089/08
08/19/08
New Fires:
The Wildcat Fire was reported yesterday burning in steep, rough, difficult-extreme terrain on ODF-protected and federal lands 12 miles west of Lakeview and is estimated at approximately 100 acres. Personnel assigned to this fire include seven engines, eight crews, one helicopter, two tenders, and two dozers. It is five percent contained.
The Camas Knob Fire, burning in timber, brush, and grass, two miles southwest of Ukiah along US Highway 395. There was some rain and favorable weather conditions last night and resources are beginning to be released from this fire. Traffic on U. S. Highway 305 between Mileposts 50 and 55 is still restricted, and traffic is being escorted by pilot cars Containment is expected by 5 p.m. today and this will be the last report on this fire unless conditions change.
Southern/Southwest Oregon: Recon will be flown over all districts in southern/southwest Oregon today looking for hold-overs/sleepers. Reports on fire activity include:
Douglas Forest Protective Association: The Ringtail Lightning Complex 33 reported fires in size from 1/100th of an acre to 10 acres in size. Cooler weather allowed for excellent progress; access to the fires is now the biggest issue. Personnel assigned to the fires estimated at about 250, four helicopters, two fixed wing aircraft, and 28 engines. Some fires have been contained, but a containment date for the entire complex is not yet estimated. Participants helping on the complex include private landowners, rural fire departments, Coos Forest Protective Association, ODF, and the Umpqua National Forest.
Southwest Oregon District: Most of the lightning-caused fires on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties are contained and mopped up. Eleven of the fires are in Josephine County and 27 are in Jackson County. The largest fire in Josephine County is the three-acre Bald Ridge Fire, located approximately three miles northeast of Marial. The biggest fire in Jackson County is the 8.5-acre Joe Dyer Fire, located two miles east of Shady Cove. Seven of the ODF Southwest Oregon District's fires were discovered on Monday. All of these fires are smaller than a quarter acre each, and are in the mop-up stage. Half of the fires from the thunderstorms that struck the region over the past two days took place on privately owned lands, and the rest on Bureau of Land Management or other government-managed lands.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS INCREASE
The public is reminded that public-use restrictions involving campfires, smoking and travel are in effect. Many areas in Oregon have increased safety precaution levels to Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3 (IFPL 3). Additional information about conditions imposed under the IFPL precaution system and boundary maps for regulated use areas are available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website at http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/precaution level.shtml - Check with your local ODF office for additional information on local conditions and restrictions.
FIRE WEATHER
For current fire weather information, go to
http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml#Weather_and_Fire_Danger_Info
OTHER FIRE INFORMATION:
For information on ongoing wildfires in other jurisdictions within Oregon, go to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center website, http://www.nwccweb.us/ and to the national Incident Information System website at www.inciweb.org/state/38/.
ABOUT THIS UPDATE:
ODF is responsible for fire protection on private and state-owned forestland, and on a limited amount of other forestlands, including those owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in western Oregon. However, because fires starting on one ownership may spread to others, and because of the need to share firefighting resources, agencies commonly work together closely.
This update focuses on firefighting activity on ODF-protected land, and on ODF’s role as a partner in fighting major fires that start on land protected by other agencies.
FIRE STATISTICS
Fire statistics for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for the 15.8 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry:
January 1, 2008, through today:
Lightning-caused fires: 241 fires have burned approximately 1,691 acres
Human-caused fires: 456 fires have burned approximately 833 acres
Total: 697 fires have burned approximately 2,524 acres
10-year average:
Lightning-caused fires: 249 fires burned approximately 19,996 acres
Human-caused fires: 476 fires burned approximately 3,697 acres
Total fires: 725 fires burned approximately 23,693 acres
