August 29, 2019
*This will be the final update on the Gyda Fire unless conditions significantly change.*
Containment on the Gyda Fire, located on the 11000-block of Highway 238, continues to steadily increase, jumping up to 57% as of Thursday morning. Crews pushed forward in mop-up operations, reaching the overnight goal of 150 feet into the fire; dayshift crews are aiming to extend another 100 feet past the perimeter on Thursday. Fire lines are holding steady, keeping the fire at 54 acres.
Resources assigned to the fire on Thursday include 13 crews, 14 engines, six water tenders, one bulldozer, and multiple tree fallers, adding up to more than 270 personnel. Tree falling operations will continue, mitigating hazardous snags in the northeast corner of the fire, while firefighters will continue extinguishing hotspots.
The
Gyda Fire was first reported on Tuesday afternoon at approximately 3:50 p.m., burning
mostly on private land, affecting a few acres of BLM-managed land as well. Two
outbuildings were destroyed, however 12 homes in the immediate area were
protected by structural resources from multiple local fire agencies, and no
evacuations were put in place.
ODF
greatly appreciates our partners on this fire, including the Bureau of Land
Management, Applegate Valley Fire District, Jacksonville Fire Department,
Jackson County Fire District 3, Rural/Metro Fire, Grants Pass Fire-Rescue,
Illinois Valley Fire Department, Rogue River Fire Department, the Oregon
Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, the Jackson County
Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police.
The
cause of the Gyda Fire remains under investigation. This will be the final
update unless conditions significantly change.
August 28, 2019
The
Gyda Fire, located on the 11000-block of Highway 238, is now 40% contained
following the joint efforts of the first two shifts. Accurate GPS mapping on
Wednesday has placed the fire at 54 acres. Dayshift crews have continued
forward progress on mop-up operations, reaching 50 feet into the fire’s interior;
firefighters assigned to the fire Wednesday evening have a goal of mopping up
to 150 feet in.
Resources assigned to the fire overnight include six crews, eight engines, five water tenders and one bulldozer; personnel is near 200. Air resources are available, but have not been needed. Tree fallers have made progress on hazardous trees on the northeast corner, taking down approximately 75 snags on Wednesday. The work done will help firefighters safely get to hot spots in the area.
Houses near the fire remain without evacuations, however, travelers in the area should be aware of possible firetrucks and equipment in the area on Highway 238. The cause of this fire remains under investigation.
ODF
would like to extend thanks to our partners on this fire, including the Bureau
of Land Management, Applegate Valley Fire District, Jacksonville Fire
Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, Rural/Metro Fire, Grants Pass
Fire-Rescue, Illinois Valley Fire Department, Rogue River Fire Department, the
Oregon Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, the Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police.
August 28, 2019
Firefighters
working on the Gyda Fire, located along the 11000-block of Highway 238, made
significant progress overnight; the fire is 100% lined, and mop-up operations
have begun. The fire is estimated to be 55 acres burning on private and BLM
land, however, GPS mapping will likely take place on Wednesday to provide a
more accurate value.
The Gyda Fire was first reported at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. Applegate Valley Fire Department responded alongside ODF. When resources arrived on scene, an outbuilding was discovered to be fully involved. Another outbuilding was also destroyed by the fire. Structural resources were able to defend 12 homes in the immediate area, resulting in no damage or evacuations. Structural resources stayed on scene until midnight, and conducted patrols on the residences throughout the remainder of the early morning hours, while ODF crews began mop-up operations. Firefighters were able to move 25 feet into the fire, identifying and extinguishing hot spots.
Mop-up will continue into Wednesday, as day shift crews take over; firefighters have a goal of extending the efforts another 25 to 75 feet into the perimeter. Overnight, crews ran into difficulty in the northeast corner of the fire, where multiple snags were found, creating a hazardous situation. Tree fallers are assigned to the area today to mitigate those hazards. Steep terrain is also creating a challenge for crews; safety is paramount, and thankfully, no injuries have been reported on this fire.
Aircraft will be available to this fire as needed on Wednesday, however, air resources may be utilized for detection, as there is a potential for lightning in the forecast. District resources are available to tackle initial attack on lightning-caused fires. Resources from regional partners are also at work on this fire, including the Bureau of Land Management, Applegate Valley Fire District, Jacksonville Fire Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, Rural/Metro Fire, Grants Pass Fire-Rescue, Illinois Valley Fire Department, Rogue River Fire Department, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police. These resources and partnerships are greatly appreciated by ODF Southwest Oregon District.
August 27, 2019
Hours
after the Gyda Fire was initially reported, fire crews were able to line most
of the area burned, saving a dozen homes. The fire, located on the 11000-block
of Highway 238, is estimated to be 55 acres. Firefighters will be focused on
completing the fire line overnight, and strengthening the perimeter. Resources
assigned to the fire overnight include eight engines, six crews, five water
tenders, and three bulldozers.
The Gyda fire was first reported at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon to Applegate Valley Fire District and the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). Both agencies responded with engines; crews, bulldozers, water tenders, and air support including two large airtankers (LATs), and four helicopters were brought in by ODF. Initially reported to be approximately 10 acres, the fire was burning up steep terrain and threatening 12 houses in the area. With the help of structural resources, firefighters were able to save the residences. By 6 p.m., airtankers assigned to the fire were able to create a temporary fire line with retardant that crews were able to quickly build upon and secure.
Two
out buildings were initially reported as damaged by the fire, however following
further inspection, both have been determined to be destroyed. Evacuations were
not issued, however traffic in the area was slowed due to the nearby incident.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A number of ODF’s partner agencies have provided resources, including the Bureau of Land Management, Applegate Valley Fire District, Jacksonville Fire Department, Jackson County Fire District 3, Rural/Metro Fire, Grants Pass Fire-Rescue, Illinois Valley Fire Department, Rogue River Fire Department, the Oregon Department of Transportation, the U.S. Forest Service, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police. These resources and partnerships are greatly appreciated by ODF Southwest Oregon District.
August 12, 2019
While thunderstorms over the
weekend did spark eight small fires, each under 1/10th of an acre,
the benefit of the rain has helped crews finishing up on the Panther Gulch and
East Evans Fires, boosting containment on both. Firefighters on both fires are
expected to complete the mop-up process this week.
On Tuesday, July 30, the Panther Gulch Fire
was reported to ODF crews around 6 p.m. With the help of aircraft, firefighters
on the ground were able to gain the upper hand on the first shift. Accurate GIS
mapping placed the fire at 65 acres, very close to the size firefighters originally
estimated it to be. The Panther Gulch Fire is now 98% contained.
On Friday, August 2, the East Evans Fire was reported as a structure
fire at 2 p.m. Crews arrived to a burning
structure and five acres of active fire. Firefighters were able to construct a
perimeter around the East Evans Fire at 155 acres; it is now 95% contained.
As the weather continues to warm up, fire starts from lightning over the weekend have the potential to flare up in the heat. All staff at the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District are prepared to respond to these reports. Updates are available on our Facebook page: @ODFSouthwest.
