VIDEO/PHOTOS: The historic Black Butte Saloon in Weed was destroyed by a fire that broke out Sunday morning. The blaze started around 10 a.m. at the saloon located on Main Street near Camino Ave. Firefighters from several agencies responded with 16 engines, six water tenders and two trucks to combat the flames. Although nearby structures were threatened, all evacuation orders have since been lifted.
Kelly Zimmerman, a local resident, expressed gratitude for the community’s response. “I walked down there after everything was said and done and the building it could’ve been, it should’ve been a lot worse. If we did not have the community and if we did not have the fire department and just everyone in Weed, California, coming to help it should’ve been a lot worse,” Zimmerman said. The community came together, knocking on neighbors’ doors to ensure evacuations, including at a local nursing home.
Online, community members are reminiscing about the Black Butte Saloon, a historic bar and restaurant built in 1917 that once provided jobs and memories for the area. One firefighter sustained minor injuries during the incident. Main Street remains closed as cleanup efforts continue, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation according to the Siskiyou Sheriff’s Department.
