Bootleg Fire, July 29

ODF report, July 28, 9:43 a.m. – KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. -– The west side of the fire received steady, light rain that allowed more direct attack on the fire’s edge Tuesday and overnight. The rain significantly moderated fire behavior. Fine fuels are most affected by the moisture, although larger diameter fuels are still critically dry. Some isolated torching occurred yesterday in heavy fuels, but spotting was much reduced. On the east side of the fire, crews continued to mop up after the spot fire from Tuesday. With the added moisture they have no concerns about that area Wednesday. The Oregon National Guard crews are working on the east flank of the fire area to secure the perimeter and put out any hot spots. Crews are completjng lines on the fire perimeter near the Old Trunk road around the burned area of the 2018 Watson Creek Fire. Along the Sycan River there is still active fire in the treed riparian area, but the wetter areas of the Sycan Marsh will likely remain unburned. The southern and western portions of the fire have shown little fire activity and remain in monitor and patrol status. “The cooler temperatures and precipitation Tuesday were a welcome change,” said Incident Meteorologist Chris Foltz. “A wetting rain fell yesterday dropping as much as 0.6 of an inch on the western area of the fire. The eastern side was a bit drier, but still received a tenth of an inch. Not all areas of the fire received rain, but overall the cooler, more humid conditions are beneficial for the firefighting crews.” The rain and cloud cover kept humidity levels above 60%. The rain tapered off overnight, although isolated thunderstorms are still possible, especially in the northwest region, over the next few days. Warmer temperatures will return and humidity will decrease starting today and over the next few days, so crews are watching for increased fire activity.