STOUTS FIRE EVENING UPDATE – AUGUST 9, 2015
August 12, 2015
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News Release from Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Posted on FlashAlert: August 9th, 2015 9:49 PM
Public Information Phone: (541) 825-3724 (7 a.m. to 9 p.m.) http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4426/ www.facebook.com/StoutsFire
Email: StoutsFire@gmail.com Twitter: @StoutsFire #StoutsFire
Things Progress Well On The Stouts Creek Fire
It was another good day on the Stouts Creek Fire with a significant amount of work completed by firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment. The work being done along the northern perimeter to bring the fire down to the bottom of Hatchet Creek where it intersects with the South Umpqua River is expected to be complete tonight. Most other burnout operations to the east and southeast are complete, or nearly so, and mop-up has begun in earnest.
The Oregon Fremont Winema Type 2 Initial Attack (T2IA) crew, along with T2IA crews from Massachusetts, Ohio and two from West Virginia all arrived tonight to assist. T2IA crews differ from regular type 2 hand crews in their ability to conduct burnouts, as well as their skills falling larger trees.
The Incident Meteorologist predicts winds from an approaching front will put smoke in the communities of Tiller and Drew tomorrow morning. Those with health concerns should talk to their doctor or go to www.oregonsmoke.blogspot.com where there is information on wildfires and health, as well as access to AQI monitors. Motorists are urged be careful driving through smoke on the roads, and turn on their low beam headlights. Residents and travelers also are asked to not stop along Tiller-Trail Highway to view fire or helicopter activity as traffic is heavy with response vehicles. A change in wind direction midday should help clear the smoke out around 1:00 pm.
Tonight’s work will focus on finishing the small areas of burnout still left around the perimeter as well as prepping roads to the south with heavy equipment for a future large burn. The road prep is establishing a contingency line along Forest Roads 32, 3201 and 3230 which would be used to hold a fairly large burnout planned for next week should it begin to move south further than expected.
There are no changes to the current evacuation levels. Drew remains the only Level II from milepost 28 through milepost 39 and revising that designation is under consideration.
The Stouts Creek Fire has reached a cost of $16.9 million. Fifty two percent is on state protected, BLM and private lands, and 48% is on the Umpqua National Forest. It is burning on private timberlands, other tracts of private land, Bureau of Land Management and Umpqua National Forest lands. The fire is being managed cooperatively by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service. Wildland fire suppression direction is coming from the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 1.
