8/1/2015 - Cable Crossing Fire - 1 PM Update

Very high temperatures, erratic winds, dry fuels and steep terrain combined to produce extreme fire behavior on the Cable Crossing Fire Friday afternoon. Although the fire size remained stable throughout the night at 1,110 acres, last night’s smoke column generated a few new spot fires to the south of the main fire that firefighters quickly responded to. The fire remains 15 percent contained.

 Fire fighters are facing these same conditions today. A Red Flag Warning is in place with the forecast calling for afternoon winds, temperatures near 95, low humidity and a chance of thunderstorms—all of which make for very active fire behavior and hampers the efforts to slow the fire’s advance.

Firefighters are utilizing bulldozers, helicopters and retardant dropping air tankers to harden contingency lines with hopes of conducting burnout operations under favorable conditions in the next couple of days. These tactics will eliminate fuels between control lines and the head of the fire, which will take away the fire’s momentum

In the Ready, Set, Go or 1, 2, 3 evacuation level system, a Level 1 “Ready” notification remains in place from the Peel Store to the Wolf Creek Trail Head on Little River Road. As indicated, a Level 1 Evacuation notification encourages those affected to be ready should the fire continue to move towards these areas. This making preparations and precautionary movements of persons with special needs, livestock and pets.

ODF will be holding a community meeting Saturday evening at the Glide Fire Department at 7:00 p.m. where fire managers will provide information and answer questions. Residents from the local area are encouraged to attend.

The fire is burning on private and public lands in the heart of the North Umpqua Wild and Scenic Corridor six miles east of Glide. While private landowners have closed their holdings to the public, Bureau of Land Management has also imposed a fire area closure. Highway 138 remains open. Forest roads remain closed in and around the fire area.

In addition, Industrial Fire Precaution Level IV is in effect throughout the Douglas District that prohibits forest operations due to extreme fire danger. Public use restrictions, such as campfires, mowing of dry grass and off-road driving have also been tightened.

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