Starting tomorrow, the Crater Lake North Entrance is strictly off-limits. There's a wildfire in town and it's causing quite the stir among firefighting teams. They're set to prep control lines right along the affected stretch of the North Entrance Road. The area from North Junction to where it meets Highway 138 at the park boundary will be off-limits for about a week.
Despite the inconvenience, most roads in the park are open as usual, except for those closed due to construction on East Rim Drive. The main goal is to control the fire and protect the park's infrastructure.
According to a statement from the National Park Service, "Fire crews will reduce fuels along the north-south route creating a defensible zone to keep the Middle Fork Fire from threatening park infrastructure." This is a necessary step in wildfire management, one that requires closing the road to ensure the safety of everybody involved. Most of Crater Lake National Park's roads are open despite construction on East Rim Drive.
