Firefighters working
on the East Evans Fire have reached 48% containment Tuesday night, nearly
hitting the halfway point of mop-up operations. The fire, located on the
18000-block of East Evans Creek road, is a total of 155 acres.
Crews continued to make significant progress on Tuesday, completing 200 feet of mop-up into the fires perimeter on both divisions; that work will continue into this evening. Due to the consistent progress, resources on the fire are decreasing overnight; seven crews, six engines, and four water tenders will take over the lines, for a total of 175 personnel dedicated to the fire.
Tree fallers have also made great progress on mitigating hazards on the fire, falling approximately 70% of the snags that posed a risk to firefighters. Dead and dangerous trees have been a concern on the line for firefighters; these efforts have increased safety on the line.
Nearly 30
residences in the area remain under a LEVEL 1 (BE READY) evacuation notice,
ordered by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). A roadblock remains in
place at East Evans Creek road between May Creek road and Meadows road;
only residents and emergency personnel are permitted through.
The investigation on the cause of the East Evans Fire is being handled by the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Oregon State Police. It was initially reported as a structure fire at approximately 2 p.m. Friday, August 2.
ODF Southwest Oregon District is greatly appreciative of our
partnership with the
Medford District BLM on this fire, as well as
the efforts made by our partner agencies, including the Rogue Valley Fire
Chief’s Association, OSFM, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson
County Fire District Five, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Roads, and Jackson County Emergency Management.
Updates on the East Evans Fire can be found on our Facebook Page: @ODFSouthwest.
Despite steep
terrain, crews working on the East Evans Fire are continuing to make consistent
progress on the line, increasing containment overnight to 38%. The fire,
located on the 18000-block of East Evans Creek road, remains 155 acres with a
strong perimeter.
Resources on the fire are increasing, with more than 250 personnel dedicated to this incident. Six tree fallers, 13 crews, 10 engines, 10 water tenders, and one bulldozer will be on the line today. One Type 2 and three Type 1 helicopters will also be available for air support, along with two air attack platforms.
The biggest challenge crews are currently facing is the steep terrain, particularly on the north side of the fire. Mop-up operations have been hindered due to the risks presented to firefighters in this area, and crews will be focused on progressing containment.
Safety remains a top priority on Tuesday, following a rollover accident of a Croman semi-truck Monday night at approximately 8:45 p.m. The semi, towing 5,000 gallons of Jet A fuel, was leaving the Beagle helibase in Shady Cove following its assignment on the fire when the accident occurred. The driver suffered minor injuries, was treated at a local hospital, and released. A HazMat response was requested. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Nearly 30
residences in the area remain under a LEVEL 1 (BE READY) evacuation notice,
ordered by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO). A roadblock remains in
place at East Evans Creek road between May Creek road and Meadows road;
only residents and emergency personnel are permitted through.
The investigation on the cause of the East Evans Fire is being handled by the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Oregon State Police. It was initially reported as a structure fire at approximately 2 p.m. Friday, August 2.
ODF Southwest Oregon District is greatly appreciative of our
partnership with the
BLM on this fire, as well as the efforts made by
our partner agencies, including the Rogue Valley Fire Chief’s
Association, OSFM, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson
County Fire District Five, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Roads, and Jackson County Emergency Management.
Updates on the East Evans Fire can be found on our Facebook Page: @ODFSouthwest.
Firefighters
working on the East Evans Fire are continuing to make great progress on mop-up,
increasing containment to 33% on Monday. The perimeter is holding, and the fire
remains 155 acres.
As of 6 p.m. Monday evening, the
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has lowered the 11 LEVEL 3 (GO) evacuations to
LEVEL 1 (BE READY) notices. Those residences will join an additional 18 LEVEL 1
notices that have been in effect since the fire started. A roadblock will
remain in place on East Evans Creek road, however residents will be given
access.
Resources
on the fire Monday night include 10 crews, 10 engines, five water tenders, one
bulldozer and three type one helicopters until nightfall. Firefighters will
continue mopping up, with a goal of moving an additional 50 to 75 feet into the
interior of the fire.
The East Evans Fire was
initially reported as a structure fire at approximately 2 p.m. Friday, August 2.
The Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and Oregon State Police are
investigating the cause.
ODF Southwest Oregon District is greatly appreciative of our
partnership with the
BLM on this fire, as well as the efforts made by
our partner agencies, including the Rogue Valley Fire Chief’s
Association, Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson
County Fire District Five, Mercy Flights, Jackson County Roads, and Jackson County Emergency Management.
Updates on the East Evans Fire can be found on our Facebook Page: @ODFSouthwest.
Firefighters assigned
to the Little Applegate Complex completed mop-up operations on Monday afternoon,
and both fires are 100% contained. Following accurate GPS mapping, the Little
Applegate Fire was contained at six acres, and the Yale West Fire was mapped at
just under an acre. All crews have since cleared the scene.
The Little
Applegate Complex, located in the Applegate Valley on the 6500-block of Little
Applegate road, was started by lightning at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Resources, including more than 160 personnel, were sent to the fires within the
first two hours, some crews rerouted from the East Evans Fire. With the help of
our partner agencies, Applegate Valley Fire Department and the Bureau of Land
Management, ODF crews were able to contain both fires within the first 24 hours
after they were reported.
One LEVEL 3
(GO) evacuation and three LEVEL 1 (BE READY) notices were issued by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO)
and the Rogue Valley Fire Chief’s Association; all have since been lifted,
along with a road closure at Little Applegate and Buncom roads.
This will be
the final update for the Little Applegate Complex unless conditions significantly
change.
Lightning
struck in the Applegate Valley at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, sparking
the first lightning-caused fires of the 2019 Fire Season. With the potential
for thunderstorms in the forecast throughout this week, firefighters are
prepared to respond to additional starts related to lightning strikes. At the
same time, the Fire Danger Level has increased to Extreme (Red), and ODF is
requesting heightened public awareness, as crews remain engaged on three fires on
the District.
This morning, firefighters are continuing to mop up the Little
Applegate Fire, located just north of the 6500 block of Little Applegate road,
southwest of Talent. It was first reported to dispatch Sunday evening, in the
same area lightning had recently struck. ODF Detection Specialists, along with
air attack en route to the report were able to confirm a sighting of smoke in
the area. A second fire south of Little Applegate road, the Yale West Fire, was
also spotted by air resources and crews arriving on scene. Both were initially
reported to be half an acre.
Additional
resources were called in, including engines, crews and aircraft from the East
Evans Fire. Within the first two hours, more than 160 personnel were assigned
to these fires, designated the Little Applegate Complex. Resources included 15
engines, seven crews, two water tenders, one bulldozer, multiple helicopters
and the District’s large airtanker (LAT). Crews, along with our partner
agencies, Applegate Valley Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management,
were able to contain the Yale West Fire just under an acre, and the Little
Applegate Fire at 13 acres.
The Jackson
County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO)
and the Rogue Valley Fire Chief’s Association made one LEVEL 3 (GO) evacuation,
and placed three other residences in the area under a LEVEL 1 (BE READY). All
residents were notified personally by officials. Additionally, Little Applegate
road was closed at the intersection of Buncom road. Aside from residents, the
public is requested to keep clear of the area.
Crews will
remain on scene today, continuing mop-up operations and monitoring any
potential flare-up’s. Resources will also be available to divert to any new
potential fire starts.
As of Monday, August 5, 2019, lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in Jackson and Josephine Counties are in Extreme Fire Danger (Red) and new restrictions are in place. More information on current fire regulations can be found on the District’s Facebook page: @ODFsouthwest.
