July 18, 2018
GARNER COMPLEX
#UPDATEMorning Update 7-18-18 – 8:30am
QUICK FACTS:
Size: 960 acres
Change in last 24 hrs. +700 acres
Containment: 2%
Start Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.
Expected Containment Date: unknown
Location: Josephine County
Cause: Lightning
Est. Cost: $750,000
Personnel: 542
Assigned Resources:
Handcrews: 18
Engines: 9
Dozers: 7
Water Tenders: 2
Assigned Aircraft: 8 helicopters
Yesterday afternoon and through the night fire crews scouted the 12 fires that make up the Garner complex. The crews are working to prioritize these fires. The plan is to fully contain the smaller fires, construct fireline around the larger ones, while continually looking for new unaccounted for fires.
The objectives today for the Grave Creek branch will be to keep the fires east of Grave Creek, north of Pease Springs and Buck Springs. For the Pleasant Creek fire, keep the fire west of Pleasant Creek and south of the 33-4-22 road. The objectives for the Spencer Creek branch are to keep fires east of 37-6-36 road, north of China Creek road, west of Water Gap road and south of 38-6-6 road.
John Pellissier, the day Operations Chief, said at the morning briefing to the fire crews “it is great to see you and we are still waiting for more help”. More fire fighters and equipment have been ordered and will be arriving to aid in the suppression efforts. With six incident management teams de-ployed to the region, resources (fire crews, air support & equipment) are scarce.
Weather forecasters predict hot and dry weather again today with gusty winds tonight. These conditions, along with low relative humidity, can cause very active fire behavior.
The Incident Command Post and fire camp is set up at the BLM Sprague Seed Orchard located at 1980 Russell Rd in Merlin.
There are several other fires in Jackson and Josephine Counties that we are working diligently to knock down and contain. Our air attack platform will be performing reconnaissance flights the entire day. As always, keeping our community safe is our priority.
Evacuations: No evacuations are currently in place.
Closures: Intersection of Murphy Cr. and Spencer Cr. Rd. The end of the County Maintenance at Upper Powell Cr. Rd. and Cedar Flat Rd.
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou, Umpqua National Forest
To learn more about wildfire preparedness & fire restrictions please visit:
www.swofire.com
July 18, 2018
(CLARIFICATION — This is not the fire burning near Wagner Butte, but fires on ODF protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.)
Date: 7/18/2018 Time: 9:25 a.m.
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
Incident Start Date: 7/15/2018
Incident Start Time: Approx. 9:00 a.m.
Incident Location: Jackson & Josephine counties
Land Threat: Private, BLM, Industrial
Wagner Creek Complex Sized: Approx. 250 acres Containment: 30%
Expected Full Containment: N/A
Lightning Strikes: Approx. 1,000 across the District Confirmed Wildfires on ODF SWO District: 75
Garner Complex Fire Information in Josephine County will be released separately by the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2. The fires within the complex include: the Spencer Creek Fires, the Grave Creek Fires, and the Pleasant Creek Fire. The updates will still be shared on our @ODFSouthwest Facebook page and www.swofire.com.
Additional fires in Josephine County:
Swamp Creek: 16 miles north of Rogue River. Estimated at 5 acres. This fire is now part of the Grave Creek Series within the Garner Complex. Please see the Garner Complex update for additional information.
Little Grayback: 8 miles east of Cave Junction. The fire is 100% contained. This will be the last update of this fire; however, a new fire was located just to the south of the Little Grayback Fire. (Please see below).
Nelson: roughly 8 miles east of Cave Junction. Estimated at 3 acres. Firefighters are working on hand line construction. The perimeter line is currently 90% complete. We will be using resources today to knock down and eliminate interior heat. No structures are threatened.
Taylor Creek: 7 miles west of Merlin. Firefighters have been aggressively fighting this fire for more than 24 hours; however, it is still posing challenges due to difficult terrain, unfavorable weather conditions, and limited resources. The fire is estimated to be approximately 40 acres. Dozers, crews, and engines will be engaged building fire line today, alongside aerial resources. While there is one remote structure approximately one mile from the fire’s edge; no additional structures are threatened at this time, as the next nearest structures are miles away.
Fielder: North of MP 53 on I-5. 100% contained. This will be the final update of this fire.
Iron Mountain: Southwest to west of Murphy. Firefighters picked up two additional fires off Iron Mountain, the largest being approximately one acre. Both fires are 100% lined, and mop up will be continuing today. No structures are threatened.
Wagner Creek Complex in Jackson County:
Green Top Mountain: 5 miles northeast of Eagle Point. Still holding at 125 acres. Containment remains at 55%. Overnight, firefighters continued to mop up heavy timber, and will continue making more progress with knock down and mop up today. No structures are threatened.
Sterling Creek: 7 miles south of Jacksonville. Continue progress is being made, and the 32 acre fire is now 45% contained. Please note, smoke will be visible on the interior of the fire as suppression efforts and mop up continues over the next 48 hours. No structures threatened.
Trail Creek & Elk Creek Drainage: Multiple fires are burning in the area surrounding Cleveland Ridge, Elk Creek, and the Trail Creek area which is roughly 5.5 miles north to northwest of Shady Cove. There are approximately 12 confirmed fires on ODF-protected land within the drainage. The largest fire in this area is the 13-acre West Fork Trail Fire, which is now 80% contained Several additional fires continue to burn in the area, but all are being attacked aggressively and safely. All others are an acre or less in size. No structures threatened.
Railroad Gap: Mutual aid to Umpqua National Forest. Overnight, firefighters were able to wrap a hand line around the fire, and mapped it at 33 acres. Today firefighters will continue knocking down the interior. Smoke will be present. No structures are threatened.
There are several other fires in Jackson and Josephine Counties that we are working diligently to knock down and contain. Our air attack platform will be performing reconnaissance flights the entire day. As always, keeping our community safe is our priority.
Evacuations: No evacuations are currently in place.
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou, Umpqua National Forest
To learn more about wildfire preparedness & fire restrictions please visit: www.swofire.com
July 17, 2018
QUICK FACTS
Incident Start Date: 7/15/2018
Incident Start Time: Approx. 9:00 a.m.
Incident Type: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Incident Location: Jackson & Josephine counties
Land Threat: Private, BLM, Industrial
Command Agency: ODF
Wagner Creek Complex Sized: 200 acres
Containment: 30%
Expected Full Containment: N/A
Civilian Injuries: 0
Firefighter Injuries: 0
Lightning Strikes: Approx. 1,000 across the District Confirmed Wildfires on ODF SWO District: 75
Structures Threatened: 0
Structures Destroyed: 0 Structures Damaged: 0
CURRENT SITUATION
#GarnerComplex Fire Information in Josephine County will be released separately by the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2. The fires within the complex include: the Spencer Creek Fires, the Grave Creek Fires, and the Pleasant Creek Fire. The updates will still be shared on our @ODFSouthwest Facebook page and
www.swofire.com.Additional fires in Josephine County:
Swamp Creek: 16 miles north of Rogue River. Estimated at 5 acres. The fire is 50% contained. No structures threatened. Progress continues to be made on this fire. Overnight, crews will continue mop up operations.
Little Grayback: 8 miles east of Cave Junction. Holding at 2 acres. The fire has a control line around the perimeter, and is estimated to be 40% contained. Smoke will continue to be present as crews work on additional suppression efforts. No structures are threatened.
Fielder: North of MP 53 on I-5. Approximately 7 acres. Firefighters strengthened and secured the perimeter last night, and will be mopping up today. Smoke will be present. No structures threatened.
Wagner Creek Complex in Jackson County:
Green Top Mountain: 5 miles northeast of Eagle Point. Still holding at 125 acres. Firefighters completed the control line around the perimeter of the fire last night. Containment is now at 55%. Overnight, firefighters will be working to knock down remaining interior heat. No structures are threatened.
Sterling Creek: 7 miles south of Jacksonville. The fire was accurately mapped today; the final fire size is 32 acres. It is 40% contained. Please note, smoke will be visible on the interior of the fire as suppression efforts and mop up continues over the next 48 hours. No structures threatened.
Trail Creek & Elk Creek Drainage: Multiple fires are burning in the area surrounding Cleveland Ridge, Elk Creek, and the Trail Creek area which is roughly 5.5 miles north to northwest of Shady Cove. There are approximately 12 confirmed fires on ODF-protected land within the drainage. The largest fire in this area is the West Fork Trail Fire which was originally believed to be 20 acres; however, the fire is now 100% lined, and 70% contained. An accurate GPS of the fire shows that it is actually 13 acres in size. Several additional fires continue to burn in the area, but all are being attacked aggressively and safely. We are also working in partnership with Umpqua National Forest on a few small fires near Railroad Gap. We will continue to prioritize the initial attack of the remaining active fires tonight. No structures are threatened.
There are several other fires in Jackson and Josephine Counties that we are working diligently to knock down and contain. Our air attack platform will be performing reconnaissance flights the entire day. As always, keeping our community safe is our priority.
Evacuations: No evacuations are currently in place.
ASSIGNED RESOURCES
Engines: 25
Water Tenders: 6
Helicopters: 9 (shared)
Hand Crews: 18
Dozers: 4
Total Personnel: 400
Air Tankers: 5 (shared)
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou, Umpqua National Forest
To learn more about wildfire preparedness & fire restrictions please visit:
www.swofire.comJuly 17, 2018
Date: 7/17/2018 Time: 9:15 a.m.
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
QUICK FACTS
Incident Start Date: 7/15/2018 Incident Start Time: Approx. 9:00 a.m.
Incident Type: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Incident Location: Jackson & Josephine counties
Land Threat: Private, BLM, Industrial
Command Agency: ODF
Complexes Sized: 565 acres
Containment: 30%
Expected Full Containment: N/A
Civilian Injuries: 0
Firefighter Injuries: 0
Lightning Strikes: Approx. 1,000 across the District Confirmed Wildfires: 68
Structures Threatened: 0
Structures Destroyed: 0 Structures Damaged: 0
CURRENT SITUATION
Garner Complex in Josephine County
Swamp Creek: 16 miles north of Rogue River. Estimated at 5 acres. While the fire does have a control line around the perimeter, interior mop up will remain a challenge today. The fire is 30% contained. No structures threatened. ***
Little Grayback: 8 miles east of Cave Junction. Holding at 2 acres. The fire has a control line around the perimeter. Smoke will continue to be present as crews work on additional suppression efforts. No structures are threatened.
Spencer Creek Fires: 1-3 Highly visible from Grants Pass, Applegate, Williams, Illinois Valley, and I-5. 12 miles south of Grants Pass. Approximately 3 fires in the area. Total fires estimated at 105 acres. Spencer Creek #1 and #2 were lined overnight. However, Spencer Creek #3 continues to push firefighters to their limits. No structures threatened.
Grave Creek Fires: 1-4 Series of fires off Upper Grave Creek Road, visible from Wimer. Approximately 17 miles north of Rogue River. 6-7 fires in the area. Total of all fires estimated at 115 acres. Grave Creek #3 is the fire within the series that has the most potential to make runs today; therefore, it is the current priority for the district. Winds along ridgelines will also test current control lines in place. Today, aerial and ground resources will continue to aggressively attack these fires striving to lengthen the current control lines along the flanks. No structures threatened.
Pleasant Creek Fire: 15 miles north of Rogue River. Estimated at 60 acres. Ground resources are working on line construction today, while aerial resources will work on cooling off the head of the fire in order to stop the further rate of spread. No structures threatened.
Tennessee Mountain: 3 miles northwest of Cave Junction. Approximately 7 acres. Last night, firefighters wrapped a control line around the fire. Firefighters will continue mopping up today. No structures threatened.
Fielder: North of MP 53 on I-5. Approximately 7 acres. Firefighters strengthened and secured the perimeter last night, and will be mopping up today. Smoke will be present. No structures threatened.
The Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2, led by Incident Commander Chris Cline, will be taking command of a series of fires within the Garner Complex, including Spencer Creek Fires, Grave Creek Fires, and the Pleasant Creek Fire. The local district, ODF Southwest, will remain command of the Wagner Creek Complex, as well as all other fires throughout Jackson and Josephine Counties.
Wagner Creek Complex in Jackson County
Green Top Mountain: 5 miles northeast of Eagle Point. Holding at 125 acres. Firefighters completed the control line around the perimeter of the fire last night. Containment is now at 45%. Today, multiple ground and aerial resources will continue to knock down the interior heat of the fire. No structures are threatened.
Sterling Creek: 7 miles south of Jacksonville. Holding at approximately 100 acres. The fire is 30% contained. Ground and aerial resources will continue to knock down the interior perimeter of this fire today.
Trail Creek & Elk Creek Drainage: Multiple fires are burning in the area surrounding Cleveland Ridge, Elk Creek, and the Trail Creek area which is roughly 5.5 miles north to northwest of Shady Cove. There are approximately 10 confirmed fires on ODF-protected land within the drainage. The largest fire in this area is estimated at 20 acres. Several fires within this drainage were lined yesterday, including an 18 acre fire, and several others sized at one acre or less. This series is 50% contained. Crews will continue to prioritize the initial attack of the remaining active fires today. No structures are threatened.
There are several other fires in Jackson and Josephine Counties that we are working diligently to knock down and contain. Our air attack platform will be performing reconnaissance flights the entire day. As always, keeping our community safe is our priority.
Evacuations: No evacuations currently in place.
ASSIGNED RESOURCES
Engines: 25
Water Tenders: 6
Helicopters: 9
Hand Crews: 35
Dozers: 10
Total Personnel: 1,000 +
Air Tankers: 5
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou
To learn more about wildfire preparedness & fire restrictions please visit:
www.swofire.comJuly 16, 2018
QUICK FACTS
Incident Start Date: 7/15/2018
Incident Start Time: Approx. 9:00 a.m.
Incident Type: Wildfire
Cause: Lightning
Incident Location: Jackson & Josephine counties
Land Threat: Private, BLM, Industrial
Command Agency: ODF
Complex Size: 460 acres
Containment: 30%
Expected Full Containment: N/A
Civilian Injuries: 0
Firefighter Injuries: 0
Lightning Strikes: Approx. 1,000 across the District
Confirmed Wildfires: 65
Structures Threatened: 0
Structures Destroyed: 0
Structures Damaged: 0
CURRENT SITUATION
Garner Complex in Josephine County
Swamp Creek: 16 miles north of Rogue River. Estimated at 5 acres. Ground resources were able to complete a control line around the fire; however, snags are threatening the line. The fire is 20% contained. No structures threatened.
Little Grayback: 8 miles east of Cave Junction. Holding at 2 acres. Several ground resources were engaged today securing the perimeter. Smoke will continue to be present overnight and into tomorrow due to continued suppression efforts. No structures are threatened.
Spencer Creek Fires: Highly visible from Grants Pass, Applegate, Williams, Illinois Valley, and I-5. 12 miles south of Grants Pass. Approximately 3-5 fires in the area. Total fires estimated at 80 acres. Firefighters worked tirelessly on this series of fires. By the peak heat of the day, one of the fires made a significant push to the ridgetop. Overnight, several firefighters and heavy equipment will be focusing on securing the perimeter. No structures threatened.
Grave Creek Fires: Series of fires off Upper Grave Creek Road, visible from Wimer. Approximately 17 miles north of Rogue River. 6-7 fires in the area. Total fires estimated at 100 acres. Countless aerial resources were dedicated to this incident until sundown. The fire rapidly grew toward the end of shift near peak burning hours in triple digit temperatures. Overnight, crews will continue flanking the fire, working to achieve a controlled perimeter. No structures threatened.
Tennessee Mountain: 3 miles northwest of Cave Junction. Approximately 7 acres. Crews are close to completing control line around the fire. No structures threatened.
Fielder: North of MP 53 on I-5. Approximately 7 acres. Firefighters established a hose lay around the fire’s perimeter today. Overnight, firefighters will work on strengthening and securing the perimeter. No structures threatened.
The Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2, led by Incident Commander Chris Cline, will be arriving tomorrow to take command of a series of fires within the Garner Complex. The local district, ODF Southwest, will remain command of the Wagner Creek Complex, as well as other additional fires as they pop up this week.
Wagner Creek Complex in Jackson County
Green Top Mountain: 5 miles northeast of Eagle Point. Holding at 125 acres. Roughly 90% of the perimeter control line is complete as the landscape has posed several challenges; however, the containment has boosted to 40%. Ground and aerial resources continued to fight this fire aggressively today, and are working on completing the perimeter’s control line overnight. No structures are threatened.
Sterling Creek: 7 miles south of Jacksonville. Holding at approximately 100 acres. Firefighters completed a control line around the entire perimeter of the fire today. The fire is 20% contained. Ground and aerial resources worked the fire all day. Level 3 “Go!” evacuations have been reduced to a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation notice. Rogue Valley structural units played an integral role involving home protection and defense. Fire crews will continue to knock down the interior perimeter of this fire overnight.
Trail Creek & Elk Creek Drainage: Multiple fires are burning in the area surrounding Cleveland Ridge, Elk Creek, and the Trail Creek area which is roughly 5.5 miles north to northwest of Shady Cove. There are approximately 8 confirmed fires on ODF-protected land within the drainage. The largest fire in this area is estimated at 12 acres. Ground and aerial resources were engaged the entirety of today. Night shift ground resources will continue to knock down and work on control lines overnight. No structures are threatened.
There are several other fires in Jackson and Josephine Counties that we are working diligently to knock down and contain. Our air attack platform will be performing reconnaissance flights the entire day. Please know that all other ODF fires are an acre or less at this time, and are posing no threat to our communities.
Evacuations: No evacuations currently in place.
ASSIGNED RESOURCES
Engines: 25
Water Tenders: 6
Helicopters: 9
Hand Crews: 35
Dozers: 10
Total Personnel: 1,000 +
Air Tankers: 5
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Rogue Valley Fire Chiefs Association, U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou
To learn more about wildfire preparedness & fire restrictions please visit: www.swofire.com
