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US Forest Service
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Eureka, July 25, 2006
At least 30 recorded lightning strikes in late afternoon of Monday July 24 started eight (8) wildland fires on the Six Rivers National Forest according to Rick Addy, acting Forest Fire Management Officer. "Three of the seven fires were on the Orleans Ranger District, were contained at less than an acre. As of mid-day today, the Somes Fire above the Pearch Creek drainage was around two acres and the Owl and Crawford Fires west of Orleans were around five acres each. The Hancock Fire is in the Wooly Creek drainage in the Marble Mountains Wilderness was about five acres in inaccessible terrain."
"The largest fire is burning in the Siskiyou Wilderness on the Gasquet Ranger District/Smith River National Recreation Area and is about 30 acres at this time," continued Addy. Access to the fire in the Siskiyou Wilderness is difficult due to steep terrain and requires a two-mile hike in to the area. The fire is burning in heavy fuels.
Resources on the fires include, three (3) twenty-person crews, eight (8) engines, one (1) helicopter and one (1) air tanker. Additional resources, including crews and air tankers are on order. A Type 2 Fire Management Team will be coming from the Rocky Mountain area to assist the Forest.
"Firefighter and public safety is paramount, so we will not be placing crews and engines in fire areas unless we can provide for their utmost safety," said Addy.
In addition to the steep terrain and lack of road access, extreme high temperatures and low relative humidities are limiting progress in the suppression of these fires.
With the numbers of fires on the Six Rivers, Klamath and Shasta-Trinity National Forests, local residents will notice an increased amount of smoke.
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