Copperfield Fire Update: Emergency Declared As Fire Spreads To Over 3,200 Acres

Firefighters Battling Copperfield Fire

Multiple air resources have been ordered to assist in the Copperfield fire suppression efforts and firefighting resources laid a dozer line from the heel of the fire- along its eastern and western flanks, overnight. Crews are now constructing a dozer line along the northern perimeter in an effort to halt the fire’s forward progression.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for the area until 8:00 p.m. tonight in the light of prevailing conditions which are conducive to rapid fire spread.

Strong southwest-to-west winds with gusts up to 40 mph and low humidity are also expected to challenge the eastern fire lines throughout the day.

Primarily focused on preventing the fire from spreading further, firefighting teams are continuing their containment efforts as the situation develops as the combined teams of ODF’s Incident Management Team 3 and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Red Team (with 8 task forces) aim to minimize the threat to nearby communities by getting the fire under control.

Two additional task forces from Lane County and Central Oregon have also been dispatched under Immediate Response protocols.

Governor Kotek Declares Emergency For Copperfield Fire

On Sunday night, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act and declared a state of emergency for the Copperfield Fire burning east of Chiloquin, off Sprague River Road in Klamath County. The fire- rapidly growing due to gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour, has now spread to over 3,200 acres.

Level 2 and Level 3 evacuation notices for residents in the affected area have been issued by the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, and people near the fire are urged to follow guidance from the sheriff’s office and stay updated on evacuation orders.

Oregon Department of Forestry Help Battle Copperfield Fire

The teams actively responding to the Copperfield Fire include the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Klamath-Lake District, in collaboration with federal, state, local, and private entities. There remains a high potential for further spread.

Firefighters have been engaged in aggressive efforts to contain the fire but notwithstanding these efforts, the fire’s progression has not yet been halted. Resources deployed to the site include six engines, five air tankers, four dozers, two water tenders, and two helicopters. Firefighting operations continue overnight and are still ongoing.

Copperfield Fire Evacuation Measures

Several evacuation measures have been implemented. Residents heading to the west are directed to the designated evacuation center at Chiloquin Community Center.

Those evacuating east on Sprague River Highway are advised to proceed to the Sprague River Town, but it should be noted that the Sprague River Highway is currently closed at milepost 15 between milepost 5 and Lone Pine.

The latest on Copperfield Fire evacuations can be accessed via this LINK.

Update 2:20 p.m. – September 3rd.

Level 3 (GO NOW!) Evacuations:

KLU-E062
KLU-E063-A
KLU-E061

Level 2 (BE SET) Evacuations:

KLU-E063-A-B
KLU-E064-A
KLU-E073
KLU-E111-B

Level 1 (BE READY) Evacuations:

KLU-E060A
KLU-E035B
KLU-E060E

Chief Deputy Travis Medema emphasized the ongoing risks and highlighted the role of weather in the fire’s rapid expansion. Oregon will continue to face challenging weather conditions over the next three weeks. Medema warned, “Fire season isn’t over yet, and I encourage everyone to stay vigilant.”