Residents in Northern California’s Siskiyou County near the Oregon border were urgently evacuated on Tuesday as a rapidly spreading wildfire, named the Head Fire, surged through the Klamath National Forest.
Fueled by gusty winds from area thunderstorms, the blaze is one of 19 that ignited following lightning strikes, with the majority being minor. As of late Tuesday, estimates suggest the Head Fire encompasses between 3,000 to 4,000 acres (1214-1618 hectares).
The fire expanded swiftly, covering more than 1.5 square miles (3.9 square kilometers) within hours. The U.S. Forest Service reported that spot fires from the primary inferno even jumped the Klamath River. Forest supervisor Rachel Smith took to Facebook urging residents, “If you are in this area, please get out immediately,” highlighting the rapidly evolving nature of the threat.
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