Silver Lake Highway

ke Junction

K22

K21

K20

K19

K18

K17

K16 K15

K14

K13

K12

K11

K10

K09

K08

K07

K06

K05

K04

K03

K02

K01

Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

Wildfire History 1936 - 2005

0 1 2 3 Miles

Klamath Marsh NWR

Chiloquin

Sand

Creek

Fort Klamath

Diamond

Lake

Junction

US 97

OR 62

0 10 20 30 Miles

OREGON

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

GPS

Headquarters

Water

Marsh

Refuge Boundary

Private

Highways

Roads

Winema

National

Forest

Number Name Year Acreage

K01 1967 0.1

K02 Marsh Fire 1986 0.5

K03 Wocus 1987 1500.0

K04 Clyde 1990 2.5

K05 Highway 1991 1.0

K06 Sage Point 1992 0.1

K07 Whiner 1993 180

K08 Savannah 1993 40

K09 Mail Run 1995 0.2

K10 Tractor 1995 0.1

K11 Hog 2000 0.2

K12 Peninsula 2001 0.1

K13 North Marsh 2001 72

K14 Ford 2001 0.1

K15 Stacker 2001 1

K16 Farmer 2 2001 0.1

K17 Mallard 2002 0.8

K18 Military 2002 0.1

K19 Owen 2002 0.1

K20 Patty 2002 0.3

K21 Wildhorse 2002 0.3

K22 Lenz 2004 3.1

Location and name unknown 1979 2

Location:

North of Chiloquin, OR

Acreage:

40,959

Established:

March 11, 1958

Total Wildfires:

23

Percentage of Zone Total:

13

Cause Type:

Natural 15

Camp Fire 3

Smoking 2

Fire Use 0

Incendiary 0

Equipment Use 1

Railroads 0

Juveniles 0

Miscellaneous 1

Unknown 1

Silver Lake Highway

The more than 40,000 acres comprising the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

consist of a variety of vegetation types, including ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests,

grasslands and permanent marshes. This variety of fuels, coupled with the refuges

geographic setting, offers a wildland susceptible to fire. The Klamath Marsh is home to

hundreds of species of animals, birds, fish, raptors and plants. Some of the species one

might find at the marsh include bald eagles, Peregrine falcons, Wood ducks, Sandhill

cranes, spotted frogs, Pronghorn antelope, Wocus yellow pond lily and elk.

Prior to its establishment as a national wildlife refuge, the Klamath Marsh contained and

bordered a number of timber harvest operations. Wanting to protect the timber,

landowners actively suppressed wildfires as quickly as possible. After nearly 80 years of

intense fire suppression, the marsh lands are thick with vegetative debris and have forest

floors piled high in small trees, branches and woody material.

Some of this vegetative material, both within the forested areas and the marsh itself, has

experienced wildfire. Lightning is the most reported cause of wildfire at Klamath Marsh,

although human influences have resulted in a handful of incidents. During the summers of

2001 and 2002, the Klamath Marsh experienced an uncharacteristically high number of

lightning caused fires. On July 12, 2002, lightning sparked five near simultaneous

wildfires in the refuge, all of which we re safely located and suppressed.