APPLEGATE LAKE, Ore. (June 30, 2022) – The Collings Mountain Fire is now 100% lined following the dayshift on Thursday, and slow but steady progress is being made on the mop-up efforts, now 65% complete. Following accurate GPS mapping, the final size of the fire was found to be nine acres. The fire is located on private land approximately 1.5 miles west of Applegate Lake. The cause remains under investigation.
During Thursday’s day shift, rolling debris caused a breach in the fire line, and a new quarter-acre spot kept crews busy. They were able to reconstruct the fire line and extinguish and mop up the new fire. Our firefighters encountered a few rattlesnakes, and continue to be challenged by the steep, rocky terrain and hazardous trees and boulders; these concerns are slowing down our operations, as we focus on the safety of our firefighters. However, we remain dedicated to constant progress in our mop-up work.
Tonight, two 20-person crews will be continuing these efforts, along with two type six engines, a water tender and ODF overhead personnel. For tomorrow’s day shift, three new 20-person crews will be assigned to the incident, as well as two type 6 engines, four water tenders and a tree faller. Due to status of this incident, this will be the final update unless conditions significantly change.
The ODF Southwest Oregon District will be bringing on the first of its aircraft beginning on Friday; our severity type 2 helicopter will be stationed at the Grants Pass airport and ready to respond to calls. We also maintain our ‘call when needed’ list for additional aircraft.
Friday also marks the start of Moderate fire danger in Jackson and Josephine counties. A complete list of new regulations are available on our website, www.swofire.com. Additional fire season information is available online on our Facebook page: @ODFSouthwest.