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Google Maps is directing people away from US-199 and onto Patrick Creek Road/Lone Mountain Road, where firefighters and heavy equipment are working. That route is in a fire closure area and is not suitable for travel. US-199 is open and is the recommended travel route. Please don't be fooled if mapping systems direct you to leave the US-199 corridor. It is unsafe for you and our fire personnel. Google Maps has been notified by both ODOT and CalTrans.

Hazards from fire damage remain along US-199 and traffic may be delayed intermittently for 20 to 60 minutes with one-lane pilot car escorts. The Del Norte Sheriff’s Office is asking residents to refrain from unnecessary travel along that route. Firefighting apparatus and emergency responder traffic will be heavy throughout the day, please use extreme caution. For additional information on road conditions, please see the roads.dot.ca.gov and Oregon Department of Transportation's tripcheck.com.

Yesterday: Firefighters had another successful strategic burning operation on the north side of the Smith River Complex, near Forest Road 019. The low-intensity fire reduced pockets of unburned fuels that pose a threat to the fire line.

Today’s activities: The area will be monitored for hot spots and firefighters will continue to evaluate opportunities to implement additional strategic burning operations, working toward containment status. Weather conditions are expected to be very similar to the past days: dry, with warm temperatures and light breeze.

Pacific Power stated, “With wildfire risk diminished in the area around the transmission lines serving Crescent City and Del Norte County, Pacific Power is anticipating beginning the process of re-energizing those lines starting as early as Sunday, September 10.” Pacific Power is coordinating closely with the Fire Management Teams and Del Norte County Emergency Operations Center. For more information, see an announcement at: tinyurl.com/PacificPowerNews.

Evacuations: Monitor Rogue Valley Emergency Management site and sign up for evacuation alerts and updates at rvem.org. An interactive Fire First Response Map showing evacuation areas can also be found there.

Smoke: Smoke Forecast Outlooks are available at oregonsmoke.org

Closures: The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District have issued area and road closures for the Smith River Complex. A campfire ban remains in place for BLM and forest lands, and the Wild section of the Rogue River. Visit bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts or www.blm.gov/orwafire for additional information.

Restrictions: Please respect the temporary flight restriction (TFR) established for the Smith River Complex; keep drones away from firefighting operations. If you fly, we can’t. Don’t be the reason a firefighting air mission has to divert! For more information on the TFR, visit tfr.faa.gov.