com/fresno-arson-arsonist-crime/6320055/
Arsonist caught setting fires in downtown Fresno, firefighters say
Law enforcement has arrested a suspect accused of setting a series of small fires in downtown Fresno.
Thursday, July 16, 2020

July 22, 2020 https://ktvl.com/news/news-10-first-alert-fire/arson-suspect-arrested-for-starting-two-fires-in-montague Siskiyou County. Arson suspect arrested for starting two fires in Montague area

Jul 29, 2020

Aug 1, 2020 https://www.mymotherlode.com/news/local/1165540/arson-being-investigated-in-oreilly-fire-in-angels-camp.html Arson Being Investigated In O’Reilly Fire In Angels Camp

August 2, 2020 https://abc7chicago.com/apple-fire-california-wildfire-brush-why/6349490/
California Apple Fire scorches 20K acres; blaze deemed suspicious amid arson investigation
By Leanne Suter and Leticia Juarez

Aug 2 2020 https://www.redding.com/story/news/2020/08/02/one-person-arrested-arson-after-fire-burns-3-acres-near-redding/5569304002/
One person was arrested Saturday night on suspicion of arson in connection to a fire that was set off Keswick Dam Road northwest of Redding.

Aug. 13, 2020.Los Angeles County https://signalscv.com/2020/08/scv-sheriffs-newhall-fires-incidental-following-domestic-issue/
Law enforcement and firefighters respond to two fires in Newhall that erupted within minutes of each other on Aug. 13, 2020…About 30 minutes earlier, crews had also responded to a vegetation fire… Multiple witnesses said they saw the possible suspect depart from a vehicle and flee the area as the fire began to spread.

August 19, 2020 3 seperate arsonists arrested for seperate strings of fires; Ukiah https://mendovoice.com/2020/08/woman-confesses-to-aug-16-arson-ukiah-pd-say-info-still-sough-on-aug-18-arsons/

August 19, 2020 https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/crime/article245089470.html A 30-year-old Fresno man is being held on $2 million bail in connection to arson charges in a wildfire in Monterey County. Ivan Geronimo Gomez

Sat August 15, 2020 https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/15/us/california-ranch2-fire-arson-suspect/index.html
Osmin Palencia, 36, is wanted in connection with the fire that Azusa Police Department, Los Angeles Country Fire Department and the US Forest Service responded to Thursday around 2:45 p.m….Police say Palencia is transient and is “believed to be violent” and urge the public to use caution if they see him.

Aug 20 2020 https://www.vcstar.com/story/news/local/communities/santa-paula/2020/08/20/arson-arrest-made-brush-fire-east-santa-paula/3404121001/ Authorities have arrested a man who allegedly set fire to a hillside outside Santa Paula on Wednesday. Authorities identified Guadalupe Molina-Pacheco, 30, as the suspect. They described him as homeless and said he was found near the property involved. Molina-Pacheco was arrested on suspicion of a felony arson violation and on suspicion of being under the influence of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.On Thursday evening, he remained in Ventura County jail with bail set at $65,000. He is slated to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on Friday afternoon.

PUBLISHED: August 24, 2020 https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2020/08/24/two-suspected-arsonists-arrested-in-contra-costa/
Two suspected arsonists arrested in Contra Costa
Woman arrested on suspicion of setting fire in Antioch, man suspected of setting fires in Martinez. (arrested within a week of fires)

Lauren Beaman
Guest
Lauren Beaman
3 years ago
Reply to  Lynn H

What would motivate someone to do something like that? That is infuriating.

Lin Laurie
Guest
Lin Laurie
3 years ago

My dad, George Thorward, lost his house on Indian Creek Road and his girlfriend, Kathy died in the fire. He barely got out with his life. He made it to Eagle Point and now might need to evacuate again. It’s a nightmare. I hope everyone in HC gets out safely!

researcher
Guest
researcher
3 years ago

I pray this isn’t true but scanner traffic is saying Slater Fire is now 22,000 acres. If it is true by 8am tomorrow it will probably pass the Creek Fires record of 37,000 acres growth for the first 24 hours. I still find it hard to believe a fire has gone from 0 to 22,000 acres in 12 hours.

https://twitter.com/CAFireScanner

Adam
Guest
Adam
3 years ago
Reply to  researcher

Yeah, 22,000 acres in less than a day is a monster! Not much you can do but run away.

researcher
Guest
researcher
3 years ago
Reply to  Adam

It’s actually 22,000 acres in 12 hours, and expanding rapidly. By tomorrow morn it will be much more. But it’s not just the Slater. All the fires across the state right now are moving at speeds never before seen. FF”s and civilians are being trapped right now by these fires. Please, if someone is given an evacuation warning, consider it mandatory.

nah
Guest
nah
3 years ago
Reply to  researcher

120,000 acres 7 a.m. September 10th

something like 10,000 acres an hour.

nines
Guest
3 years ago

It was outright night down here in Smith River at three this afternoon. You couldn’t see the sun, but there was an orange glow from the direction of the ocean… as though the sunlight on the Pacific were reflecting up from the water instead of beaming down from the heavens.

Ground me to a dead stop. That’s for sure.

I’d been worrying about the terrific wind this morning during red flag weather, which immediately makes everything much drier, and had to ask the postmaster what the heck was going on. He listed off a scary number of fires, but none of them threatening to do more than choke us to death. The one good part was it stayed a lot cooler here today. Breathing would have been nice, but at least I wasn’t a molten blob of sweat.

This is just horrific. I think Lynn was right to voice suspicion.

Katie and Christina
Guest
Katie and Christina
3 years ago

Please someone needed badly an update is downtown happy camp still standing!!! My mother and our family are awaiting news in a hotel in yreka praying our house is still there to go home to tomorrow… Downtown happy camp please any news would be greatly appreciated… I’m sorry for all those who have already lost this battle for hope but no matter what everyone must pray and pull through this … Together we just want to go home…

Ullr Rover
Guest
Ullr Rover
3 years ago

https://napsg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6dc469279760492d802c7ba6db45ff0e

Updated an hour ago.

SLATER INCIDENT
Type: Wildfire Daily Fire Perimeter
Acres Burned: 38,479
Created 9/8/2020, 10:16 PM
Data Current as of 9/8/2020, 10:16 PM

Redwood Dan
Guest
Redwood Dan
3 years ago
Reply to  Ullr Rover

Thanks for the heads up on the site!!!! I owe you one! Were gonna leave now.

LINDA
Guest
3 years ago

I heard that the fire changed course as it entered the Meadows (a neighborhood just north of Happy Camp) so most of the homes there were spared including mine and my son’s. The church burned and a few homes. Fire then went west toward Benjamin Creek. It did not enter Happy Camp near the market. Hope it will stay away. I credit my prayer warrior friends and give the glory to God. The church that burned was not being used much at this point. I also heard most homes north of the Meadows burned but a few were spared. My daughter probably lost her home.

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
3 years ago
Reply to  LINDA

Almost all the homes up indian creek past Georgia flat are toast, the grim scene lined the road as I drove out after everything had burned.
I have also heard the meadows subdivision was spared.
I can see it now, coming around behind the dump and chambers flat at a calmer pace, Heading towards Benjamin creek, still behind the closest ridge from my position.
hopefully kingfisher market can survive, and I don’t know if buckhorn road area is under fire or not.
In the distance across town to my north, It looks like it might be dropping down into ranch gulch off the mountain pushing towards the river.

Bozo
Guest
Bozo
3 years ago
Reply to  LINDA

>”I credit my prayer warrior friends and give the glory to God”

So, you are crediting god with sparing your home and taking other homes and lives ?

https://youtu.be/k1g8WCA7mJk

Country Bumpkin
Guest
Country Bumpkin
3 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

I believe the statement says she is giving glory to God. Not crediting God. If you want to hate on people with faith that is your business but don’t quote them and then twist their words. There is a great amount of suffering right now and some people take comfort in their faith. It seems You would rather fuel the misery by showing everyone how much you hate God. Man was created in Gods image so take a look in the mirror and think about what you really hate.

Jazmin
Guest
Jazmin
3 years ago

This is outsidE my sisters home in Gasquet

OK
Guest
OK
3 years ago

This was 3pm outside my house in Gasquet.

Willie Bray
Guest
3 years ago

🕯🌳Thank you Kym for being here for these people and with your information and updates and with the information and updates from the people that comment on your blog.

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
3 years ago

I can confirm that Indian meadows subdivision has been destroyed, I just saw it

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
3 years ago

Its dark everywhere! Stay safe!

Linda
Guest
3 years ago

Yes I spoke too soon as fire came last night and destroyed my home and most of my neighborhood. Cool to see the pastor’s home survived with a pretty green lawn amid all the destruction. Life goes on. I’m feeling optimistic about the future and even grateful I no longer have to renovate the old mobile home. I can start over with something new.

Vickie
Guest
Vickie
3 years ago

I live in Big Springs. I have a 19 ft trailer for a family or one person. Also room for horses and animals. I have a kennel out side with cover. Also a kennel in our house for cats. At this time no running water to trailer but electricity and we will fill tanks to have propane for cooking. Vickie. [email protected] Leave your number.