Fire Weather Watch for Thursday 7/24

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Medford OR
147 PM PDT Tue Jul 22 2025

CAZ280>282-284-285-ORZ621-623>625-231200-
/O.NEW.KMFR.FW.A.0005.250724T2000Z-250725T0600Z/
Western Klamath National Forest-
Central Siskiyou County Including Shasta Valley-Shasta-
Trinity National Forest in Siskiyou County-
Siskiyou County from the Cascade Mountains East and South to Mt
Shasta-Modoc County Except for the Surprise Valley-
Siskiyou Mountains-Southern Oregon Cascades-
Klamath Basin and the Fremont-Winema National Forest-
South Central Oregon Desert including the BLM Land in Eastern
Lake and Western Harney Counties-
147 PM PDT Tue Jul 22 2025

...FIRE WEATHER WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
THURSDAY EVENING FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE
WEATHER ZONES 280, 281, 282, 284, 285, 621, 623, 624, AND 625...

The National Weather Service in Medford has issued a Fire Weather
Watch, which is in effect from Thursday afternoon through
Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS...Abundant lightning on dry fuels resulting in the
  potential for numerous new fire starts. Any fires that develop
  will likely spread rapidly.

* AFFECTED AREA...In California...Fire weather zones 280, 281,
  282, 284, and 285. This includes all of Siskiyou and Modoc
  counties. In Oregon...Fire weather zones 621, 623, 624, and 625.
  This includes Fremont and Winema National Forest, and The Rogue
  River Siskiyou National Forest.

* THUNDERSTORMS...Scattered to widespread thunderstorm activity
  with abundant lightning.

* OUTFLOW WINDS...Gusts around 40 to 60 mph are possible with any
  thunderstorms that develop.

* DETAILED URL...View the hazard area in detail at
  https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?wfo=mfr

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Follow all fire restrictions. Avoid activities that could cause
sparks. Visit weather.gov/medford/wildfire for links to fire
restrictions in your area.

If you have not packet your go kit yet, now is the time to do so.
This includes items like important documents and essentials you
cannot live without. Fill your vehicle`s fuel tank. Visit
ready.gov/kit for more information.

A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditions
are possible during the valid watch time. These conditions could
promote the rapid spread of wildfires which could become life-
threatening. Check weather.gov/medford for forecast updates and a
possible upgrade of the this watch to a Red Flag Warning.

&&

$$

Visit us at www.weather.gov/Medford

Update on Green Fire

Cooler temperatures and higher humidity is aiding firefighters in containing the Green Fire.

Acres19,022Containment54%StatusActive

Updated about 1 hour ago

Created by Watch Duty • 20 days ago • Jul 2 at 9:27 AM

Evacuation Order – Level 3 – Go

LKH-1448-A

Evacuation Warning – Level 2 – Set

LKH-1190, LKH-1200, LKH-1448-B

Evacuation Notes

Genasys Evacuation Map

Forest Closure Order

Update on Butler Fire 10 am 7/22/25

Katlyn C

• Staff Reporter

About 1 hour ago · Jul 22 at 10:13 AM

Operational Update: Firefighters had a productive day on the Butler Fire July 21 as cooler temperatures moderated fire activity. With temperatures in the low 80s and humidity up to 45 percent, firefighters were able to construct handline more directly on the fire’s edge and complete control lines around a number of spot fires and slop-overs from the day before.

Crews completed handline around the previous day’s spot fire near Tripp Point on the north end of the fire. Firefighters mopped up along the Salmon River Road corridor, extinguishing interior pockets of heat that still threatened the roadway.

Across the Salmon River in the Crapo Creek drainage, crews constructed direct handline from the river up to Yellow Jacket Ridge. Crews also built handline from Sawyers Bar Road up to Yellow Jacket Ridge along the fire’s eastern perimeter in Murderers Gulch.

Overnight firefighters took advantage of moderating weather conditions to conduct strategic firing operations to reduce available vegetation between the fire and structures around the confluence of the Salmon River and its north fork.

Crews extinguished or contained fire that had spilled or spotted into the Knownothing Creek drainage the previous day. They evaluated options for indirect control lines along Hotelling Ridge, while also identifying structures and infrastructure needing protection. The west side of the fire stayed within control lines bordering the boundaries of the 2024 Boise Fire and 2023 Pearch Fire.

Evacuations: Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office expanded its evacuation orders July 20 to include zones to include zones SIS-1802 and SIS-1903. The following zones continue to be under evacuation orders: FRK-1709 (Forks of Salmon), SIS-1703, SIS-1704 (Butler Creek, Lewis Creek, Bloomer Mine residents and Nordheimer Campground), SIS-1707-A, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, SIS-1710, SIS-1803-A, SIS-1804, SIS-1805 and SIS-1808.

Zones SAW-1713, SIS-1705, SIS-1712, SIS-1803-B, SIS-1811, SIS-1906 and SIS-1907 are under an evacuation warning

Weather and Fire Behavior: A local red flag warning is in effect today with a 20 percent chance of dry thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon. Outflow winds are expected out of the northeast with gusts up to 40 miles an hour, which could result in multi-directional fire spread and spotting up to a mile.

Read the full update HERE

Update on Butler Fire 9am 7/21/25

Butler Fire

West of Butler Mtn, N/W of Forks of Salmon

Humboldt & Siskiyou CountiesAcres17,116.3Containment6%StatusActive

Updated 1 minute ago

Created by Watch Duty • 17 days ago • Jul 3 at 6:54 PM

Evacuation Order – Level 3 – Go

FRK-1709, SIS-1703, SIS-1704, SIS-1707-A, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, SIS-1710, SIS-1802, SIS-1803-A, SIS-1804, SIS-1805, SIS-1808, SIS-1903

Evacuation Warning – Level 2 – Set

SAW-1713, SIS-1705, SIS-1712, SIS-1803-B, SIS-1811, SIS-1906, SIS-1907

Evacuation Notes

Genasys Evacuation Map

Support Our Mission

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Sekhar Padmanabhan

• Staff Reporter

1 minute ago · Jul 21 at 9:01 AM

Operational video update from Six Rivers National Forest

Sekhar Padmanabhan

• Staff Reporter

About 1 hour ago · Jul 21 at 7:35 AM

Traffic update from Klamath National Forest:

The community should expect extended delays and set times for one way traffic only on Sawyers Bar Road between Idlewild Camp Ground and Forks of Salmon. This is due to crews and equipment going to and from the fire. The following are set times for one way only traffic flow in the mornings and evenings:

8:00 AM to 10:00 AM – West bound traffic ONLY from Idlewild CG to Forks of Salmon.

7:00 PM to 9:00 PM – East bound traffic ONLY from Forks of Salmon to Idlewild CG.

All other times, The Sawyers Bar Road will be open to two-way, but expect delays because of heavy use by fire equipment and crews.

Also, crews will be traveling to and from the fire between Cecilville and Forks of Salmon during mornings and evenings on the Cecilville Road, so expect extended delays.

Maureen Bonessa

• Reporter

About 2 hours ago · Jul 21 at 6:56 AM

The fire is 17,116.3 acres per the perimeter uploaded to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), which is visible on the Watch Duty map under the Active Fire Perimeters map layer.

Butler Fire Update 7pm 7/20/25

Butler Fire

West of Butler Mtn, N/W of Forks of Salmon

Humboldt & Siskiyou CountiesAcres16,535.5Containment2%StatusActive

Updated about 1 hour ago

Created by Watch Duty • 17 days ago • Jul 3 at 6:54 PM

Evacuation Order – Level 3 – Go

FRK-1709, SIS-1703, SIS-1704, SIS-1707-A, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, SIS-1710, SIS-1802, SIS-1803-A, SIS-1804, SIS-1805, SIS-1808, SIS-1903

Evacuation Warning – Level 2 – Set

SAW-1713, SIS-1705, SIS-1712, SIS-1803-B, SIS-1811, SIS-1906, SIS-1907

Update on Green Fire 10am 7/20/25

Green Fire

N/E of Gray Rocks & West of Fenders Ferry Rd, 8 miles west of Montgomery Creek

Shasta County, CA Acres19,021 Containment51% StatusActive

Updated 5 minutes ago

Created by Watch Duty • 18 days ago • Jul 2 at 9:27 AM

Evacuation Order – Level 3 – Go

LKH-1448-A

Evacuation Warning – Level 2 – Set

LKH-1190, LKH-1200, LKH-1448-B

Evacuation Notes

Genasys Evacuation Map

Forest Closure Order

Support Our Mission

As a non-profit we need your support.

Cole Euken

• Staff Reporter

5 minutes ago · Jul 20 at 9:46 AM

Update from Shasta Trinity National Forest (7/20)

Size: 19,021 acres / Percent Contained: 51%

Transition is underway on the Green Fire. California Interagency Incident Management Team 10 is integrated with California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 today. Team 3 will assume management of the fire tomorrow. Fire operations are transitioning as well. Contingency crews are shifting focus to suppression repair on the East and West sides of the fire. An incoming weather shift containing strong winds may test fire lines. Crews continue to add depth to containment lines in anticipation of incoming weather. Air Operations Chief Stacy Dickson put it best when reminding the troops at briefing to “keep it inside the lines.” Resources on the ground continue to be supported by aircraft and watercraft as the complexity of operations has not changed.

Fire Activity: Yesterday, fire activity progressed as expected within the southeastern portion of the fire to the Pit River Arm. The stretches of largely unburned interior fuels toward the eastern flank of the fire, at the Rip Gut Ridge fireline further east, and the Pit River to the south continued to be consumed. Extensive water drops (2.5 million gallons to date) and aggressive holding and suppression repair actions helped reinforce these areas, extinguish dead and downed fuels, and keep the lines intact. At the southwest end of the fire, active fire was held at the shorelines and roads southward from the Sulanharas arm to the Pit River arm of the Lake.

Fire suppression boats and Type I helicopters continued to assist crews in strengthening lines in the southwest segment of the fire. Fire behavior was controlled at the eastern flank using Type 1 helicopters supporting crews with water drops and fortifying gains from firing operations along the Rip Gut Ridge fireline.

Fire Operations: Priority emphasis is on locking down the southern end of the fire. Aircraft and crews near and around Brock Mountain Rd at the west those in the north and northeast of the fire will shift focus slightly to suppression repair while bolstering containment lines. The unburned fuels between the eastern flank of the fire and the Rip Gut Ridge fireline will remain a focal area during today’s elevated weather conditions though much of the area was secured in the previous nights firing operations. Good depth (up to 100ft) was successfully added to lines at the eastern edge. Crews on all firelines will keep “eyes on” heavier and smoldering fuels and stay alert to wind driven reignition. Spot fires will prove more difficult to contain and extinguish in these conditions. Watercraft will continue to provide suppression support along the shore as firefighters further stabilize lines in the southern area of the fire.

Fire Weather: There will be elevated fire weather conditions as a cold front approaches the fire today and will move through overnight. Winds will increase with gusts of 20-25 mph and turn more westerly during the evening, and relative humidity will be 17-25% from late afternoon into the evening. This will disrupt the typical overnight and early morning winds. Poor visibility will continue in the morning with smoke drifting south-southwest in the morning and then east-northeast in the afternoon and evening, with improving visibility on south/west parts of the fire

by 1300 and possibly eastern portions after 1500. Seasonal temperatures in the 90s will shift after today to lower temps with windier conditions. Aircraft will continue to operate while making allowances for changes in visibility related to winds shifting south-southwest in the morning and then east-northeast in the afternoon and evening.

Number of Personnel Assigned: 1,884

Resources: 46 crews, 6 airship, 11 helicopters, 107 engines, 62 heavy equipment machines, and 10 advanced EMT ambulances.

Maureen Bonessa

• Reporter

About 16 hours ago · Jul 19 at 5:52 PM

The fire is now 43% contained, per National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)

Update on Butler Fire 7/20/25 9am

Firefighters forming defensive alignment as fire approaches Forks of Salmon

3 mi

Butler Fire

West of Butler Mtn, N/W of Forks of Salmon

Humboldt & Siskiyou CountiesAcres15,662.9Containment2%StatusActive

Updated 8 minutes ago

Created by Watch Duty • 16 days ago • Jul 3 at 6:54 PM

Evacuation Order – Level 3 – Go

FRK-1709, SIS-1703, SIS-1704, SIS-1707-A, SIS-1707-B, SIS-1708, SIS-1710, SIS-1803-A, SIS-1804, SIS-1805, SIS-1808

Evacuation Warning – Level 2 – Set

SAW-1713, SIS-1705, SIS-1712, SIS-1802, SIS-1811, SIS-1906

Evacuation Notes

Genasys Evacuation Map

Support Our Mission

As a non-profit we need your support.

Sekhar Padmanabhan

• Staff Reporter

8 minutes ago · Jul 20 at 9:02 AM

Operational update video from Six Rivers National Forest

Maureen Bonessa

• Reporter

About 3 hours ago · Jul 20 at 5:52 AM

The fire is 15,662.9 acres per the perimeter uploaded to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), which is visible on the Watch Duty map under the Active Fire Perimeters map layer.

Note: Fire perimeters are preliminary and indicate general burn area but do not reflect structure protection efforts by firefighters. A structure within a fire perimeter may not be damaged or destroyed.

Cole Euken

• Staff Reporter

About 12 hours ago · Jul 19 at 9:12 PM

Situation Summary: The fire continued to push southeast along the Salmon River toward Forks of Salmon today. Structure protection crews put in hose lays and sprinklers and began preparing the area to receive fire. This work will continue overnight. On the east side of the river, firefighters were able to go direct on the fire this morning, but fire behavior picked up in the afternoon causing a switch in tactics. Low relative humidities and gusty winds are likely to drive more fire growth tonight – per Klamath National Forest