© 2024 | Jefferson Public Radio
Southern Oregon University
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6301 | 800.782.6191
a service of Southern Oregon University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Check here for information on fires in our region. You can also check out these resources:Northwest Interagency Coordination CenterSWOFIRE: Oregon Department of Forestry, SW regionCalFire: Current Fire InformationInciWeb: Incident Information SystemOregon Smoke Blog: Smoke informationSouth Central Oregon Fire Management Cooperative (Klamath/Lake Counties & Crater Lake)

Crews Mopping Up High Pass Fire In Lane County

Lane Fire Alderwood Station 114 via Facebook
Smoke billows Thursday afternoon from the High Pass fire about 10 miles west of Junction City in Lane County, Oregon.

UPDATE MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 8:00 a.m.

The crews have made tremendous progress in mopping up this fire. They have spent the last several days working to extinguish all smokes around the rim of the fire. In most places crews have a 200 feet zone and are working towards 400 feet.

 

BLM Resources Advisors are finalizing plans to repair the federal lands affected by this fire. This includes pull back of any dozers berms and installing water bars to direct water off skid trails to prevent sediment delivery into streams. 

 

All air craft have been released except for one Type 3 (light) helicopter left for reconnaissance flights, bucket drops and transport should an emergency arise.

 

It takes a tremendous amount of personnel and water to cover the fire area and mop-up the heavy fuels. Resources on the fire today are: 13 (20 person) crews, 1 light helicopter, 14 engines, 1 dozer, 13 water tenders. There are a total of 417 personnel assigned to this incident.

 

Fire size remains unchanged at 195 acres and is 60% contained.

 

There are no evacuation orders in effect.

 

To date, no injuries and only one heat related incident has occurred.

 

For updates follow us on Facebook.com/oregondepartmentofforestry and Twitter.com/ORDeptForestry

UPDATE: SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 8:32 p.m. ...

Lower temperatures and higher relative humidity kept the fire from growing today. Since the fire has a line around the perimeter, crews spent today working to improve fire lines and lay hose and began mop up. 

 

Currently the Lane County Emergency Operation Center and the Sheriff's office still has the Level 1 Evacuation for the High Pass Road west of Lavell Road. For public and firefighters’ safety, BLM has issued a road closure at Road 16-6-17 from Hwy 36 and Road 15-6-33.1 from Owen’s Creek Rd.

 

At evening briefing tonight, Nils Storksen, Night Operations Supervisor, told the firefighters, “All the exciting work is done, now the hard work begins, it’s back to basics with safety first.” Crews will continue to improve fire lines down to bare mineral soil. Where dozer lines have berms, crews will disassemble the berms to ensure all flammable materials are cooled to the touch.

 

For updates follow ODF on Facebook.com/oregondepartmentofforestry and Twitter.com/ORDeptForestry

 
 

 

Crews with the Oregon Department of Forestry have been working a fire that started in the late afternoon Thursday 10 miles west of Junction City in Lane County. The High Pass 12.5 Fire has burned roughly 200 acres in remote timberland. The fire is expected to grow considerably Friday given the conditions and terrain. Fire officials estimate that the fire is 10 percent contained. No structures are threatened.

Currently, more than 200 firefighters are assigned to the fire that is burning in timber and young plantations in steep rugged terrain primarily on Bureau of Land Management and private industrial timberlands. The firefighters are being supported with two medium and two large helicopters, several fire engines and two retardant-dropping air tankers. The district is also receiving support from BLM, the U.S. Forest Service and several private landowners and forest workers. 

Fire officials are hopeful that the recent heat wave will come to an end soon. Four ODF districts west of the Cascades imposed Industrial Fire Precaution Level 4 today that calls for a general shutdown of all forest operations due to extreme fire danger. Many workers unable to work due to the shutdown will be able to assist the district with the fire.