The McKinney Fire started Friday (7/29) and is already more than twice the size of the Oak Fire (51,000 acres and 0% contained). Smoke from the fire seems to be going up into Oregon and Washington. To make matters worse, thunderstorms and high winds are forecast for the area. At this time, lightning strikes can be seen off the coast of Oregon which could result in more wildfires.
Current Weather
Weather Concerns Fire weather watch in effect from Sunday through Monday for abundant lightning on dry fuels. Gusty outflow winds of 30 to 50 mph will be possible near thunderstorm cells. LAL of 3. Above normal temperatures and low relative humidity will increase the drying of the receptive fuel bed. ERC above the 97th percentile and probability of ignition of 100%.
Unfortunately, the Tuesday morning update states the McKinney Fire has now grown to 56,165 acres with 0% containment.
Evacuations and Forest closures are in place, please stay safe out there!
For current updates on evacuations, visit Redirecting... and Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services
Additional evacuation information and a map can be found on the Zonehaven site at: https://community.zonehaven.com/
A shelter has been established at the Weed Community Center, 161 E Lincoln Avenue, Weed, CA 96094. Highway 96 remains closed through the fire area.
Air Quality:
The three fires in the region (the Yeti Complex, the McKinney Fire, and the Alex Fire) created poor air quality along the California and Oregon border. The AirNow Smoke and Fire Map shows the winds from the south are pushing these smoke plumes northward and impacting the air quality into southern Oregon.
