Wrights Spring Fire Reaches 5% Containment as Crews Focus on Southwest Flank
Firefighters report increasing confidence on the north end while crews work spot fires and build control line near Swan Lake Rim.
FAST FIRE FACTS
Name:
Wrights Spring Fire
Location:
Approximately 17 miles NNE of Klamath Falls
Size: 52,531 acres
Containment: 5%
Personnel: 761
Evacuations:
32 Level 3 (GO NOW) zones
27 Level 2 (Be Set) zones
34 Level 1 (Be Ready) zones
Command:
Northwest Team 8 and OSFM Green Team, Unified Command
Activity:
Crews are holding and patrolling much of the north end while the most active work shifts to the southwest flank, where firefighters are building line and picking up spot fires near Swan Lake Rim.
Smoke / Cover Photo: Smoke from the Wrights Spring Fire filters the sun above the Klamath Basin as birds cross the hazy morning sky. Photo by Christopher Trotchie.
Torching Tree: Flames climb a ponderosa pine as the Wrights Spring Fire burns through timber and brush. Northwest Team 8.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. —The Wrights Spring Fire reached 5% containment Wednesday morning as firefighters report increasingly secure lines across portions of the north and east sides of the incident while concentrating more work along the active southwest perimeter.
The fire is now mapped at 52,531 acres with 761 personnel assigned. Crews spent Tuesday and Tuesday night holding previously completed firing operations, improving established control lines, and extending new line west from Bliss Road.
Recent heat detections show much of the fire’s most active heat concentrated along the southwest portion of the perimeter, where crews encountered several spot fires while working north from the Bliss Road area toward Swan Lake Rim.
Smoke from the Wrights Spring Fire and other regional wildfires is also creating air quality concerns across the Klamath Basin. An Air Quality Alert is in effect for Klamath and Lake counties, with periods of degraded air quality possible through Wednesday as smoke settles into valleys and shifts with changing winds.
CREWS FOCUS ON SOUTHWEST FLANK
The most active work Wednesday is shifting toward the southwest side of the fire.
Night crews working west from Bliss Road continued building control line but encountered several spot fires northeast of Swan Lake Rim. Firefighters worked to pick those spots up and tie them back into the main fire perimeter, slowing progress but adding additional secured line.
Day crews will continue that work through Division F before transitioning portions of the operation into the newly established Division G.
Firefighters plan to build line north toward the Swan Lake Point communication site, where they will eventually connect with crews working south from Division H. Fire command hopes to complete that southwest control line over the next several days.
Fixed wing aircraft and helicopters are available Wednesday to support firefighters working on the ground.
Heat Detection: Recent heat detections show the most concentrated activity along the southwest portion of the Wrights Spring Fire near Swan Lake Rim. Emergency Geospatial Portal.
View additional fire maps and interactive mapping at: https://jeffersondailynews.com/firewatch/wrights-spring-fire-maps
NORTH END MOVES TOWARD HOLD AND PATROL
Fire officials continue to report progress across the northern portion of the Wrights Spring Fire.
Crews in Divisions R and X are now largely focused on holding and patrolling lines established during earlier firing operations. Operations Section Chief Ben Curtis said those lines continue to hold, while firefighters in Division H are mopping up and reinforcing the northwest anchor point.
Structure protection officials also described conditions around the LD Road and Saddle Mountain areas as looking very good, with some areas moving into patrol status.
Around Skeen Ranch Road, crews are finishing mop up around structures affected earlier in the incident. Fire officials also said structures along Bliss Road are well protected behind dozer line constructed during previous shifts.
STRUCTURE PROTECTION CONTINUES
Structure protection crews remain positioned around communities and critical infrastructure near the fire.
Firefighters continue structure assessments and preparation around Bly Mountain and Yonna Woods while contingency lines are being constructed southeast of the fire to provide another layer of protection should existing control efforts fail.
Crews are also working around Egert Road and the Swan Lake area, with engines positioned near the Swan Lake communication site. Fire officials have identified the site as an important value at risk and said assigning structure resources there allows wildland crews to remain focused on building fireline.
EVACUATIONS REMAIN WIDESPREAD
Multiple evacuation levels remain in effect across southern Klamath County.
The latest evacuation information Wednesday morning shows 32 zones at Level 3 (GO NOW), 27 zones at Level 2 (Be Set), and 34 zones at Level 1 (Be Ready).
Residents near the fire should continue checking their specific address through Genasys Protect because evacuation boundaries and levels can change as fire conditions and suppression operations develop.
View the latest Wrights Spring Fire evacuation information and live map.
Air Quality: Wildfire smoke can create unhealthy air conditions and aggravate existing heart and lung problems, particularly for sensitive groups. National Weather Service.
AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT
Smoke Outlook: Forecast smoke and air quality impacts across the Klamath Basin through Aug. 13. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program.
Wildfire smoke is affecting portions of southern and south central Oregon, with an Air Quality Alert issued for Klamath and Lake counties through noon Wednesday.
Smoke conditions can change quickly with fire activity and wind. The latest fire-specific smoke outlook calls for periods of degraded air quality across portions of the Klamath Basin, with some communities potentially reaching levels unhealthy for sensitive groups or unhealthy during periods of heavier smoke.
The National Weather Service recommends checking current air quality before spending extended periods outdoors, particularly for children, older adults, pregnant people, and those with heart or lung conditions.
More widespread regional smoke is expected to move through the area Thursday.
WARM, DRY WEATHER CONTINUES
Warm, very dry, and breezy conditions are expected Wednesday and Thursday.
Temperatures are forecast to reach the mid 80s along ridges and the low 90s in valleys, with relative humidity between 19% and 22%.
Firefighters will continue monitoring conditions as crews build and reinforce control lines around the southern and southwest portions of the incident.
SHELTERS AND CLOSURES
Forest Closure: A large Fremont-Winema National Forest closure remains in effect around the Wrights Spring Fire. Fremont-Winema National Forest.
Red Cross shelters remain open at Chiloquin Elementary School, 548 S. 2nd Ave. in Chiloquin, and Living Springs Fellowship, 31897 Mission St. in Bonanza. Small animals may accompany evacuees at those shelters.
Large animal sheltering remains available at the Klamath County Fairgrounds through Southern Oregon Emergency Aid.
Sprague River Road remains closed from milepost 9 to Sprague River Drive, while Bliss Road remains closed from Petersteiner Road to Sprague River.
Members of the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing from Kingsley Field may also be seen assisting with road closures around the incident.
The Fremont-Winema National Forest emergency closure surrounding much of the Wrights Spring Fire remains in effect, along with the Temporary Flight Restriction over the incident.
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