On Tuesday, a wildfire on the border of California and Oregon was pushed by strong winds from a rainstorm, forcing evacuations in the countryside.
One of at least 15 fires, most of them small, that broke out in the Klamath National Forest as thunderstorms passed through the area, bringing lightning and downdrafts that fanned the flames through forests and rural areas, was the Head Fire in Siskiyou County. The Head Fire, which is currently raging in Siskiyou County south of the town of Hamburg, was initially discovered shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
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The U.S. Forest Service reports that in a short period of time, the fire had expanded to a size of more than 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers) and that spot fires from the main fire had crossed the Klamath River. The Klamath National Forest Service reports that the fire has scorched more than 1,000 acres and is spreading quickly.
Tuesday night, there were no early reports of casualties or burning houses. The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office did, nonetheless, issue evacuation orders for a number of locations, including one south of Hamburg, a riverbank village with around 100 residents. When orders to evacuate are issued, it indicates there is a legitimate legal order to leave because there is an urgent threat to life.
Numerous additional lightning-caused fires were recorded in Northern California on Tuesday, including those in Mendocino County, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and the Tahoe region, although most of them were tiny and easily put out, according to fire officials.
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This fire comes at a time when another state, Hawaii, is reeling in the aftermath of a deadly wildfire that has left thousands homeless and more than 100 dead.
