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.
