Wildfire on the Siskiyou Crest: Miller Complex 2017 Case Study

Come learn about the keystone process of our forests; fire is essential and beneficial for our forests’ health. The Miller Complex burned in and around the Red Buttes Wilderness Area, south of Applegate Reservoir in the summer of 2017 on 36,000 acres. The fire burned through a variety of habitats creating a rich pattern of fire severity and enhancing the region’s exceptional biodiversity. Come hear from Luke Ruediger, of the Siskiyou Field Office of the Klamath Forest Alliance, and explore the burns’ ecological implications, fire severity, and fire suppression impacts.

Luke Ruediger is a local naturalist, environmental activist and fire ecologist working for the Klamath Forest Alliance. He works to document the actual on-the-ground effects of wildfire in our region. He runs a program exploring local wildfires and wildfire management called, the Klamath-Siskiyou Fire Reports. Each fall when the smoke has cleared, Luke is out hiking the season’s wildfires, assessing the fire effects and long term implications. He is the author of “The Siskiyou Crest” and this last fall he wrote the Salmon August Fire Report, Eclipse Fire Report and Miller Complex Fire Report.