Klamath-Area Residents Fear New Wildfire Risks Despite Prevention, Mitigation Efforts

SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif.—The removal of four dams and loss of three reservoirs on the Klamath River, which flows through Oregon and Northern California, have increased wildfire risks, some local residents say. But while the methods of firefighting have changed with the absence of Copco and Iron Gate lakes and the John C. Boyle dam reservoirs, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) says such won’t hamper firefighting efforts in the region. Copco and Iron Gate lakes together held about 45 billion gallons of water, and firefighters drew more than a million gallons from the reservoirs to fight a massive fire that threatened Ashland, Ore. and the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in 2018, according to the Siskiyou County Water Users Association....