Fire near California-Oregon border explodes overnight to 18,000 acres

A map of the Oregon-California border area shows the location of the McKinney fire near Yreka, Calif.

A wildfire close to the California border with Oregon exploded in a single day from 300 acres to an estimated 18,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders for close by communities.

The McKinney hearth is burning via heavy, drought-stressed timber in steep terrain within the Klamath Nationwide Forest, about 10 miles west of Yreka, mentioned Caroline Quintanilla, a public info officer.

“It’s very lively hearth conduct at this level,” she mentioned.

Evacuation orders have been issued for a number of communities alongside the Klamath River. The dynamic state of affairs compelled firefighters to shift their efforts from controlling the perimeter of the hearth to helping with evacuations and defending buildings, Quintanilla mentioned.

The hearth began Friday afternoon on the south facet of the Klamath River amid triple-digit warmth. It was fanned by erratic winds from thunderstorms that moved via the realm in a single day, Quintanilla mentioned.

The reason for the hearth remained beneath investigation.

The Nationwide Climate Service has issued a red-flag warning for the realm that’s in impact via Saturday, saying that scattered thunderstorms may end in plentiful lightning hanging critically dry vegetation.

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