FIRE UPDATES FOR OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA; We have a lot of new fires out there. Last count was over 70 in the region alone. There are dozens more east of the Cascades creating issues this morning. There is however, very good news concerning the Reeves Creek Fire in Josephine County. OREGON - NEW FIRE.......WAGNER COMPLEX: Jackson County, south of Talent and east of Applegate. Lightning caused. This is a group of 11 small fires burning on a mix of Forest Service and BLM land protected by ODF. Fires are burning mostly in timber. Some fires were just creeping along, and others had moderate behavior with uphill runs and torching. Most of the fires are concentrated on Wagner Butte itself. There are at least 6 fires burning on Wagner Butte from the bottom of the mountain outside Talent to the top. There are fires is close proximity to each other. If things go just right.....the fires on the upper part of the mountain could merge. In addition there are an additional five fires burning on BLM land from Anderson Butte over to Wagner Butte, and then west over to Applegate Reservoir. They are hitting the fires with hand crews, engines, and aircraft including helicopters and air tankers. The Siskiyou Rappellers helitack crew from Merlin are working on this complex especially the fires higher up on Wagner Butte. Some of the resources up here include units from Jackson County Fire District 5, Jacksonville Fire, Ashland Fire, and Medford Fire Rescue. Additional resources ordered...especially for the fires burning on Forest Service land. NEW FIRE.......CAMP CREEK COMPLEX: Jackson County, near Butte Falls. Lightning caused. Fires are burning on a mix of Forest Service and BLM lands protected by ODF. At last count at least 30 fires mostly small and under an acre on the High Cascades Ranger District in the area of Rustler Lookout, and on adjacent BLM lands. Mostly moderate fire behaviors being seen. Crews on the fires were making significant progress on containment yesterday before disengaging as storms passed over creating erratic fire behavior due to outflow winds from the thunder cells. Firefighters re-engaged as soon as it was safe to do so. They have hand crews, engines, water tenders, bulldozers, and helicopters working this complex. Additional resources have been ordered. NEW FIRE......SALT CREEK FIRE: Jackson County, near Evans Valley. Lightning caused. Fire is burning on ODF protected lands. It is burning in a mix of timber and brush. 100 acres, zero percent containment. Extreme fire behavior yesterday with wind driven up sloping runs creating group torching, short crown runs, and long range spotting. The fire did lay down well last night, but it is going to be a tough fight on this one as the area is remote presenting access issues. Thick vegetation will both slow containment efforts and fuel fire growth. They have a full resource mix allocated for the fire including hand crews, engines, water tenders, bulldozers, helicopters, and air tankers. Total personnel - 81 NEW FIRE.......HAYSTACK COMPLEX: Grant County, near John Day. Lightning caused. Fires are burning on ODF protected lands. An Oregon Interagency type II IMT has command. 1736 acres, zero percent contained. Fires are burning in timber, grass, and brush. Active fire behavior yesterday with running, torching, and spotting. There are structures threatened here. Fire behavior is expected to be very active again today especially if thunderstorms come up as predicted and bring winds. Thunderstorm winds really drove the rates of spread of the fires in the complex yesterday. The call for additional resources has gone out. A full mix of resources including hand crews, engines, water tenders, bulldozers, helicopters, and air tankers are fighting the fires. Total personnel - 280 NEW FIRE.......SNIPTION FIRE: Gilliam County, near Condon. Lightning caused. Fire is burning on BLM lands. Fire is burning in grass, brush, and juniper. 12,000 acres, 5 percent contained. Active fire behavior with long surface runs and spotting. Structures are threatened. Very active fire behavior is expected again today so the call for additional resources has gone out. Resources on scene now include a hand crew, engines, and water tenders. Total personnel - 27 REEVES CREEK FIRE: Josephine County, near Selma. Cause under investigation. The fire is burning on private lands and is commanded by Illinois Valley Fire and ODF. 204 acres, 50 percent contained. The fire is burning in mixed brush and timber. The terrain is a challenge for crews, and vegetation is very thick out there. The fire had minimal behavior yesterday. The reduction in acreage was the result of getting good mapping done. The fire did lay down very well again overnight allowing hand crews and bulldozers to make solid progress in getting more re enforced fire lines in. They do have hose lines in all around the fire now and they have moved into mop up as they are working their way into the black. Helicopters continue to attack the hottest areas of the fire perimeter. Numerous structures remain threatened by the fire, but the level 1 evacuation notice for Wildpark Lane near Selma has been dropped. Other areas along Reeves Creek Road and Lakeshore Road remain at level 1. Some helicopters may be pulled from the fire today to assist with new fire starts. Resources from the fire will assist the local unit with new fire starts in the area. A full mix of resources are working the fire including hand crews, engines, water tenders, bulldozers, and helicopters. Total personnel - 325. LAUNCH FIRE: Klamath County at Fourmile Lake. Cause is human related. An Oregon Interagency IMT II has command led by Applegate Fire District Chief Brett Fillis. 75 acres, unknown percent contained. The fire is burning in timber. Moderate fire behavior with torching and spotting being seen. Sadly, there was a fire fighter fatality here yesterday. A fire fighter died due to injuries suffered in a fall while he was on a lunch break. Matthew Goodnature was just 21. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and co workers. Resources are arriving to work this fire. The fire is burning in the Sky Lakes Wilderness where it meets Fourmile Lake. This will limit the use of some equipment like bulldozers. The mix of resources include hand crews, engines, and helicopters. Total personnel - 111. PUMICE FLAT FIRE: Klamath County inside Crater Lake National Park, Lightning caused. An Oregon Interagency IMT III has command. 25 acres, 75 percent containment. The fire is burning in timber. Minimal fire behavior yesterday. They are fighting this fire very aggressively as it has high growth potential and could move off park lands. There are currently hand crews, 2 helicopters, 1 air attack and 4 engines working this fire. Total personnel - 150. CALIFORNIA - NEW FIRE........3-7 DAY FIRE: Modoc County near Day. Lightning caused. Cal Fire has command of the fire. 300 acres, zero percent contained. The fire is burning in timber and brush. Very active fire behavior yesterday with running and long range spotting. Structures are threatened. The call for additional resources has gone out. Currently a full mic of resources are battling this fire. That includes hand crews, engines, water tenders, bulldozers, helicopters, and air tankers. Total personnel - 72 While not noted from any source, I do know there are at least three new fires in Siskiyou County. Large plumes of smoke were being seen late in the afternoon and evening south of the Oregon border. Satellite imagery picked up at least one strong heat signature indicating a fire overnight. I will be working to get the information on what is happening there. Fire information brought to you by Southern Oregon Subaru, Volvo, Mitsubishi. 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Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 14:33:08 +0000
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