Fires continue to spread in Siskiyou CountyBy Lauren Brooks (Contact)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
HAPPY CAMP -- Two groups of lightning-sparked fires continued spreading through western Siskiyou County on Tuesday with little hope of containment any time within the next 12 days.
Firefighters are working to keep the fires on the Klamath National Forest away from homes in Happy Camp and Hamburg.
The Elk Complex grew from 4,725 acres Monday to 6,905 acres Tuesday, but firefighters managed to keep the complex 15 percent contained, U.S. Forest spokeswoman Phyllis Swanson said.
Swanson said 506 homes in rural western Siskiyou County are being threatened by the Elk Complex. A voluntary evacuation remains in effect on Elk Creek Road.
The Elk Complex is made up of six large fires and about two dozen small fires. Suppression costs so far have totaled $3 million with 1,179 firefighters staffing the fires, Swanson said.
On Tuesday morning, all fire restrictions were lifted on highways 263 and 96 as firefighters tried to contain the China and Back fires near the town of Hamburg, sheriff's spokeswoman Susan Gravenkamp said.
On Monday, the fires forced the closure of Highway 96 from Highway 263 west to Scott River Road.
The complex increased by more than 300 acres to 2,828 Tuesday, Swanson said.
She said the China-Back Complex was 85 percent contained Tuesday with 691 personnel staffing it.
Fire officials expect it to be fully contained by Saturday.
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