Update: 40% containment achieved for Highway Fire in Siskiyou County

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Updated: 7:08 a.m. June 23

First discovered: 17 hours ago, 1:48 p.m. June 22

Initial location: State Highway 96, Klamath River, Siskiyou County, Calif.

Fire unit: United States Forest Service

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Highway Fire

Highway Fire initially started 1:48 p.m. June 22 on State Highway 96, Klamath River in Siskiyou County, California.

Since its discovery 17 hours ago, it has burned 35 acres. By Tuesday morning, 40% of the fire was brought under containment. However, the cause is still under investigation.

See live video from the area:

Https://cameras.alertcalifornia.org/?id=Axis-BuckhornLookout2

Fire containment

What does 40% containment mean?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 40% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 60% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published June 23, 2026 at 7:27 AM.