Effective Immediately: BLM Lands SE of Ashland Closed to Protect Public Health and Safety

With the current fire activity on the Klamathon Fire burning near the Oregon-California border, the BLM Oregon & Washington (BLM) Medford District jointly with the ODF Southwest Oregon District have decided that a temporary closure of the BLM lands SE of Ashland is necessary in order to protect public health and safety. The closure is effective immediately and will be in place until the area is deemed safe for public access.

This closure impacts the following areas: Emigrant Creek Road, Baldy Creek Road, Soda Mountain Road, Pilot Rock Road, the Lone Pilot Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 66 west to the boundary of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. Additionally, all BLM lands and roads within Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument within the closure area marked on the map are closed. Please see the attached map below.

Currently, firefighters are actively fighting the Klamathon Fire; an ODF Southwest Oregon District branch is building control line in partnership with the Klamathon Fire Team in order to stop the fire's further rate of spread to the north, deeper into Oregon. Although the wind conditions will be working in our favor over the next 48 hours, we would like to keep our firefighter, public, and land safety a priority by reducing the risk of excess traffic in this region. We will continue to work on the flanks of this fire swiftly and efficiently. For official fire information, please visit: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2108.

Closure signs will be placed at main entry points to the area. The closure area is on federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management out of its Medford District office. It is a popular hiking area, which includes a segment of the Pacific Crest Trail, that attracts several visitors during the summer months. Therefore, we hope this precaution keeps both visitors and firefighters safe as crews continue to make progress.

The full Emergency Closure Notification is attached. For additional information, please reach out to the BLM Medford District office at (541) 618-2200, or the Oregon Department Southwest Oregon District Medford Office at (541) 664-3328.
#FireSeason2018

Information provided by Oregon Department of Forestry, Southwest Oregon Oregon District.

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