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NATIONAL CREEK FIRE COMPLEX Crescent fire closes Crater Lake's north entrance 5,600 acres burned so far; crews fight north flank to defend Diamond Lake Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 17, 2015 at 11:01 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 17, 2015 at 11:01 PM » Social News Crater Lake National Park's north entrance has been closed as firefighters continue to battle the National Creek fire complex, meaning Medford residents traveling to Bend can't cut through Crater Lake National Park as a detour around the closure of Highway 230. Both Highway 230 and the national park's north entrance have been closed to allow firefighters room to build fire lines and light burnouts in their efforts to  contain the Crescent fire, one of two fires burning in the National Creek complex in and around the park. The north entrance closure, enacted at 10 p.m. Sunday, means travelers from Medford hoping to access Diamond Lake can no longer get there by driving through the park to Highway 138. They'll have to take Highway 138 from Roseburg. To get to Highway 97, Medford residents can take highways 140 or 66 to Klamath Falls. Park officials said travelers visiting from the north should continue south on Highway 97 to Highway 422 at Chiloquin, then turn west onto Highway 62 to reach the south entrance of the park.  Those visiting Crater Lake National Park should expect increased delays at the south entrance, where all traffic in the park will be rerouted, a news release from the park said. "It's tough getting around up here for visitors," fire spokesman Tom Lavagnino said late Monday. Fire officials said firefighting crews are focusing on the north flank to prevent the fire from spreading across Highway 230 and toward Diamond Lake. The Crescent fire, sparked by lightning on Aug. 1, has burned more than 5,600 acres, having grown about 500 acres in 24 hours, "and I'm sure it's going to at least do that (Monday)," despite flames making no significant runs that day, Lavagnino said. Today's concern is the fire's reaction to hotter, drier weather and erratic winds and whether it threatens fire lines anchored by Highway 230 and the park's north entrance road, Lavagnino said. "We'll see what happens if we can hold the line," Lavagnino said. "We may have to safely disengage and watch it." The complex's smaller National fire has stayed put at 119 acres. Crews are conducting mop-up operations on that fire.  Crews estimate about 10 percent containment on the whole fire complex. No full containment date has been set.   Juanita Wright, public information officer for the National Creek complex, said today's winds are expected to push smoke eastward, then do an about-face and blow back to the west. On Tuesday, fire officials expect air quality to drop to "unhealthy" levels in nearby Prospect, according to the Oregon Smoke Blog . It is anticipated to drop to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" for Shady Cove, Tiller and Brookings. Grants Pass, Medford, Jacksonville, Ashland, Gold Beach and Agness will have "moderate" air quality. Only Cave Junction and Provolt are expected to see "good levels." All of Highway 230, which runs from Highway 62 just north of Union Creek to Highway 138 southeast of Diamond Lake, remains closed. The Bert Creek, Bald Crater Loop and Boundary Springs trails are also closed. All other roads and facilities inside the park remain open. The U.S Forest Service closed a sizable portion of the Mount Bailey area west of Diamond Lake, and the area south of the lake. That includes portions of Forest Service roads 37, 4795, 3703 and 4786. The Broken Arrow Campground, South Shore Picnic Area, South Diamond Sno-Park, Mount Thielsen Viewpoint, Hemlock Cabin and trailheads for Rodley Butte, Mount Bailey and Silent Creek trails are closed. Trails 1451, 1452 and 1481 to Rodley Butte, Mount Bailey and Silent Creek are also closed. The Pacific Crest Trail is closed from the park's northern boundary to its junction with the Lightning Spring Trail.  A Level 1 evacuation advisory remains in effect for Diamond Lake, meaning anyone at the site should be prepared to leave.  Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 17, 2015 at 11:01 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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