Caldwell Fire grows to 70,000 acres

Herald and News 7/29/20

Firefighters got the upper hand on the Caldwell Fire near Tulelake on Tuesday, slowing the blaze down and increasing containment.

As of press time Tuesday, the Caldwell was measured at 70,622 acres with 30 percent containment. Fire crews started Tuesday with no containment of a fire that exploded Sunday and Monday as storms and high winds fed flames that were burning through dry grass and timber.

Fire crews said they expect to plan to be fighting the fire for nearly a month.

A mandatory evacuation remained in place for the Medicine Lake Recreation Area. The Lava Beds National Monument remains closed. Highway 97 (west) is currently closed at Highway 139. Highway 139 remained open as of Tuesday morning.

A mandatory evacuation was lifted for Tionesta about 6 p.m. Tuesday. Evacuation warnings were lifted for the Copic, Panhandle and Peninsula areas south of the highway as well.

Rain helped reduce fire activity Monday, according to fire managers, and Tuesday weather conditions were more conducive to firefighting.

A new lightning-caused fire was detected in the area Monday afternoon. The Gillam Fire is located just west of Gillam Ridge, near the northwest corner of the Caldwell Fire. It is being managed as part of the July Complex.

Fire managers did make good progress on other fires in the July Complex.

The Allen Fire fell to 966 acres and was 80 percent contained while the Gold Fire was 1,367 acres and 90 percent contained.

Up in Oregon, firefighters are at 90 percent containment of the Ben Young fire outside Paisley. The fire remains at 1,249 acres and crews are focusing on mopping up spot fires on the eastern flank on the ridge, just south of Myers Butte.

The Dragon Rock Fire was reported four miles west of the Highway 395 and Christmas Valley/Wagontire Road. Arial and ground resources were on the scene by Tuesday afternoon. The size estimate at the 100+ acres.

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