Klamath National Forest reduces emergency closure areas

Forest Service News Release

Yreka, Calif., September 16, 2023 – The Klamath National Forest is reducing the areas under emergency closure orders for the Happy Camp Complex on the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll and Scott River Ranger Districts. The decision was made after close coordination between Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2, local cooperators, and the Klamath National Forest. 

The purpose of an emergency closure order is to provide for public safety in response to ongoing wildfire on the Happy Camp Complex. A forest closure prohibits the public from entering portions of the forest in or near the vicinity of ongoing wildfire activity. The closure order also prohibits the use of roads, trails, and developed recreation sites within the closure area.

Both the 05-05-23-08 and 05-05-23-06 closure orders have been rescinded and have been replaced with a single closure order (05-05-23-09), which covers two areas. 

Eastern Portion: This area is within the Oak Knoll and Scott River Ranger Districts.

The eastern portion of the closure order runs along the Scott River Road, between Tompkins Creek and the community of Scott Bar. From Scott Bar the closure continues to the east along Mill Creek and then north to Collins Baldy Lookout. From the lookout the closure continues to Little Baldy and then follows the ridge between Collins and Everill creeks to CA Highway 96. After crossing CA Highway 96 the closure area follows Sambo Gulch in the southern area of Johnny O’Neil Ridge before returning to Highway 96 west of Hamburg. From Highway 96 the closure extends to the south in the area of Jim Creek and on to Tom Martin Peak and to Forest System Road 46N65 where it crosses Tompkins Creek, then follow Tompkins Creek back down to Scott River Road. 

Western Portion: This area is within the Happy Camp Ranger District. The northernmost point of the western closure area is just south of Curly Jack Campground. From there, the closure extends south along Elk Creek to Bishop Creek and on to Forest System Road 15N08A and south to the border of the Marble Mountain Wilderness. The closure area follows the wilderness boundary to the southwest where it intersects Ukonom Creek and heads to the Klamath River. From there, the closure area follows the Klamath River downstream to Dillon Creek Campground where it picks up the border between the Happy Camp Ranger District on the Klamath National Forest and the Ukonom Ranger District, administered by the Six Rivers National Forest. The closure area follows that boundary until it ties in with the boundary of the Siskiyou Wilderness near Dillon Divide. The closure area boundary continues along the wilderness boundary to the area of No Mans Trailhead, where it turns to the east and heads down Clear Creek where it ties in with CA Highway 96, heading back up to Curly Jack Campground. 

Maps of the Emergency Fire Closure for the Happy Camp Complex can be found at the bottom of the Order. Specific affected roads, trails, and recreation sites can be found within the Order. View Order 05-05-23-09 on the Klamath National Forest Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1139220.pdf  

Fire Restrictions: Fire restrictions remain in place to help minimize the chances of human-caused wildland fires. These restrictions prohibit campfires outside of designated improved recreation areas and wilderness. A full list of fire restrictions, designated improved recreation sites, and exemptions is available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1132189.pdf

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