STOUTS CREEK FIRE UPDATE – AUGUST 6, 2015
August 11, 2015
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An afternoon flare-up on the east flank of the Stouts Creek Fire attracted a bevy of helicopters that dropped water on the flames for several hours. Crews responded by digging fire line to contain the fire that was burning downhill south of the 3220 road and west of the Tiller-Trail Highway.
A structure protection task force, comprised of five engines, protected homes near the community of Drew. The task force is under the direction of an Oregon State Fire Marshal incident management team. A second task force of engines from structural protection fire districts in Jackson County is due to arrive tonight.
Fire activity around the rest of the 19,971-acre Stouts Creek Fire was relatively calm today. Mop-up continued along the north and west flanks. Fire line construction also continued along the lower portion of the west flank, the south flank and portions of the east flank. Heavy equipment being used includes bulldozers, excavators and feller-bunchers. The equipment is not only building a wide fire line but is removing excess trees and brush adjacent to the line. Where the heavy equipment cannot work, due to steep terrains, fire crews are building fire line by hand.
The fire is 20 percent contained. Nearly 1,500 personnel are assigned to the fire suppression effort.
The cost of suppression so far is $7.9 million.
The evacuation levels in the Upper Cow Creek Road area, Milo and Drew remained at Level 2 (Set). A small area along the Tiller-Trail Highway north of Trail in Jackson County is under a Level 1 (Ready) evacuation alert.
Smoke continues to drift from the fire area and will be stronger when burnout operations are taking place. Most of the smoke will drift in a south/southeast direction from the fire. For updates on smoke density and public health advisories, see www.oregonsmoke.blogspot.com.
The Stouts Creek Fire is burning on private timberlands, other tracts of private land, Bureau of Land Management and Umpqua National Forest lands.
The Stouts Creek Fire is being managed cooperatively by the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Office of the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the U.S. Forest Service. Wildland fire suppression direction is coming from the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 1. Structural fire protection is being handled by task forces under the command of the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Green Team.
Video update: https://www.periscope.tv/w/aJP5dDQ3MzI5ODZ8NTU1NTczNTB9UHQQTK4-BdG4A-K3m6P6H9JPEs1X6Pkh4JhLKwlOcw==
