Where is the McKinney Fire burning in California? What to know about the nearby town
The McKinney Fire is spreading quickly in California, burning about 40 acres on Friday when it started in the Klamath National Forest and now scorching more than 55,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Erratic winds, triple digit temperatures and thunderstorms, a spokeswoman at Klamath National Forest told the Associated Press, is fueling the flames.
Currently at 0% containment, the fire has resulted in evacuation orders in Siskiyou County extending to the Oregon border. Two people were found dead in a vehicle in a residential driveway, making the first fatalities from California’s largest wildfire of the year so far.
Where is the McKinney Fire?
The McKinney Fire started Friday afternoon at Highway 96 and McKinney Creed Road, according to California fire officials, southwest of Klamath River in Siskiyou County in Northern California.
The fire has spread west and northwest of Yreka, a city and county seat in Siskiyou County, located on Interstate 5. Yreka is 22 miles south of the border between California and Oregon and 98 miles north of Redding, according to the city’s website.
Yreka was a boomtown, forming after gold was found in 1851 near the Black Gulch. Miners set up tents, cabins and shanties in the area to strike gold, resulting in an extension of the California Gold Rush from the Sierra Nevada to Northern California.
The city announced a proclamation of local emergency on Saturday, closing all non-essential city centers.
Are there evacuation orders?
Evacuation orders have been sent out for Yreka residents in the area west of Fairchild Street and Shasta Street, including Oakridge Mobile Estates. There’s also an evacuation warning for all areas of Yreka west of Interstate 5, according to a tweet from the Siskiyou County Sheriff.
Evacuation warnings indicate potential threats to life or property. Under the warning, people who need more time to leave or who have pets or livestock should clear the area, according to the governor’s office of emergency services. Regions with an evacuation order are lawfully closed and people must leave, as there is immediate threat to life.
As of Monday morning, there are no additional evacuations. Highway 96 will remain closed, according to Cal Fire.
This story was originally published August 1, 2022 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Where is the McKinney Fire burning in California? What to know about the nearby town."