8/12/2015 Collier Butte PM Update

Wednesday, August 12, 2015, PM

Collier Butte Fire – Gold Beach, Oregon

Fire Location: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest

Incident Commander: Doug Johnson

Information Center – 541-247-4447

Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4461

Email: Collierbuttefire@gmail.com

Facebook:  U.S. Forest Service-Rogue River - Siskiyou National Forest

A community meeting to provide information regarding the Collier Butte Fire will be held in Brookings Thursday, 6 pm, August 13, 2015 at the Brookings-Harbor High School gymnasium.  All are invited to attend.

Current Situation:

The Collier Butte Fire is 4,500 acres and 10 percent contained. The wildfire is burning in the northwest portion of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and remote Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest System lands on the Gold Beach Ranger District.  Currently, there are 619 personnel working to fully suppress this fire.

Taking advantage of favorable weather, firefighters progressed with burnout operations on the north flank by bringing fire westward along Forest Road 420.  As temperatures increased and humidity dropped late in the afternoon, fire managers stopped the burnout due to unfavorable burning conditions.  Primary and alternate containment lines on the west flank are completed and will be secured by burning out when the north line is finished.  Fire managers also developed an alternate line to the north from Game Lake Trailhead east into the wilderness.

Crews and heavy equipment continued work on the southwest portion of the fire and should finish containment lines in the next few days.  Helicopters shuttled hotshot crews into the wilderness to build containment lines between the Big Craggies and Green Craggies on the south flank.  As a precautionary measure for the south flank, firefighters began improving containment lines previously used for the Biscuit Fire and wrapping structures at Tolman Ranch with fire-resistant foil. 

Fire managers continue to scout areas on the north alternate line and the east flank for opportunities to contain the fire there.

Resource advisors continuously provide fire suppression measures to protect wilderness values, coho salmon, northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet habitats.

Closures:

Businesses along the south coast and Rogue River remain open.  Residents and visitors to Gold Beach, Agness and nearby communities are encouraged to drive carefully as firefighter traffic in the area has increased.  Although the area is currently closed to the public, the Curry County Fairgrounds in Gold Beach will host the Fair August 27-30.

For information on closures on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, please see the Facebook page or the Inciweb page listed above.