Emergency Conflagration Act invoked for Elk Fire in Klamath County

Press Release · July 9, 2025

Emergency Conflagration Act invoked for Elk Fire in Klamath County

The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing several structural task forces and its Red Incident Management Team to the Elk Fire in Klamath County roughly eight miles north of Bonanza. The fire was reported Tuesday morning, quickly grew to approximately 2,000 acres, and is threatening homes and critical infrastructure. The Klamath County Sheriff's Office has levels 1, 2, and 3 evacuation notices in place for those living near the fire. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area through Wednesday evening, with dry conditions and temperatures in the mid to upper 90s expected through the coming week. The Oregon State Fire Marshal is sending five task forces. Two will arrive Wednesday evening and three more will arrive early Thursday morning. The Red Incident Management Team will be in unified command with the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 and will be briefed on Wednesday evening. "This latest round of lightning and continued dry conditions in Southern Oregon has kept the Oregon fire service and our wildland partners extremely busy," State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. "The extended forecast is not going to provide any relief. Please pay attention to our critical wildfire conditions and take the necessary steps to prevent sparking a human-caused fire." The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at: Living Springs Church 31897 Mission Street, Bonanza, OR 97623 The latest evacuation information and map can be found here (https://protect.genasys.com/search). The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership is providing fire updates. This is the fourth time the Emergency Conflagration Act has been invoked in 2025.

About the Oregon State Fire Marshal  
The Oregon State Fire Marshal became an independent state agency in July 2023. The agency is dedicated to protecting people, property, and the environment from fire and hazardous materials. The OSFM works with local fire agencies, communities, and other partners to strengthen fire prevention, preparedness, and response statewide. Please note: the Oregon State Fire Marshal is no longer an office.