Sunday, August 3, 2014

8/2/2014 10:00 PM Beaver Complex Fire Update

Beaver Complex Fire Update

Oregon Department of Forestry Team 2- Chris Cline, Incident Commander

Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office Blue Team – Scott Magers, Incident Commander

CAL FIRE – Phill Veneris, Incident Commander

Oregon Fire Information Number: 541-826-1599

California Fire Information Number: 530-842-2266

Hours of operation: 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

August 2, 2014

10:00 p.m.

Special Message: Fire behavior for the Oregon Gulch Fire was extreme with rapid rates of spread. The fire has moved east, deeper into Klamath County. Klamath County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Level 3 evacuation order for the Klamath River canyon from John C. Boyle Dam to the California border. This includes Topsy Grade Road and Picard Road in Oregon. Siskiyou County Sherrif’s Office has issued a Level 3 evacuation from Copco Dam north to the state line on the Klamath River.

Current Situation:

Oregon Gulch Fire

Erratic, gusty winds on the Oregon Gulch Fire caused the fire to move east. Fire personnel are contending with a moderately high Haines Index and critically low fuel moisture. The Haines Index is used to indicate the potential for wildfire growth by measuring the atmospheric stability, including the dryness of the air over a fire. The Haines Index can range between 2 and 6. The drier and more unstable the lower atmosphere is, the higher the index. The Haines Index today was 5.

Haines 5 conditions will persist through Sunday and significant smoke column development could be enough to generate some lightning in the afternoon through early evening hours. Temperature and humidity values will be very similar Sunday to the conditions from today, except for slight upper level moisture which is sufficient for a chance of afternoon or evening thunderstorms.

Salt Creek Fire

Fire personnel working on the Salt Creek Fire have completed line construction around the fire and have started mopping up 50 feet from the outer perimeter of the fire.

Smoke Forecast: Officials for air quality with the Pacific Northwest Region of the USDA Forest Service have monitored air quality in the area. Air quality monitors in Medford, Klamath Falls and Eugene were showing moderate air quality this afternoon, with smoke moving to the north during the day. Tomorrow, smoke is expected to move to the northeast of the fires, returning to a northerly direction on Sunday. Air quality is expected to remain moderate during the day and will likely worsen at night and in the mornings, in the valleys. For more information, visit http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/.

Heavy smoke is also visible throughout Northern Siskiyou County in California.

Fire Statistics for Salt Creek

Location: 20 miles northwest of Medford, OR Percent Contained: 30% Complex Size: 146 acres Cause: Lightning

Start Date: 7/30/14

Fire Statistics for Oregon Gulch

Location: 15 miles east of Ashland, OR Percent Contained: 10% Complex Size: 31,918 acres (4645 acres of total in California) Cause: Lightning

Start Date: 7/30/14 ,

Oregon Resources Include: 29 Type 2 hand crews, 6 Camp Crews, 15 engines, 25 dozers, 22 water tenders, and overhead personnel.

California Resources Include: 14 dozers, 20 engines, 4 Type 1 crews, and 3 water tenders.

Air Resources: 14 helicopters and 2 air tankers.

Total Personnel: 1041

Evacuation Orders by County:

Jackson County

There is still a Level One Evacuation for residents living along Highway 66 in Oregon. The addresses include anyone living between the 11,000 and the 22,000 block of Highway 66. This is on the Ashland side and does not impact people living in Keno!

Level One Evacuation means “Be Ready” for a potential evacuation. Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information.

Portions of Copco Road remain under a Level 3 Evacuation.

Klamath County

Klamath County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3 evacuation order. The order is for the Klamath River canyon from John C. Boyle Dam to the California border. This includes Topsy Grade Road and Picard Road and all other normally accessible roads south of Highway 66 east to the Klamath County line in Oregon.

Siskiyou County

Mandatory evacuations (terminology used by Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office) are in place one mile east of the town of Copco to Beaver Creek only on the north side of Copco Lake. An evacuation center has been established at the Jackson Street Elementary School located at 405 Jackson Street in Yreka, California. The evacuation center can also accommodate small animals and livestock.

Places to get information: