July 26, 2018
INCIDENT: Fire Evacuation Level Changes for:
All of Shan Creek Rd is now a Level 3 “GO”!
All residences on the west side of Riverbanks Road between Shan Creek Road and 6050 Riverbanks Road, including Rocking Horse Drive, are being UPGRADED to a Level 2 “BE READY”.
INCIDENT DATE AND TIME: 7/26/18 @ 11:15 am
REPORTING DEPUTY: C. Krauss
DETAILS: LEVEL 3 “GO”
Due to the fast moving Taylor Creek wildfire, all residents on Shan Creek Roads are being placed on a Level 3 “GO” Evacuation!
Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home.
This may be the last notice you receive.
A shelter has been established at Grants Pass High School.
LEVEL 2 ”BE SET”
All residences on the west side of Riverbanks Road between Shan Creek Road and 6050 Riverbanks Road, including 6050 Riverbanks and Rocking Horse Drive, are being UPGRADED to a Level 2 “BE READY” Evacuation.
A LEVEL 2 “BE SET” evacuation notification means that you must be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
This level indicates there is significant danger to your area, and residents should either voluntarily relocate to a shelter or with family/friends outside of the affected area, or if choosing to remain, be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
Residents MAY have time to gather necessary items, but doing so is at their own risk.
Emergency services cannot guarantee that they will be able to notify you if conditions rapidly deteriorate. Area media services will be asked to broadcast periodic updates.
If you have not signed up for Josephine County Citizen’s Alert, Josephine County’s emergency notification system, you can sign up on line at www.rvem.org.
A human shelter has been established at the Grants Pass High School.
An animal shelter has been established at the Josephine County Fairgrounds.
These evacuation notices are based on fire activity from the Taylor Creek Fire.
July 26, 2018
Morning Update 7-26-18 – 8:00am
QUICK FACTS:
Size: 21,443 acres
Change in last 24 hrs. +1,499 acres
Containment: 19%
Start Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.
Expected Containment Date: 8/7/18
Location: Josephine County
Cause: Lightning
Est. Cost: $16.9 million
Personnel: 2491
Assigned Resources:
Handcrews: 76
Engines: 112
Dozers: 31
Water Tenders: 42
Assigned Aircraft: 27
Structure Task Forces: 9
A “red flag” weather warning means conditions will be prime for rapid fire growth today. Firefighters were cautioned at this morning’s briefing that with gusty winds in the forecast, high temperatures and low humidity, conditions call for a high level of vigilance. In addition, much of the smoke that has been trapped over the fires has cleared out. “The fire will be getting a breath of fresh air today” says Incident Meteorologist Tom Wright, which could produce large smoke columns.
The clear air also means the fires’ helicopters and airplanes should have good flying weather. They will be used, as needed, to help maintain our control lines. And, if conditions are right, aerial ignitions are planned to remove unburned fuels between the active fire and the lines. In all, there are over 70 miles of fire line. Today, firefighters will patrol, strengthen and “mop up” the lines on the Grave Creek portion the Garner Complex. “Mop up” means making sure all fire along the line is out cold.
Last night, a spot fire did threaten the line in the Shan Creek area on the Taylor Fire but firefighters worked to contain it all night and into this morning. A top priority today will be to make sure that portion of the line stays secure.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown, along with other state and local elected officials, are planning a visit to the Garner Complex this morning. Also today, the United States Forest Service became part of the unified command, joining the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office. Much of the Taylor Creek Fire is burning on and threatening forest service lands. Finally, firefighters will be taking a “tactical pause” today to review the things needed to keep them safe, such as communications, escape routes and safety zones, and medical emergency procedures.
Grave Creek/Section 14/Ditch Creek 7,259
For a downloadable, printable version of this update, click here –
https://tinyurl.com/GarnerComplexAMUpdate7-26
July 25, 2018
GARNER COMPLEX
#UPDATEEvening Update 7-25-18 – 10:00pm
QUICK FACTS:
Size: 19,944 acres
Change in last 24 hrs. +2,575 acres
Containment: 19%
Start Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.
Expected Containment Date: 8/7/18
Location: Josephine County
Cause: Lightning
Est. Cost: $16.9 million
Personnel: 2491
Assigned Resources:
Handcrews: 76
Engines: 112
Dozers: 31
Water Tenders: 42
Assigned Aircraft: 27
Structure Task Forces: 9
Burnout operations are planned overnight on the Grave Creek Fire, Taylor Creek Fire and Pleasant Creek Fire. The burnouts are dependent on weather and conditions on the fire at the time of the planned burnout. If conditions are not right, the firefighters will not light the burnout. Because we’re burning at night, individual tree torching may be visible, especially at the Limpy Creek Road and Shan Creek Road areas.
Burnout means: setting fire inside a control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line. Wildland and structural fire fighters, who are on the fire lines 24 hours, will continue efforts to keep the fire inside the control lines. While wildland fire fighters fight the fire, the role of the OSFM resources is to protect structures by prepping (trimming) and creating defensible space around homes.
For the Grave Creek Fire/Ditch Creek Fire the plan for overnight is to conduct burnout operations along the east and south edges, if conditions allow. The west edge is holding to the road and will patrolled. The OSFM Task Force will be patrolling homes during the burnout operations.
The Taylor Creek Fire will have task forces, a group of engines, in the Limpy Creek, Shan Creek and the Pickett area to continue prepping and holding the lines around structures during the burnout operations. There will be other task forces continuing to patrol, prep and assess structures in the surrounding area.
The air quality in communities around the Garner Complex continues to be between Unhealthy to Very Unhealthy due to the many fires in the region. For information about wildfire smoke and your health, go to the Oregon Smoke Information website at—
http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
July 25, 2018
Burnout operations on the Garner Complex Fire may be visible tonight from the following rural areas:
Grave Creek Rd, Pleasant Creek Rd, Limpy Creek Rd., West Pickett Rd.
Both the Oregon Department of Forestry and Oregon State Fire Marshall will be on the fireline working through the night monitoring the burn. The surrounding communities may see increased fire activity and smokier conditions. Burnout operations will only occur if weather conditions are favorable.
July 25, 2018
GARNER COMPLEX
#UPDATEEvening Update 7-25-18 – 9:00am
QUICK FACTS:
Size: 19,944 acres
Change in last 24 hrs. +2,575 acres
Containment: 18%
Start Date/Time: 7/15/2018 9:00a.m.
Expected Containment Date: 8/7/18
Location: Josephine County
Cause: Lightning
Est. Cost: $13.9 million
Personnel: 2432
Assigned Resources:
Handcrews: 74
Engines: 112
Dozers: 35
Water Tenders: 47
Assigned Aircraft: 27
Structure Task Forces: 9
Last night’s burnout operations were conducted on the Taylor Creek Fire. Burnout means: setting fire inside a control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line. Individual tree torching was visible through the night. However, all fire remains within the control lines due to the efforts of both wildland and structural fire fighters, who worked through the night.
All day today burnout operations will be conducted on the south and east sides of the Taylor Creek fire and the south side of the Grave Creek Fire. The public will see more active fire and smoke in these areas. These burnout operations are critical for widening the control firelines that are strategically placed to control the fire.
The total current acres on each fire:
Taylor Creek 11,831
Grave Creek/Ditch Creek 7,047
Pleasant Creek 832
Spencer Creek 228
King Mountain 6
There will be a more detailed update released this afternoon about current operations on these fires.
Today’s weather will continue to be very hot and dry. There will be light variable winds this morning until around 1:00 this afternoon. At that point winds will be west-northwest at 5-10 miles per hour. This will cause smoke to blow towards the SE side of the fires. More air quality information can be found at
https://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/ or the Oregon Department of Environmental-Air Quality Monitoring Data website located here
https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map.
For most current evacuation information, please contact the Joint Information Center at 541-474-5305 (8 AM—8 PM). A Red Cross Shelter is set up at the Grants Pass High School at 830 NE 9th Street in Grants Pass. 541-474-5710.
