Start Date: Friday July 29, 2022 at 2:15pm

Percent Contained: 10%    

Vegetation: Timber (Litter and Understory), Tall Grass, and Brush

Number of Personnel Assigned: 2,404

Firefighters continue to make great progress around the perimeter of the fire with opportunities to go direct and put in aggressive handline while working to tie-in those lines with adjacent divisions. Crews continue to get depth on containment lines on the west side of the fire.

The main tactic remains the same as fire personnel work to secure direct and indirect line construction on all sections of the fire. Weather is playing a major role in this fire’s behavior. Slope and terrain driven runs still influence rate of spread. Thunderstorms continue to creep into the forecast with isolated cells, potentially creating outflow winds that could produce erratic gusts up to 30 mph. Contingency lines from bulldozers are in place around much of the fire’s perimeter should the firefighters’ lines not hold, in order to protect the communities at risk. Flanking and backing continue with the weather and terrain driven fire behavior, especially in the Mill Creek area.

Mop-up operations have been initiated along Walker Bridge and other communities along Highway 96 from Highway 263 junction to Seiad, east towards Yreka, Scott Bar, and Horse Creek on the west. Protection of human life and the safety of the firefighters remains the main priority.

Yesterday in the early afternoon, the Smokey Fire ignited just north of the McKinney Fire, about 2 miles south of the Oregon border. With resources on the McKinney Fire so close by, firefighters were able to quickly respond for initial attack on the 34-acre spread. Firefighters have control line and hose-lays completely around it and aircraft continue to be utilized in the area as needed.

COMMUNITY MEETING:

A community meeting is scheduled for tonight, August 5, at the Siskiyou Golden Fairgrounds, Building 1, starting at 7:00 p.m. The address is 1712 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA, 96097

The meeting will also be livestreamed on https://bit.ly/McKinneyFireYouTube and the CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CALFIRESKU for those not able to attend in person.

Questions desired to be answered are appreciated in advance and can be sent to 2022.mckinney@firenet.gov

WEATHER:

Isolated thunderstorm cells in the northeast are being monitored. Temperatures to reach 95-105 in lower elevations and 85-95 in higher and smoked in areas. Humidity is forecasted to be around 10-15%. Erratic wind gusts could reach up to 30 miles per hour in thunderstorm affected areas.

EVACUATIONS:

Multiple Evacuation orders and warnings remain in effect. For current updates on evacuations, visit https://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff and https://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountyOES

Additional evacuation information and a map can be found on the Zonehaven site at: https://community.zonehaven.com/   

A new shelter has been established at Karuk Wellness Center at 1403 Kahtishraam, Yreka, CA, 96097.
Highway 96 remains closed through the fire area.

CURRENT FOREST ORDERS:

Fire restrictions are in effect on the Klamath National Forest. For more information, visit

https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices/

A forest closure is now in effect for the McKinney, Yeti, and Alex Fires. Please refer to the links below for specific details:

Closure Info: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1047211.pdf

Closure Map: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1047212.pdf

Pacific Crest Trail Information: https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/closures