UPDATE, TUESDAY, 9:00 a.m. -- Lower temperatures and higher humidity, coupled with lower winds, have resulted in little new fire activity on the Oregon Gulch fire that straddles the Oregon-California state line. The lull has given fire crews a chance to gain ground on the fire, which is now 30 percent contained.
It's also allowed authorities to lift evacuation orders along Copco Road in Siskiyou County and to lower the evacuations level along Copco Road from Hyatt Lake to the state line from Level 3 (Get out now) to Level 2 (Be ready to go at a moment's notice).
Don Hickman, a spokesman for the Oregon Department of Forestry, told JPR this morning that fire managers are "extremely pleased" with the progress made overnight.
"(Crews) were able to strengthen some lines in anticipation of the warmer weather that's coming our way just to make sure the fire holds," he said. "So we're strengthening all the fire lines we currently have in place."
Hickman also said additional crews had been added to the fire, bring the total to almost 1,600 personnel, with 86 engines, 20 helicopters and 2 air tankers.
The 36,568-acre Oregon Gulch fire along the border with California is the largest wildfire currently burning in Oregon.
UPDATE: MONDAY, 1:00 P.M. -- After days of rapid growth, the fire has been slowing, giving crews a chance to catch up.
The fire was sparked by lightning on private timberland just inside the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument last Wednesday. It was growing 10,000 acres a day going into the weekend. But by Sunday night, the fire’s advance had slowed. Don Hickman, with the Oregon Department of Forestry, says incident managers are pleased with their progress.
Don Hickman:” When it’s quiet, crews can actually get up closer, we can get more equipment in, we can fly our other resources. We can get a lot of work done when the conditions are a little calmer.”
That lull may not last. The fire is only 20 percent contained and weather forecasters are predicting thunderstorms and gusty winds, which could re-invigorate the blaze. More than 1,300 workers are battling the fire, which has burned several homes and forced evacuations on both sides of the state line.
Here's a map released Monday morning by the Oregon Department of Forestry, showing the extent of the Oregon Gulch fire ...
