After sixty straight hours of firefighting, the Nugget Fire is 100 percent lined as of today. Initially, the terrain posed too many challenges to crews to build a direct fire line, such as steep slopes, an abundance of hazard trees and poor access leaving limited to no escape routes. However, over the past 24 hours significant progress has been made in improving access and creating safety zones. Local contractors from Butte Falls to Roseburg were brought in to assist with the removal of numerous hazard trees all within the fire’s estimated 5 to 10 acre perimeter. This allowed firefighters overnight to switch tactics from building indirect line away from the fire’s edge, to constructing a control line up against the perimeter of the burning landscape. Firefighters are now set up for a more successful and safe firefight.
Air operations continues to play a vital role in the Nugget Fire. The continuous bucket drops being made have helped cool hot spots while ground crews chipped away at their respective goals. While members of the community will still see helicopters dipping out of the Rogue River in Gold Hill, this is to continue to suppress the interior heat while firefighters on the ground begin mopping up from the perimeter moving inward. The Nugget Fire was first reported late Thursday night burning on Nugget Butte in Gold Hill. The cause of the fire is under investigation. We would like to thank our partners and members of the community for the continued support.
The series of fires near Grizzly Peak are now 100 percent lined and 90 percent mopped up. Firefighters will be combing the area this week in order to ensure that no additional hot spots are present. The trail system will remain closed until firefighters wrap up their work and feel that there is no longer a threat to public health and safety. Thank you all in advance for your patience.
Please keep in mind that we are still in “Extreme” Fire Danger in Jackson and Josephine Counties. Make sure you and your family are aware of the current fire restrictions in place. For additional information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s current fire restrictions, please visit: ODF Southwest on Facebook, or www.swofire.com.