Archie Creek Fire update for Sept. 18, 2020 & virtual public meeting tonight at 7 p.m.

September 18, 2020

Update for Sept. 18, 2020

Southern Area Red Team, Incident Commander Mike Dueitt

Email: 2020.archiecreek@firenet.gov
Phone: 971-334-7674 Hours: 7am-8pm
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7176/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Archie-Creek-Fire-Information-120244459815292/

Special Note: Fire personnel will hold a virtual public meeting about the Archie Creek Fire via Zoom tonight at 7:00 p.m. To join, go to: https://usfs.zoomgov.com/j/1617467845?pwd=d211WXp4a3ZXMTdyQjJwRE5zQ0NYZz09

Fire Update: The Archie Creek Fire has burned 130,429 acres and is 25% contained. There are currently 1,094 personnel assigned to the fire. Yesterday the Southern Area Red Type 1 Incident Management Team with Incident Commander Mike Dueitt shadowed the Northwest Incident Management Team 9 with Incident Commander Brian Goff. Today Team 9 transferred management of the fire to the Red Team, who joins in Unified Command with the Douglas Forest Protective Association, Bureau of Land Management and USDA Forest Service. The Red Team thanks Team 9 for a smooth transition and looks forward to serving the communities affected by this devastating wildfire.

The fire was most active yesterday on the south, east and northern edges and these will be areas of focus today. In the south, fire backed down slopes to Little River Road. Firefighters monitored this area and kept the fire from crossing the road. In the east, fire slopped over containment lines on the 4714 (Panther Creek) Road in three places. Firefighters contained two of these areas and will work to contain the third area today. Along the northeastern edge of the fire, operators of bulldozers and logging equipment are working to connect old logging roads for firelines to protect threats to timber sales.

Fire mop up and improvement of firelines continues throughout the fire, including mop up around structures in Glide and Idleyld Park. Recent rain and humid air is allowing firefighters and heavy equipment to work closer to the fire’s edge to contain it. Improvement of firelines continues along the 2500 road system at the northern edge of the fire at the upper drainages of Rock Creek, along the 600 road series at the southeast side of the fire, where bulldozers and masticators are working and in the Hinkle Creek area at the northwest side of the fire.

Firefighters continue to take actions to keep the fire from spreading to structures. They are protecting structures from fire in all areas of the fire, including along Little River Road. Yesterday good progress was made in protecting Wolf Creek Job Corps at the southern edge of the fire. Work continues to open Rock Creek access roads to Scott Mountain to protect communication equipment there.

North of Highway 138E, in the Steamboat area, firefighters and heavy equipment continue to work along Canton Creek Road to Trapper Creek to build contingency firelines in case the fire crosses primary firelines.

Helicopters and airplanes were unable to fly again yesterday due to the thick smoke. Four helicopters are available for use when the smoke clears.

A low pressure system brought rain to the fire area yesterday, with a wetting rain on the western side of the fire. More rain is expected this afternoon, with at least 0.25 inches is expected to fall on the fire area through Friday night. The area has not seen wetting rain since June. With a chance of thunderstorms and hail this afternoon into the evening, firefighters will be vigilant for severe weather and possible debris flows. The rain will again help moderate fire behavior, but live and dead vegetation will dry out quickly once the low pressure system passes.

Highway 138E remains closed to all non-fire traffic from Milepost 21 through Milepost 83. Crews from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Douglas County Public Works Department, Pacific Power and their contractors continue to work along Highway 138E, Rock Creek Road and other county-maintained roads within the footprint of the fire.

Archie Creek Fire Donations: At this time, the Archie Creek Fire management team does not need donations. To help firefighters and their families, please contact the Wildland Firefighters Foundation at wffoundation.org/or 208-336-2996.

The following agencies and organizations are helping those who were affected by this fire and are accepting donations.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=s-xclick&hosted_button_id=3D2BEGT2AJBRS&source=url

  • Douglas Timber Operators / Umpqua Fisheries Enhancement Derby:

https://donorbox.org/2020-archie-creek-fire-relief-fund

  • Saving Grace: savinggrace.info 541-672-3907.
  • Red Cross: Located at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Check for current needs.
  • Oregon Department of Human Services: Check for current needs. Food items will not be accepted. Donations can be dropped off this week at the Roseburg Department of Human Services building at 738 W Harvard, Roseburg OR M-F, 9am-4pm through 9/18/20

Evacuations, shelter areas: An interactive map of the current evacuation area can be found at www.dcso.com/evacuations.  For more evacuation information, visit the Douglas County Sheriff website www.dcso.com/evacuations and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCoSO

The Red Cross has services and a shelter at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Call 541-672-6581 The Western Oregon Expo Fairgrounds in Cottage Grove has space for evacuees, livestock and tents. Contact Skye Hefner at 541-556-2727 for more information.

Air quality: See the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at http://www.oregon.gov/deq

Closures:

  • Roads – Highway 138E remains closed to all non-fire traffic from Milepost 21 through Milepost 83. Monitor tripcheck.com for updates on the highway closures.
  • Bureau of Land Management – All lands east of Interstate 5, within the Swiftwater Resource Area are closed.
  • Umpqua National Forest – Maps and closure orders can be found on Inciweb at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7176/.  Additional information on the Forest Service closures are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices Managed lands east of Interstate 5, within the Swiftwater Resource Area are closed.
  • Temporary Flight Restriction: There is a temporary flight restriction in effect for the Archie Creek Fire.

 

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