Due to the threat to
structures, Governor Kate Brown has invoked the Conflagration Act for the Sugar
Pine Fire. The declaration authorizes the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office to
mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire.
The State Fire Marshal mobilized 4 task forces to assist with structure
assessment. The fire is threatening approximately 317 homes.
Yesterday, the fire spotted a mile across the dozer line in the Alcoa
Rock area on the southwest edge of the Sugar Pine fire. Through the night,
crews worked to find the best location to put in another line to flank the fire’s
edge. Crews will continue work today to scout and begin construction on this
line. On the northern flank of the Sugar
Pine, crews are prepping for a burnout operation, which will not occur today.
To the north, the Columbus Fire had active behavior with a spot fire on the
northeast and a large smoke column present. As the fire moves to the south and
joins the Sugar Pine, fire behavior will moderate as the fire reaches the area
burned in the 2017 Broken Lookout fire.
On the Sugar Pine fire, the fire crossed Forest Service Road 6640 in the
Round Top area. Crews will conduct burnout operations and work to hold the line
to prevent further westward spread. On the south side of Elk Creek Road, the
spot in the Burnt Peak area grew to 700 acres. Crews dropped back yesterday and
will work today to access alternate line locations.
Fire behavior is anticipated to be
active today, especially after the smoke inversion lifts in the afternoon and
the relative humidity drops. Active burning is anticipated past sundown through
midnight. Homeowners in the evacuation areas are strongly urged to take the
threat from these fires seriously and be vigilant.
Evacuations and Closures: The current evacuation areas are
available on the Jackson County Sheriff’s website https://jacksonor.org/sheriff/.
Access into the Level 3 evacuation areas will be
limited to residents and will be determined by local law enforcement officials.
Homeowners can check their evacuation status by entering their address on the
Jackson County Sheriff’s interactive map at https://bit.ly/2uUku2C.
An Emergency Road and Area Fire Closure on the Rogue River-Siskiyou
National Forest has closed the Forest west of Forest Road 68 near the northern
boundary and all of Forest Road 6640. The
Army Corps of Engineers has closed access roads around Lost Lake, however, the
lake remains open through the Joseph Stewart State Park.
Weather: A ridge of high pressure will move into the area
today, which will lead to a slight warming trend and a downward trend in
relative humidity. This warming trend will remain in place for much of the next
week, and overnight humidity recoveries will not be as significant. Today’s
weather will reach the mid-80s and relative humidity will be down 2-4% to
12-33%. There is a potential for winds to gust up to 22 mph from the northwest
as winds align with valleys. As the fire weather conditions deteriorate in the
afternoon, there is a chance for increased fire behavior.
Safety: The public is advised to use extreme caution
when driving on area roads. Driving conditions will be compromised due to heavy
smoke and slow moving, heavy firefighting equipment on the roads. To be safe,
please drive with headlights on and increase distance between vehicles to allow
for safe stopping. Smoke will be heavy most of the day, air quality information
is available at: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com.
Fire Summary: The total acreage for the South Umpqua Complex/Sugar Pine Fires is
29,950 acres. Total resources: 2,033 people including 64 crews,
82 engines and a total of nine helicopters.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.