JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (Aug. 21, 2022) – Despite windy conditions that threatened control lines, all perimeters remained strong and intact today, allowing firefighters to meet their goal for the day. The teamwork between air and ground resources prevented all fires from spotting over lines, and while some aircraft were utilized, the majority of their work was keeping the interiors of fires in check. All fires within the Westside Complex are in full mop-up operations. There are currently 593 personnel assigned to the Westside Complex split between day and night shift. Personnel include 33 crews, 18 timber fallers, 43 engine and equipment operators, and 23 overhead personnel.
In Josephine County, fires within the Lightning Gulch Complex still under ODF management are fully lined and in mop-up, including the two holdover fires discovered Saturday evening in the Jack Creek area. Northwest Incident Management Team 13 is now overseeing the Rum Creek and Hog Creek fires. For more information on those fires visit https://www.facebook.com/rumcreekfire2022 or on Inciweb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8348/.
No homes are threatened, and no evacuation orders have been placed. Please be aware of any potential changes and follow Jackson County Emergency Management, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Josephine County Emergency Management and the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office for any evacuation information.
New starts from human-caused fires continue to be minimal. ODF fire managers and our partners appreciate the attention to fire prevention. The district remains in extreme fire danger with many fire-prone activities prohibited; a current list of regulations is available on https://swofire.com/. If your plans include traveling to other parts of the state, please visit https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx to learn about fire restrictions in those areas.
As a reminder, the Bureau of Land Management has closed the Rainie Falls Trail until further notice. Please help us protect firefighters and first responders by avoiding Galice Road and the Grave Creek area. The BLM is encouraging recreational boaters to avoid the river between Hellgate Canyon and Grave Creek.
Fire information is always available on our Facebook page @ODF Southwest Oregon District.