KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST — Firefighters are making significant progress against the Jacket Fire despite facing some of the most challenging terrain and vegetation conditions imaginable. The lightning-sparked blaze, which ignited July 3rd on Yellowjacket Ridge near Crapo Creek, has tested the limits of both equipment and crew endurance as they work in extraordinarily steep country blanketed by brush reaching 12 feet in height. Combined with the precipitous terrain and heavy loads of dead and down timber scattered throughout the area, crews face constant safety hazards while working to stop the fire’s advance.
Hand crews and dozers have employed direct attack tactics, working methodically around the fire’s perimeter despite the punishing conditions. The towering brush creates a nearly impenetrable wall of vegetation that firefighters must cut through to establish containment lines, while steep slopes make every movement treacherous and limit visibility, forcing crews to work in confined spaces with limited escape routes.
