East Evans Creek Firefighters catch new spot fires and breaches of control line, continue to make progress despite hot, windy conditions
SAMS VALLEY, Ore. – Firefighters working on the East Evans Creek Fire continued to make progress across the incident on Monday, catching numerous new spot fires, building control line to stop new growth, and adding depth through mop-up operations. Cloud cover throughout the day helped to naturally decrease fire behavior in some areas, and resources took advantage of this opportunity to push forward on connecting and strengthening fireline. In other locations, wind factored into more active fire behavior, which resulted in several new spot fires, all of which were caught at small sizes. An overnight infrared (IR) flight will be ordered to map the fire and determine total new acreage. To date, firefighters have established more than 60 miles of control line on these fires and overall, containment has increased to 17% due to this work.
The Board Mountain spot fire remains the most active portion of the incident, and this morning, fire crossed a control line on the southeastern flank. Resources assigned to the southern portion were able to catch it and tighten up that area of control line today using heavy equipment and helicopters. Structural resources continued to support suppression efforts by providing a continuous water re-supply to helicopters at dip locations. Firefighters also focused their efforts on lining green islands of unburned vegetation within the fire’s perimeter to prevent them from potentially igniting later and threatening the line; in some of these areas, resources may conduct small-scale strategic firing operations tonight to eliminate the threat in a controlled manner. This work, if necessary, will aid in strengthening the fireline and ultimately contribute to greater containment in this area.
Due to elevated fire activity on the southern portion of the Board Mountain spot fire the past couple of days, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management issued precautionary Level 1 Be Ready evacuation notices for zones JAC-161 and JAC-204, just south of the fire late this morning. Additional evacuation information, including how to find your evacuation zone, is available below.
On the Canyon Creek spot fire, west of Shady Cove, small spot fires were located by aircraft, and firefighters were able to quickly respond and stop their growth. Resources have been working to extinguish these new spots and will continue to do so overnight. There are areas of unburned vegetation in the Canyon Creek spot fire as well and resources are working to address this potential threat to the line. If left unchecked, these fuels could ignite and create new spot fires.
On the spot fire northwest of Hull Mountain near Ramsey Canyon Road, firefighters are nearing 100-feet of mop-up into the interior of the fire on all sides. To assist firefighters with mop-up, structural engines are continuing to supply water up stretches of steep terrain. On the main body of the fire, resources also pushed forward on mopping up along the established perimeter, in some areas reaching 75-100 feet into the interior of the fire.
Wildland firefighters working overnight will continue the work that dayshift crews have done, strengthening line across the incident. Warmer evening conditions and lower relative humidity may mean slightly elevated fire activity, which will allow firefighters to more easily locate hotspots. Structural resources continue to maintain a presence in the Shady Cove, Trail, Long Branch and Dry Creek Communities, as well as the Antioch, Jones Roaad and Pomeroy areas. Mop-up work in these areas has been extensive, and as it continues, firefighters will be working further out from homes in these areas. Resources will once again be using handheld infrared (IR) tools to find and extinguish remaining heat to further secure these areas.
Hot temperatures and windy conditions remain in the extended forecast, along with the addition of potential thunderstorms over the fire area this week. Due to this threat, a fire weather watch has been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) for abundant lightning on dry fuels from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Instability in the atmosphere may contribute to storms, but precipitation is not a guarantee; dry lightning may be a possibility, which could ignite new fires in the area. A group of resources from the fire have been pre-identified to support the local district and respond to new fire starts if needed.
Evacuations: There are evacuations in place in both Jackson and Douglas counties, issued by both counties’ Sheriff’s Offices and Emergency Management. Up-to-date evacuations are available here: https://readyjacksonco.com/Emergency/emergency-information-hub-east-evans-creek-road-fire
Find your evacuation zone here: https://tinyurl.com/EastEvansCreekFireEvacMap
Road/Land Closures: Traffic is closed to the public on East Evans Creek Road at Meadows Road. The BLM has issued a road closure for West Fork Evans Creek Road and Rock Creek Road. Please avoid the fire area to allow firefighters and heavy equipment to operate safely. Road closure information is available on https://tripcheck.com/
A closure order for BLM-administered lands near the East Evans Creek Fire is in place. Public entry, including hunting, hiking, and camping, is prohibited. More information about the closure, including a map, is available online at www.blm.gov/orwafire.
Smoke Impacts: Smoke from the East Evans Creek Fire may settle into valleys and other low-lying areas, reducing visibility and impacting air quality in nearby communities. Smoke conditions can change throughout the day as winds shift. Individuals sensitive to smoke should take appropriate precautions. For current air quality information and smoke forecasts, visit: https://fire.airnow.gov/.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place for the fire area daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_4915
Flying a drone near or around a wildfire is illegal, compromises the safety of both pilots and firefighters, and interferes with firefighting efforts.
Cause: The fire started on Friday, July 10th at 2:41 p.m. after a car crashed into a power pole, sparking dry vegetation in the area. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the cause of the crash.