161

39

Worden

Merrill

L49

L48

L47

L46

L45

L44

L43

L42

L41

L40

L39

L38

L37

L36

L35

L34

L33

L32

L31

L30

L29

L28

L27

L26

L25

L24

L23

L22

L21

L20

L19

L18

L17

L16

L15

L14

L13

L12

L11

L10

L09

L08

L07

L06

L05

L04

L03

L02

L01

OREGON

CALIFORNIA

Modoc

National

Forest

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

Wildfire History 1936 - 2005

0 1 2 3 Miles

Lower Klamath NWR

Dorris

Canby

Klamath Falls

Tulelake

US 97

CA 139

OR 140

0 8 16 24 Miles

OREGON

CALIFORNIA

Wildfire Location Type Descriptions

Calculated: The wildfire is calculated to a central

point based upon reported legal location or

specific place description. Examples include 48N,

2E, Section 28 or middle of Unit C-4 at waters

edge.

General: The wildfire is location is based upon a

general area description. Examples include

Southwest Sump of Tule Lake NWR or Unit 4 of

Lower Klamath NWR.

GPS: The wildfire location was determined using

a geographic positioning system and supporting

software, providing a specific latitude and

longitude. An example is 41 degrees, 52 minutes,

54.33 seconds north by 121 degrees, 14 minutes,

12.98 seconds west, NAD 83.

Unknown: The wildfire location was recorded

only in relation to the refuge it occurred on.

Historical records and research did not provide

any additional information. An example would be

a wildfire listed as 1954, Tule Lake NWR.

Wildfire Location Type

Calculated

General

GPS

Highways

Roads

Refuge Boundary

Private

Water

Number Name Year Acreage Number Name Year Acreage

L01 1944 L28 Unit 2 1978

L02 1944 4.5 L29 Unit 2 1978

L03 1945 400.0 L30 Unit 3 1978

L04 1946 L31 Shop 1984 1.0

L05 1947 L32 Unit 9 1988 25

L06 1947 L33 Unit 6 C 1989 80

L07 1947 L34 Brandon 1994 0.1

L08 1948 4.0 L35 Sardine 1996 90

L09 1949 L36 Gretzky 1997 0.5

L10 1949 700.0 L37 Refuge 1998 1500

L11 1952 160.0 L38 Repeat 1999 25

L12 1956 L39 BOR 2000 25

L13 1960 L40 Jeezopeat 2000 3

L14 1960 L41 Volunteer 2000 144

L15 1966 0.25 L42 Carlson 2001 0.2

L16 1966 20 L43 Drain 2001 6

L17 1967 490 L44 Fairchild 2002 5

L18 1967 2 L45 Oklahoma 2003 427

L19 1968 2 L46 Greasewood 2005 0.1

L20 Chalk 1970 44 L47 CWA 2005 0.55

L21 Sheepy East 1970 20 L48 Township 2005 50.4

L22 Unit 6 1971 0.5 L49 Hensel 2005 3

L23 Unit 12 1974 40 1944

L24 Sardine 1975 135.4 1955

L25 Unit 6 1975 25 1961 1

L26 Fairchild Island 1977 30 1961 1

L27 1977 160 Location and name unknown 1961 1.5

Location and name unknown

Location and name unknown

Location and name unknown

Location and name unknown

A mere five years following the creation of the modern day wildlife refuge system,

President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Klamath Lake Reservation as the nations first

waterfowl refuge. The President determined the lands were to be set aside as a preserve

and breeding ground for native birds. Today, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

encompasses more than 53,000 acres of prime habitat for migrating waterfowl and

provides foraging grounds for numerous raptors and other wildlife.

Like its neighbor to the east, Tule Lake NWR, Lower Klamaths lands serve dual uses as a

wildlife preserve and viable farming ground. The portions of the refuge in Oregon are part

of the leaseland farming program, where farmers bid annually on fields and grow various

crops. The California areas of the refuge are in a combination of permanent and seasonal

marshes, leased farm units and uplands.

Formal recordings of wildfires are virtually non-existent until the mid 1940s, but even then

they are sporadic at best. Many non-specific references are reported for peat fires

burning in and around present day Unit 4 for many years during the late 1940s through

the mid 1950s. These reports seem quite reasonable as the unit is known for its highly

organic and combustible soils and today peat fires still occur in the same area (most

recently the Oklahoma fire in 2003).

The first twenty years of fire records and reports do not provide information to determine

their specific cause, but more recently the refuge has experienced a growing number of

human caused incidents. Camp fires had prevalence for some time until regulations

prohibited camping and, expectantly, that cause category diminished to zero. At the same

time, a number of escaped prescribed fires, both originating on and off the refuge, have

resulted in wildfires.

Location:

West of Tulelake, CA

Acreage:

53,196

Established:

August 08, 1908

Total Wildfires:

54

Percentage of Zone Total:

31

Cause Type:

Natural 4

Camp Fire 7

Smoking 1

Fire Use 6

Incendiary 6

Equipment Use 4

Railroads 0

Juveniles 0

Miscellaneous 5

Unknown 21