2,000 Acre Golden Fire Continues to Threaten Structures

As of Sunday, the Golden Fire continues to wreak havoc on Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) protected land, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lakeview District, and poses a significant threat to Fremont-Winema National Forest lands. Located approximately 11 miles north of Bonanza, the wildfire has already consumed an estimated 2,000 acres with no containment.

The incident was first reported on Saturday afternoon at 1:02 p.m., and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Throughout the night, firefighters have been diligently working on structure protection and building dozer line, handline, and contingency lines in an attempt to control the blaze. Today’s focus will remain on safeguarding structures and striving for containment.

In response to the escalating situation, the Oregon State Fire Marshal dispatched two task forces on Saturday afternoon to bolster the protection of threatened structures. Governor Kotek declared a conflagration, allowing the OSFM to deploy additional task forces and an incident management team later that evening.

At present, the Golden Fire is under unified command, with local fire managers collaborating with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Blue Team. An ODF Incident Management Team is scheduled to take command of the operation today.

Numerous structures remain in harm’s way, prompting residents in the area to closely monitor their evacuation status as the incident unfolds. Although Highway 140E and Bly Mountain Cutoff are open, visibility is limited, and caution is advised for those traveling in the region, considering the increased fire traffic around the Bonanza area.

In light of the situation’s severity, the Golden Fire Incident Commander, in cooperation with Klamath County Emergency Management, has issued updated evacuation information. Residents living east of Highway 140E, north of Keno Springs Lane, and south of Polar Bear Lane have been placed under a Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation status. The American Red Cross, in collaboration with Klamath County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), has established a shelter at Bonanza High School (31601 Mission Street, Bonanza, Oregon 97623) to assist evacuees.

Adding to the challenges, a Red Flag Warning has been issued for Klamath County, in effect from today through Monday, due to strong gusty winds and low relative humidity. The public is urged to exercise extreme caution with anything that could potentially spark a wildfire, as any new fires are likely to spread rapidly.

You can track this fire through our 2023 Wildfire Season partner’s Wildfire Aware app.