Firefighters Dig In as Rain Held the McKinney Fire to Slow Growth

A CAL FIRE D6 bulldozers cuts line near the Grider Ranch on Monday. [Photo by Mark McKenna]

According to the Klamath National Forest Public Affairs Office last night,

Fire activity was again mitigated today by cloudy, cooler conditions. On the McKinney Fire, no perimeter growth was observed. Crews were able to work successfully behind the city of Yreka, bringing dozer line along the ridge to protect the structures. In the steep area on the fire’s southern edge, hand crews worked on direct line construction near Baldy Gap, and in Humbug Creek. The fire continued to back down toward the river in the Walker Creek area, and crews worked there to protect structures. On the west side of the fire, dozers are working there way into the fire’s edge, constructing line from Steelhead and Scott Bar to cut off the fire’s western and southern spread.

The China 2 Fire, located south of Highway 96 near Fort Goff, is slowly backing toward Highway 96 in several locations and is very visible from the road. Crews are stationed along the highway and around structures in the area. Fire behavior has been moderate. Both handcrews and dozers are working to construct line, from China Mountain southwest toward China Point, and southeast toward West Grider Creek. Progress on those lines was good today.

We’ve gathered the most important information about the McKinney Fire and organized it below for our readers.

Compelling Images:

The Plan:

Virtual tour and analysis of current situation by Zeke Lunder livestreamed about 4 p.m. yesterday.

The Roads:

Caltrans reports, “State Route 96 remains closed from the junction with State Route 263 to Scott River Road due to the #McKinneyFire. For the most up-to-date roadway information, please use QuickMap.dot.ca.gov or download the free app onto your smart phone.”

The Maps from Yesterday:

• Operations Map –to see details either zoom or click on the map and download a pdf.
• KMZ Map–Zoom for detail or for 3D imagery, click on the map and download a file that connects with your Google Earth program.

  

  White lines show where clouds made accurate mapping difficult.

Evacuation and Help Information Including Community Meetings:

Multiple Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit the Facebook pages of the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services. Additional evacuation information and map can be found on the Zonehaven website. A shelter has been established at the Weed Community Center, 161 E Lincoln Ave., Weed, CA 96094.

*This article has been updated since originally published with information from a Klamath National Forest Service press release.

Earlier:

• McKinney Fire West of Yreka Swallows Over 78 Square Miles, 400 Structures Threatened
• McKinney Fire Burns Multiple Homes and Vehicles [Photos of the Destruction Left Behind]
• Two Found Dead Fleeing the McKinney Fire; This Morning 0% Containment and Over 55,000 Acres