JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (July 11, 2025)—Overnight, crews continued to make progress on all incidents across Jackson and Josephine counties, with control line around all fires and mop-up operations underway. Mop-up operations refer to the process of establishing water access around the fire, which includes setting pumps and miles of hose lines to extinguishing remaining hot spots along the perimeter to prevent rekindling in the hot, dry summer months.
ODF Complex Incident Management Team 3 is in command of a group of lightning fires dubbed the Grizzly Complex that started on Monday, July 7. The Neil Creek Road Fire, which was already assigned to IMT 3, was also formally assigned to the complex. Southwest Oregon District continues suppression efforts on additional fires within the district.
More than 1,600 personnel are assigned to the Grizzly Complex and are assisting with response to potential new fire starts within the complex.
“We have been aggressively fighting these fires day and night, and we’re making great progress on holding their current footprints,” said ODF CIMT 3 Incident Commander Tyler McCarty. “But this isn’t over. The temperatures are rising, and hot, windy conditions persist. We need the public’s help to keep fires from starting so we can concentrate on finishing the good work to cool these fires and keep them from restarting.”
Today, the following fires remain the largest incidents under ODF CIMT3 Incident Management:
- The Neil Creek Road Fire – located west of I-5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Crews have completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up and add more direct lines around portions of the fire, removing unburned vegetation that could threaten the line’s strength. The fire has been GPS mapped at 237 acres. Evacuation notices: Zones JAC-542, JAC-543, JAC-546, JAC-558 and JAC-559 under a Level 2 – Be Set. Zone JAC-536 remains at a Level 1 – Be Ready. More information on current evacuations can be found at: https://protect.genasys.com/. One lane of I-5 is closed between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5 on southbound lanes only. Check tripcheck.com for up-to-date traffic information.
- The Deming Gulch Fire – located northeast of Buncom. The fire is currently estimated at 250 acres. Crews have completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up. There are currently no evacuation notices.
- The North Fork Deer Creek Fire – the 27-acre fire is located in the hills above the 8000-block of Deer Creek Road east of Selma. There are no current evacuation orders for this incident.
- The Jim Me Peak Fire – the 70-acre fire is located in a remote area south of Applegate. Crews have completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up and add more direct lines around portions of the fire to remove unburned vegetation from inside the line, strengthening it.
- The Palmer Peak Fire – the 76-acre fire is located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Crews have completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up. There are no current evacuation orders for this incident.
- The Holcomb Peak Fire – the 25-acre fire is located southwest of Williams. Crews completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up.
- The Sulfur Springs Fire – the 35-acre fire is located southeast of Buncom and Cinnabar Mountain. Crews have completely lined the perimeter of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up.
- The Benson Gulch Fire, – the 9.6 acre fire is located south of Applegate Road and Button Butte, west of Buncom. Crews have completely lined the of the fire and are continuing to expand mop-up.
The following fires are managed by the ODF District:
- The Heppsie Mountain Fire – the 50-acre fire is located south of Highway 140. Firefighters worked overnight to clean up areas of the line that held pockets of unburned vegetation, strengthening those portions. The fire remains 100% lined. Resources will continue to bolster the fire line around the perimeter and continue mop-up operations. A Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation remains in place for: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations issued by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/.
- The Poole Hill Fire – located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. Overnight, progress continued on mopping up the fire. Today, firefighters will push forward on this work, extinguishing hotspots into the interior of the fire, ensuring it won’t flare up again. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
Most of these fires were caused by lightning strikes following thunderstorms Monday night. Other small fires are still staffed across the district.
Aircraft continues to be a critical asset and was used throughout the day. As a reminder, drone use around fires is illegal, and incredibly dangerous to pilots working on incidents; if you fly, we can’t. All illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.
Due to the large number of fires, updates on smaller incidents are not being provided at this time; if conditions change and there are any threats to homes, communities or roads, information will be provided as timely and accurately as possible.
Temperatures are expected to reach triple digits this weekend, which will naturally increase fire activity. While resources remain engaged on these lightning-caused incidents, communities can help to prevent new fires from starting by following all current fire regulations, found here: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.
For local fire information anytime, visit the district’s Facebook page, @ODFSouthwest or website, www.swofire.com.