Fire officials urge the public to be vigilant in adhering to fire season restrictions
By Steve Mitchell, Ashland.news
Firefighters made progress overnight Thursday on the more than 70 fires burning in Jackson and Josephine counties, but crews remain vigilant as a hot weekend approaches.
The Neil Creek Road Fire, the region’s largest blaze, now has a revised size estimate of 200 acres, according to a press release from the Oregon Department of Forestry. Located south of Ashland and west of Interstate 5, firefighters completed an additional direct line and continued to extinguish remaining hot spots along the edge of the fire, officials reported.
According to the press release, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County Emergency Management are maintaining evacuation notices for Zones JAC-542, JAC-543, JAC-546, JAC-558 and JAC-559 under a Level 2 – Get Set.
Zone JAC-536 was downgraded to Level 1— Be Ready shortly after noon Friday.
A Level 2 “Get Set” evacuation notice means people “should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, as this level indicates there is significant danger to the area,” according to Jackson County Emergency Management’s website.
One southbound lane of Interstate 5 remains closed between mile markers 8.5 and 10.5, the release said.
Other notable fires in the area include:
The Deming Gulch Fire
Northeast of Buncom in the Applegate, the fire is estimated to be burning on about 250 acres, according to fire officials. Crews are holding the perimeter and are cleaning up hot spots on the east end of the blaze.
The Heppsie Mountain Fire
Located south of Highway 140, the blaze is about 50 acres in size. Crews have a line around 100% of the fire, according to fire officials. Firefighters have put out hot spots and found seven small spot fires near the main body of the fire, the press release noted. On Friday, firefighters lined and established water access to extinguish those fires.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation advisory for a possible evacuation from JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road, south of Highway 140, and the zone immediately to the south.
The Poole Hill Fire
Located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire, the blaze grew to 12 acres on Thursday, according to the press release. ODF officials said the fire breached a small portion of the line. However, crews were able to get around the spot fire and begin to put out hot spots. Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation notices are in place for this fire, according to officials.
The Jim Me Peak Fire
Located in a remote area south of Applegate, the fire remains at about 70 acres, ODF reported. Crews are working today to establish a direct line around the blaze.
The Palmer Peak Fire
Located southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire, it is still burning on 90 acres. Crews have built a line around 100% of the fire, according to ODF.
Hot weekend ahead
Natalie Weber, public information officer with ODF, said that 1,300 fire personnel have been assigned to the fires.
She said the strategy officials are using involves not just suppressing existing fires, but maintaining readiness to quickly respond to potential new fire starts. By bringing in additional fire teams, local districts can now focus on comprehensive fire management across the region, she added.
The area fire danger level on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties remains “high.” With hot temperatures forecasted this weekend, Weber said it’s important that residents remain vigilant in adhering to fire restrictions.
“We really need our community’s help to just ensure that we don’t see any new fire starts over the weekend,” Weber said. “And the best way that they can do that is by following the local regulations.”
The National Weather Service has forecast an extreme heat warning for the weekend, with triple digit temperatures expected for much of southwest Oregon and northern California, according to a bulletin on the NWS Medford website.
“Dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures of 100 to 105 expected, except up to 110 in the valleys of western Siskiyou County,” the bulletin reads. “Low temperatures will be mainly in the mid to upper 60s.”
Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at stevem@ashland.news.
OFFICIAL INFORMATION:
Jackson County Emergency Management: Facebook page with updates
ODF Southwest Oregon District: Facebook page with updates
Genasys Protect: Updated evacuation maps
Tripcheck.com: Information about road closures
Email Ashland.news associate editor Steve Mitchell at stevem@ashland.news.
