8/18/15 Collier Butte Fire Evening Update (Southwest Oregon)

Fire Update
Tuesday, August 18, 2015, PM

Collier Butte Fire – Gold Beach, Oregon

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
Oregon Smoke Information: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
Current Situation:
The Collier Butte Fire is estimated at 8,000 acres, 25 percent contained and staffed with 385 personnel. The fire is burning in the northwest region of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness and remote Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest System lands on the Gold Beach Ranger District. Fire managers have implemented direct and indirect containment lines to protect values at risk located to the south, west, and north of the fire while reducing firefighter exposure. Rugged, steep terrain and abundant snags present a multitude of challenges to firefighter safety. Management of this fire is likely to endure for an extended period due to the shortage of firefighting resources and the limited access in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
A smoke inversion lasted until late afternoon, delaying efforts to conduct a burnout on the west flank of the fire near Collier Butte. Once the inversion lifted, firefighters continued to extend the burnout and strengthen the fireline along Forest Road 3680. Firefighters mopped up areas already burned along containment lines in the northern portion of the fire. Fuels reduction and chipping took place along Forest Road 1376 in the south. Firefighters continued preparing alternate containment lines in the north along Forest Road 120 toward the Illinois River and in the south toward Tolman Ranch. Managers continue to scout locations for additional containment lines and evaluate natural barriers on all sides of the fire.
There are 105 uncontained large fires in the nation resulting in a scarcity of resources. Crews, aircraft and qualified support personnel are in high demand and short supply. High-priority values at risk on other fires are in need of vast numbers of resources to protect lives, homes and infrastructure. Resources are being reassigned and moved to protect these values. Collier Butte Fire managers are strategically positioning available resources to focus on holding and securing primary and alternate containment lines. Additionally, aviation managers are coordinating the sharing of aircraft with other fires in southwest Oregon.
Closures:
Businesses along the south coast and Rogue River remain open and welcome visitors. Residents and visitors to Gold Beach, Brookings and nearby communities are encouraged to drive carefully as firefighter traffic in the area has increased. Although the Event Center on the Beach is currently closed to the public, the Curry County Fairgrounds in Gold Beach will host the Fair August 27-30 as planned.
For information on closures on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, please see the Facebook page or the Inciweb page listed above.