Single Publication

Location: Siskiyou County, CA

Size: 8,285 acres

Cause: Under Investigation 

Start Date: Wednesday July 3, 2023, at 1:27PM

Percent Contained:   0%      

Personnel: 2,049

CURRENT SITUATION:

Yesterday, a smoke inversion helped to slow the growth of the Shelly Fire. This allowed personnel to strengthen dozer and hand lines around the fire perimeter. The fire remained active, particularly expanding to the north and east.

Crews successfully completed hand and dozer lines and established hose connections from Quartz Valley to Whiskey Butte to protect communities at risk, aiming to prevent the fire from spreading into Quartz Valley and Scott Valley. On the southern end, efforts are focused on completing hand and dozer lines from Sawyer Bar Road to the Pacific Crest Trail and Sawyer Bar Road to Snoozer Ridge. Minimal growth has been observed in southern and western areas in recent days.

Today, crews will continue to use aerial resources to strengthen fire lines. Ground teams on the northern front will explore further opportunities for containment, extending west on Scott River Road towards Boulder Peak. They will also continue strengthening line in the Shackleford and Patterson Creek drainage areas and engage directly in firefighting operations in the Mill Creek Ridge area. At the same time, they are reinforcing structure defense plans, in the Scott Valley area.

Evacuation orders or warnings have been issued for over 1,200 residential and commercial properties, affecting nearly 3,000 people in the area.

WEATHER:

Hot, dry, and unstable conditions persist, with an excessive heat warning in effect through this evening. Temperatures will cool slightly through the remainder of the week but remain well above normal with minimum relative humidity in the mid to upper teens and overnight recoveries slowly increasing to 30-40%. Enhanced terrain-driven up-canyon winds will continue each afternoon, with westerly down-canyon late afternoon to evening winds strengthening substantially Wednesday and continuing through the end of the week. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms Friday afternoon and evening, with isolated fairly dry thunderstorms becoming more likely on Saturday.

EVACUATIONS:

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

Additional evacuation information and a map can be found on the Genasys site at: https://protect.genasys.com/search?z=14&latlon=41.550694%2C-122.905589

SHELTERS:

Kahtishraam Wellness Center - Yreka

1403 Kahtishraam, Yreka, CA 96097

Showers and cots are available.

RV Dry Camping/Parking

West Webb St. and Hoag St. in Montague

Please note, at this time, there are no extra services (sewage/water/power hookups). This is currently set up for DRY camping.

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Animal shelters are available at the following locations(s) for those who have pets and animals that been displaced due to the Shelly Fire:
 

Dog Evacuation Shelter: 

Rescue Ranch Yreka

2216 East Oberlin Road, Yreka CA 96097

Contact: John Golay 541-698-7526

Livestock Animal Evacuation Shelter (Horses, pigs, sheep, goats, birds): 

Siskiyou Golden Fair

1712 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097 

Contact: Tom Taylor 530-340-1038 

Cat Evacuation Shelter: 

Siskiyou Golden Fair - Armory Building

1712 Fairlane Road, Yreka, CA 96097

Contact: Becca 530-340-0656

CLOSURES: 

An official closure area around the Shelly Fire went into effect on July 4th. Hikers are not permitted in the area and will be asked to leave the area. For details and a map of the closure are, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1187463.pdf.

FIRE RESTRICTIONS: 

Forest fire restrictions also went into effect on July 4th. Campfires and stove fires are restricted to those developed areas listed in the forest order located at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/klamath/alerts-notices/?aid=88596. Smoking, welding, and operating an internal combustion engine also has restrictions in place.

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