The Bootleg Fire in Klamath County is currently threatening lives, structures, and property as it moved to the South and East on Thursday afternoon. Forecasters Wednesday had issued a Red Flag Warning for strong, gusty winds, and low relative humidity. Thursday, the Oregon Office of the State Marshal mobilized an additional task force and two strike teams, who will be arriving this evening on the Bootleg Fire. One task force was mobilized from within Oregon through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS) and two strike teams were deployed from California through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) and the Office of Emergency Management. Those resources will join the existing local, state, and federal resources currently at the incident. Pacific Northwest Interagency Team 10 and the Office of the State Fire Marshal Green Team are in unified command. Governor Kate Brown declared a conflagration on Wednesday morning for the Bootleg Fire to clear the way for the State Fire Marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire. Three task forces from Yamhill, Marion, and Polk Counties arrived on scene Wednesday evening. “Given our hot, dry conditions and forecast for lighting, mobilizing regional resources to the Bootleg Fire, positions resources within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System (OFMAS) well should we see new starts in other areas of the state,” Oregon State Fire Marshal, Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “As fire seasons continue to be more complex and fires grow, our interstate partnerships and relationship are an integral component of our response system. Our Office is thankful to our counterparts in California for sending extra capacity to protect life and structures.” Hot, dry weather conditions along with lightning are forecasted in other portions of Oregon in the coming days. With high temperatures and weather conditions helping fires grow quickly, the Office of the State Fire Marshal asks all Oregonians to be cautious, safe, and help prevent fires.
