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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Half-acre Applegate grass fire followed explosion ... Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... Half-acre Applegate grass fire followed explosion ... Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera ... Fire damages White City mobile home ... CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK Part of West Rim Drive closed as firefighters battle Crater Lake blaze Comment By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 11:26 AM Updated Aug 1, 2016 at 8:04 PM By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 11:26 AM Updated Aug 1, 2016 at 8:04 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Bybee Creek fire jumps into Crater Lake caldera » Social News CRATER LAKE NATIONAL PARK — Monday afternoon spot-fires spread the Bybee Creek Fire close enough to the edge of Crater Lake that fire crews closed a portion of West Rim Drive on Monday, though fire bosses insist that park visitors are not at risk. The stretch of the West Rim Drive from Discovery Point to North Junction was cordoned off after spot fires jumped ahead of the main fire, which remain listed late Monday at 425 acres, according to the National Park Service. "The fire started spotting up near the road so we so we shut it down as a precaution so no one would get hurt," fire spokeswoman Lucinda Nolan said late Monday. The closure was also in part to keep the thoroughfare open for firefighting crews and keep rubberneckers from clogging lanes, Nolan says. "We're not saying it's going to be up to the road, but it's getting close," Nolan said. Portions of West Rim Drive could be closed intermittently over the next few days as firefighting crews still estimate the fire at 10 percent contained but with an expected containment date of Friday. All other roads within the park remain open, as are both entrances. Visitors can bypass the West Rim Drive closure by traveling on East Rim Drive, Nolan says. The fire, which grew by 100 acres Sunday, was being assessed via air mapping late Monday to determine it's new size, which should be available early today, Nolan says. The fire, southwest of The Watchman overlook and north of Highway 62, began early Thursday afternoon, about 300 yards off the Pacific Crest Trail. Flames cut through a section blackened in 2006 by a 2,900-acre blaze that burned for three months. Another fire hit the area in 1994. Since the start of the fire, crews have concentrated on keeping flames from cresting the 6,600-foot Bybee Ridge between the fire area and Crater Lake. Five helicopters dumping water on the hot spots were rejoined by two air tankers dropping "fugitive" retardant, a white gel that differs from the usual red retardant dropped on wildfires. The standard retardant leaves a red scar, something parks and fire officials are trying to avoid. The fire is burning in a proposed wilderness area in the far upper reaches of the Rogue River watershed. It features a native plant commonly known as the Mount Mazama Collomia, a purple-petaled member of the phlox family, found in the Rogue River and Winema national forests as well as the National Park, said park spokeswoman Jennifer Evans. Nine handcrews are supported by five water tenders and six engines in battling the blaze. Crews are clearing vegetation along existing trails in the path of the fire to increase the barrier between the burned and unburned areas. Fire danger remains high, and park visitors should be aware of their surroundings and prepared for changing conditions. The Pacific Crest Trail remains closed from Dutton Creek Camp north to the PCT parking lot on North Entrance Road. PCT hikers should use Dutton Creek Trail to the Rim Trail as an alternate route. Lightning Springs Trail and its backcountry camp are closed. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MTwriterFreeman . Reporter Greg Stiles contributed to this report. By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 11:26 AM Updated Aug 1, 2016 at 8:04 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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