InciWeb Articles & Incidents for Washington and Oregon

GARNER COMPLEX #UPDATEMorning Update 7-31-18 - 12:00 pm(NOTE: The Taylor Creek fire statistics will be reported in a separate report and no longer included in the Garner Complex Quick Facts or updates. Taylor Creek updates will be at Taylor Creek Fire InformationQUICK FACTS:Size: 8,886 acres (No Taylor Creek)Change in last 24 hrs. 0 acresContainment: 65% - Garner ComplexStart Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.Expected Containment Date: 8/7/18Location: Josephine CountyCause: LightningPersonnel: 2,609Assigned Resources:Handcrews: 48Engines: 45Dozers: 8Water Tenders: 17Assigned Aircraft: 4Structure Task Forces: 0Structures Threatend: 564Injuries: 8Evacuations: Level 1 & 2 in effectAt the morning briefing for the Garner Complex, John Flannigan, Day Shift Operations Section Chief remarked, “Very impressive work so far, we need to keep making progress. With the potential for new fire starts to grow rapidly, crews have been notified that they have initial attack responsibility to help the local...

TRAIL, Ore. - Based on the recommendation of fire officials managing the Sugar Pine fire, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office has increased the evacuation advisory for residences in the Elk Creek Road area from Level 2 "Be Set" to Level 3 "Go." A Level 3 "Go" advisory is now in effect for the following addresses: 8800 to 17600 Elk Creek Road; Sugar Pine Road, all addresses; Dodes Creek road, all addresses. A Level 3 "Go" evacuation means you should not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make further efforts to protect your home. This may be the last notice you receive. Deputies and search and rescue volunteers will deliver notices to these residences in person; however, residents do not need to wait for a notice to vacate their homes. Citizen Alert notifications will be sent to those in the affected area. To register for future Citizen Alert notifications, go to jacksoncounty.org/alert . Information about evacuation levels and preparedness is available at...

FireSmoke has been limiting fire behavior until it clears in the midlateafternoons (which may not happen today). Anticipatedincreases to relative humidity in the next several days coulddampen fire activity and smoke emissions. A change inweather pattern is anticipated to set in as early as Thursday.SmokePoor air quality conditions persist throughout outlook area astransport winds have been weak at lower levels. Generaltransport of smoke has shifted at upper levels, possiblybringing smoke from California fires northward. Communitiesnear fires are expected to have the worst air quality as a resultof down valley winds, which are likely to transport smoke asevening time sets in. Changes in weather patterns expectedlater this week should scour out residual smoke, bringingbetter air quality.

July 31, 3:15 p.m. - Due to increased fire behavior and planned firefighting operations on the Taylor Creek wildfire, the Josephine County Sheriff's Office is issuing a Level 3 “GO” evacuation notice for the residents on Galice Road between, and including, 3153 and 4849 and residents on Abegg Road above, and including, 3000 Abegg Road.Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home.This may be the last notice you receive.Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue will be performing door to door notifications.A Level 2 “BE SET” evacuation is being issued by the Josephine County Sheriff's Office for the followingareas:Galice Road between 2396 and 4880Hog Creek Road between 200 and 4776Rogue Rim Drive between 200 and 585Thornridge Lane between 150 and 344Thornbrook Drive between 160 and 855Abegg Road between 801 and 2747All of Lancelot LaneAll of Ray DriveAll of Waggle WayA Level 2 “BE SET” means you must be prepared to leave at a...

GARNER COMPLEX #UPDATEMorning Update 7-31-18 - 12:00 pm(NOTE: The Taylor Creek fire statistics will be reported in a separate report and no longer included in the Garner Complex Quick Facts or updates. Taylor Creek updates will be at Taylor Creek Fire InformationQUICK FACTS:Size: 8,886 acres (No Taylor Creek)Change in last 24 hrs. 0 acresContainment: 65% - Garner ComplexStart Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.Expected Containment Date: 8/7/18Location: Josephine CountyCause: LightningPersonnel: 2,609Assigned Resources: Handcrews: 48Engines: 45Dozers: 8Water Tenders: 17Assigned Aircraft: 4Structure Task Forces: 0Structures Threatend: 564Injuries: 8 Evacuations: Level 1 & 2 in effect At the morning briefing for the Garner Complex, John Flannigan, Day Shift Operations Section Chief remarked, “Very impressive work so far, we need to keep making progress. With the potential for new fire starts to grow rapidly, crews have been notified that they have initial attack responsibility to help the...

ODF Incident Management Team 1 (Hessel) will be hosting a community meeting in Rogue River on August 2, 2018 to provide information on the Garner Complex. Where: Evans Valley Education and Community Center, 8205 E. Evans Creek Road, Rogue River When: Thursday, August 2, 2018 Time: 6:00 PM

The Southwest Oregon Joint Information Center has released the update for July

The Josephine County Sheriff's Office has just issued a closure for the Rogue River for all recreational use, including boating, rafting, and swimming between the Hog Creek Boat Ramp and Galice Creek Boat Ramp. This is due to increased fire behavior and firefighting operations for the Taylor Creek Fire. View more details in the attached official Press

Smoke Outlook attached as pdf

Prospect, Oregon – Nineteen fires on the High Cascades Ranger District west of Crater Lake National Park are being managed under the collective name Sugar Pine, which is also the name of one specific fire. Approximately 6,086 acres have burned on all fires combined. The three largest fires are Sugar Pine, Goodview and Round Top. Friday July 27, the Jackson County Sheriff issued a Level 2 Evacuation “BE SET” notification for residents of the upper Elk Creek Road. If the fire reaches Miller Mountain, the Sheriff will be asked to increase the notification to Level 3 “GO”. The fire has not reached Miller Mountain and the Level 2 is still in effect. Residents have been warned of the fire threat and homes are being plumbed with hoselays and sprinklers. Persistent smoke cover and higher relative humidity decreased fire behavior yesterday, providing many opportunities. Firefighters used dozers, masticators, and hand crews to construct two firelines between the...

Chelan, WA – The Chelan Hills fire is located east of Highway 97, south of the Beebe Bridge. The fire has burned in grass, short brush, and wheat fields. Some structure were reported as damaged. Sunday, crews investigated to confirm any damages. Participating agencies in fighting these wildfires include the Bureau of Land Management, Douglas County Fire Districts 1, 4, and 5, and Washington State Department of Natural Resources.The Chelan Hills fire has burned 1,842 acres, is 97 percent contained and has 244 personnel currently working the fire. Although some internal burning continues within the containment lines, the fire has not grown in size. Three strike teams of engines and fallers continue to work within the fire area. Firefighters are falling burned and dead hazard trees. Hazard trees create an immediate danger for anyone in the area. They can also fall over, rolldown the hillside and start new fires. This is why firefighters continue to remove these hazards and mop up the...

Hendrix Fire – Tuesday, July 31, 2018 Morning Update Community Meeting scheduled for Wednesday Evening Acres: 1,081 acres Cause: Lightning Percent Containment: 70% Start Date: 07/15/18, 8:30 am Location: 9 mi southwest of Ashland, Oregon Expected Containment Date: 08/31/2018 Jurisdiction: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest & Oregon Department of Forestry Resources: 261 personnel, 5 Hand Crews, 1 Helicopter, 4 Engines, 1 Dozer, and 5 water tenders. COMMUNITY MEETING: There will be a Hendrix Fire Community Meeting on Wednesday, August 1, 2018, at 7 pm. The meeting will be held at the Ashland Middle School, 100 Walker Avenue, Ashland, Oregon 97520. Due to steep and­ rough terrain, the southeast corner of the fire remains uncontained and continues to be monitored by firefighters. Personnel are scouting the area for opportunities to increase containment as part of a full suppression strategy. Suppression is a wildfire response strategy to “put the fire out,” as...

Total size: 26,950 acres Containment: 20%Firefighters had success Monday and overnight on the south and east flanks of the fire. Evacuation orders were downgraded to Level 2 (Get Ready) for some residences in the area. Mop-up, patrol and work to reinforce control lines continue. Containment increased in the Limpy Creek area and is now at 20 percent for the fire. Fire activity increased late Monday on the northern area of the fire. As the fire approaches the Rogue River, crews will continue firing operations to secure primary line. Strategic firing operations are used when conditions are favorable. The fire has not crossed the Rogue River.Multiple aircraft are being used to assist the ground efforts in the northeastern corner of the fire, these resources include aircraft from the Oregon National Air Guard. The fire is backing down toward Galice Road and firefighters are working to hold the road as a fire line. Crews will continue to prep the Bear Camp Road, with the intent of...

Weather and Fire Behavior: Our weather is trending slightly cooler, but with continued light winds. Temperatures will continue to be in low to mid 90’s across the valleys and ridges. Fire behavior will again have the opportunity to be active if and when the smoke clears over the fire area. Yesterday’s Activities: Crews continued to make progress on the ground across the Natchez Fire yesterday. Crews monitored the progress of the low intensity burn between the 4810 and 012 roads on the northern end of the fire, allowing the burn to back at a controlled pace. The remainder dozer line that connects the 4810, 012 and 4808 roads was prepared for burning operations when the conditions allow. Crews continued to patrol the east side of the fire, checking for spot fires and maintain the existing fire line along the 060 road and limiting growth. Crews began to scout for potential containment lines along Indian Creek and looking for opportunities to tie those into the 030 road. The...

Timber Crater 6 Fire Update July 31, 2018, 10:00 am NW Incident Management Team (IMT) 9, Brian Goff, Incident Commander Contact us at: TimberCrater6.2018@gmail.com - Fire Information: 541-238-2084 (GoogleVoice) or 541-291-4158 Crater Lake National Park, OR – The Timber Crater 6 Fire remains at 3,126 acres, is 80% contained, and is staffed with 352 personnel. The eastern portion of the fire is in patrol status. Crews on the southern boundary continue to mop up farther into the interior to complete the remaining 20% of open line. Single tree torching was observed in the interior of the fire area. Heavy fuels in the interior will continue to smolder and burn, putting up occasional smoke. This will continue until a season ending weather event, such as a heavy rain or blanketing snow extinguishes the last of the heavy fuels. Helitack firefighters carefully gridded the Timber Crater 9 Fire and finding no heat, declared it out. All remaining equipment and supplies were back hauled....

Wilson Prairie Fire Update Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander: Doug Johnson July 31, 2018 - 9:00 A.M. This will be the last update from the Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 8 (NWIIMT8). This will be the last on the Wilson Prairie Fire unless conditions change. The local units will provide any updated information. NWIIMT8 would like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to the community, cooperators, agency staff, and firefighters for the unwavering support during our management of the Wilson Prairie Fire. The transfer of management of the Wilson Prairie Fire is in progress. A Type 4 incident commander (IC), Kristen Marshall, will arrive today to shadow the existing operations. The proposed schedule is to turn over command of the Wilson Prairie Fire to IC Marshall and her organization on Wednesday morning at 6:00 am. Smoke from other fires remains in the local area. Those with sensitivity concerns should take appropriate...

COMMUNITY MEETING TILLER RFPD STATION TUESDAY JULY 31, 2018 6:30 PM Miles Fire crews will continue to hold and improve control lines on and near the 1610 road along the north side of the fire. Mop up and snag mitigation will continue. Snags in the fire area and along the roads are significant safety hazards. Many of the snags are left from the Timbered Rock Fire of 2002. Firing operations will be used where needed as weather permits. There has been active fire toward the southeast with spotting up to a half mile east toward Gobblers Knob. Columbus Fire mop-up continues along the western edge while preparation and burnout operations will be underway along the north side. Crews will continue to prep and improve lines on the south side. On the northern edge a slop over was secured and no more spots were detected outside the line. Snowshoe Fire personnel continue hose lays into areas that are inaccessible by fire engines and are mopping up within 200 to 300 feet from the outer edge. On...

A Community Meeting will be held tonight at the Selma Community and Education Center in Selma at 6 p.m.. Fire managers will provide an overall update and current fire information. Weather and Fire Behavior: The air mass over the fire area is very gradually cooling however it will remain drier than normal for this time of year. Winds are again expected to be light and mostly terrain driven with occasional late afternoon gusts around 12-15 mph. Smoke covered the fire yesterday until late afternoon reducing fire behavior and moderating spread. Smoke from the fire, as well as other fires in the region, will continue to settle into valleys and low-lying drainages. Yesterday’s Activities: Firefighters continued preparing Forest Roads 4105, 25, 2512 and 2402 along with old Biscuit Fire dozer lines for burnout to control the fire to the north and east. Forest Road 4103-087 has also been prepped for burnout to the wilderness boundary when conditions allow to secure the southern...

Long Hollow Fire: 33,451 acres Containment: 75% Reported: July 26, 4:44 P.M. Cause: Human Dufur, Oregon – The fire did not grow on Monday while, firefighters continued to improve fire perimeter lines, and air operations provided support to the fire. A helicopter was used to drop buckets of water on a flare up within the fire perimeter. Reduction in fire acres is due to more refined mapping on the northern edge of the fire. Temperatures Tuesday are forecasted to be a bit cooler, from 96 to 101 degrees, and humidity in the range of 14 to 19%. Wind will be 8 to 13 mph, with gusts of 15 to 20 mph. Red Flag warnings will be in effect from noon on Tuesday until 10 pm Wednesday. Smoke will continue to be visible in surrounding communities from fires within Oregon and adjacent states. On Tuesday, firefighters will continue to patrol, hold and improve existing hand and dozer line along all divisions of the fire. Fire personnel continue to be released as the fire activity decreases. ...

As of 6 am today, the Taylor Creek Fire is no longer part of the Garner Complex. For information on the Taylor Creek Fire please call 541-474-5305. Oregon Department of Forestry Type-1 Incident Management Team 1 (Hessel) as-sumed command of the Garner Complex at noon today. The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office (OSFM) and the US Forest Service are no longer in unified command with the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) on the Garner Complex. While the threat to homes on the Garner Complex has diminished, evacua-tions remain in place for the safety of the residences and fire crews. Resources assigned to the Garner Complex will continue to monitor and patrol around affected homes. Lines are holding on all fires within the Garner Complex and crews continue to mop-up, monitor and patrol. Mop-up is being conducted 100-200 feet from the fire perimeter and up to 300 feet in areas were access permits. Mop-up is extinguishing or removing burning material near control lines to make a...