Timothy Bullard/The Daily Courier via AP

The sun sets behind smoke from the Taylor Creek Fire about 12 miles west of Grants Pass, Ore., on Friday, July 21, 2018.

Rafters, kaykers and hikers with plans to visit the wild and beautiful Rogue River canyon this summer might have their adventures cut short.



Two wildfires, the Taylor Creek fire and Klondike fire, are burning fast, already forcing closures and evacuations along the Rogue River as well as for the southern Oregon communities that are usually busy catering to tourists this time of year.



The Taylor Creek fire, which on Monday was declared a separate incident from the Garner Complex, has burned 24,965 acres and was 8 percent contained, according to the Southwest Oregon Joint Information Center managing the response to wildfires in the region.



Joe Touchstone, spokesman for the joint information center, said that fire is the biggest threat to the Rogue River, growing quickly in all directions through thick forests and rugged terrain that's hard for firefighters to access.



"It burned into a beast," he said.

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Terry Richard/The Oregonian

A raft with four people and two Corgi dogs enters Blossom Bar Rapids on the Rogue River.

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The Klondike fire, just southwest in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, has burned 13,922 acres and was 5 percent contained as of Monday morning. While it doesn't directly threaten the Rogue River canyon, it is growing in the direction of the Taylor Creek fire, Touchstone said, and could conceivably join forces to create one massive blaze.



Sunday, the Bureau of Land Management announced a closure of a long section of the Rogue River just west of Grants Pass, shutting the gates on a dozen campgrounds, boat launches and day-use areas. Evacuations have also been ordered for areas around the small towns of Merlin and Galice.



The Rogue River draws some 20,000 rafters and kayakers annually to the rapids of its western reaches, while backpackers tackle the 40-mile Rogue River Trail that runs alongside it, stopping off at campgrounds and several historic lodges on the way.



Chamise Kramer, spokeswoman for the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest, said the recreational hotspot can be adversely affected by fire even if the flames don't reach the wild canyon.



"I think the biggest impact to recreation in southwest Oregon whenever fire is on the landscape is smoke," she said

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Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian

In this 2013 file photo, smoke from fires just north and west of Grants Pass rolls into the Galice Resort, severely impacting business.

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Any drop in recreation can lead to significant losses for the various outfitters, guides and local businesses that cater to rafters and backpackers, and who rely on that money to help support the local economy every summer.



"There are definite long-term implications," Kramer said.



As thousands of firefighters are dispatched to the region, their efforts should be aided by a stretch of favorable weather. Forecasts predict a drop in temperature and humidity, and winds are expected to die down, all of which will help suppression efforts.



But as long as the two fires burn, and as long as fires from other parts of the region continue, life in southern Oregon will be affected. Even if the flames are kept at bay, the choking smoke will continue to settle in the many canyons and valleys of the region, making any outdoor recreation more dangerous and less appealing.



"It's just impacting everyone, there's health concerns, air quality is poor," Touchstone said. "It's kind of miserable down here, actually."



You can check on the latest wildfire information for the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest online at fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou, or the Southwest Oregon Joint Information Center at swojic.blogspot.com.



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Hikers stop to take photos along the Rogue River Trail in southwest Oregon. The 40-mile trail is popular among hikers and rafters come spring and summer.