Following California and Oregon’s worst wildfire season in decades, residents near four dams on the Klamath River slated for removal voiced concerns about wildland firefighting efforts in the rural, mountainous watershed when its reservoirs disappear.
Crews battling wildfires have been taking water from the reservoirs since the now-aging dams were built. The Klamath River Renewal Corporation, which is tasked with removing the dams, announced Friday that state fire agencies from Oregon and California have reviewed and expressed support for its plan to mitigate fire danger in the area, during and after its demolition and restoration project.
KRRC developed its draft fire management plan in concert with CAL FIRE’s Siskiyou Unit and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Klamath-Lake and Southwest Oregon Districts. It plans to submit the FMP, along with letters from the agencies supporting it, in February.