Approximate location of this morning’s ‘Deerhorn 3’ fire.

At about 2:30 this morning, a wildfire broke out along Highway 96 just south of Weitchpec, on the Hoopa Valley Reservation.

Local Hoopa firefighters responded with engines and water tenders, and one lane of traffic on 96 was closed.

The fire was quickly named the “Deerhorn 3 Fire”; the numeral is because this is the third time this year that the area has burned. 

Hoopa resident and former Two Rivers Tribune editor Allie Hostler, who is helping the tribe with public relations matters during fire season, tells the Outpost that the fire is now fully contained. It burned somewhere between five and 10 acres, the tribe believes.

The cause of the fire is, once again, suspected to be arson.

There has been a rash of arson in the Hoopa Valley this year, including over 10 separate incidents within a 24-hour period in June. One of those fire burned a portion of historic Tish Non village at Tish Tang.