July 31, 2002
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Southern Oregon Fires
Nation's Top Priority
CAVE JUNCTION - Firefighters worked to reinforce their last-ditch line of defense against a 30-mile wall of fire threatening Oregon's Illinois Valley, as more residents left with their belongings.
Josephine County sheriff's deputies were to begin posting signs marking the four evacuation routes out of the southwestern Oregon valley that is home to 17,000 people.
Commanders of the Florence and Sour Biscuit fires in southwestern Oregon had racheted up the evacuation notice Tuesday, urging residents to be packed and ready to leave within 30 minutes of a notice to be carried on local radio.
Weather conditions worsened with red flag warnings going up, calling for strong winds out of the north and low humidity on the ridge tops where fire is already spotting miles ahead.
"We are looking at the fire at this time as uncontrollable," said Greg Gilpin of the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Unfavorable winds prevented firefighters from lighting off backfires during the night to reinforce their primary fire line.
Another 100 miles of line still must be built to corral the Florence and Biscuit fires, considered the number one priority in the nation Wednesday for firefighting resources.
About 200 people sat in the stifling heat of the Illinois Valley High School gym to hear the bad news, but many shared Heon's view.
One who didn't was Maggie Connery, whose husband is one of 1,200 firefighters on the Florence Fire. Holding her 2½-year-old son, Connery said she was taking her children to nearby Grants Pass to stay with family.
The Florence Fire stands at about 145,000 acres and Sour Biscuit at about 35,000 acres. Maps posted outside the gym showed they are still four miles from running into each other but together form a 30-mile long front of fire threatening the communities of O'Brien, Cave Junction, Selma and Kerby.
Incident commander Mike Lohrey of the U.S. Forest Service said bulldozers have dug fire lines connecting a network of Siskiyou National Forest roads to create a last-line of defense between the eastern front of the fire and the communities along U.S. Highway 199.
Waiting for the right conditions, firefighters were to begin burning out brush and timber in the three-mile-wide space between the bulldozer line and the fire.
The burning operation was expected to take the next three days if all goes well. "We're waiting for those conditions when you feel a light wind on the back of your neck so the flames are sucked into the fire," Lohrey said.
Bulldozers began building another fire line on the north end of the fire to protect the community of Agness, a hub of whitewater rafting on the Rogue River.
Some residents expressed frustration that the fires were not stopped two weeks ago after the original lightning strikes. But Gilpin explained that firefighting resources around the nation are stretched to the limit.
Meanwhile 110 structural firefighters continued going house to house plotting their locations by Global Positioning System and assessing whether the homes can be defended if the fire hits.
"If we can improve the defense ability with minor modification we will do that," said Tim Birr, spokesman for the Oregon Fire Marshal's Office.
"We will do a little weed-whacking but we will not take down a tree in your yard," he said.
One primary escape route, U.S. Highway 199 south to the coast, remained closed by another fire in California; however, U.S. Highway 199 north to Grants Pass and three different back roads remained open, said Josephine County sheriff's Lt. Lee Harman.
Weather forecaster Jim Harrison said there was no rain in sight but northwest winds should continue for the next couple of days which would tend to push the fire toward the bulldozer line. Three homes have already been lost to the Florence Fire.
Chevron gas station owner Jeff Stiles said quite a few people left the valley Monday, but those who remain seem calm. "This is a survivalist area," he said. "There are a lot of people who want to make a last stand at their own property. The people who stayed are a tough breed."
The crossroads animal hospital sold out of pet carriers and nearly ran out of sedatives for dogs and cats, said Sue Fiske.
The Josephine County Sheriff's Posse has been helping people round up livestock to transport to safer ground, and veterinarians and kennels in Grants Pass 30 miles away, are offering refuge for pets.
One of the animals evacuated was a 40-year-old horse named Tye, which was ridden by John Wayne in the movie "Rooster Cogburn," said Gary Brummett, owner of the Deer Creek Ranch outside of Selma.
At the local senior center, Floyd Watkins shot pool with Rusty Fox and said quite a few older residents have left the area because of problems breathing the smoke, but most have stayed, hoping for the best. (Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
This site last updated: 07/31/02 02:39 PM (NOTE: not every fire is updated each time the site is updated, but only as new information is received. Call the Information Desk with questions.) This website is provided as assistance to media outlets requiring statistical information related to the wildland fires in the states of Oregon and Washington. Active fire behavior, especially during period of increased wind conditions will cause increase burned acreage that may not reflect accurately " on the ground situation". Please note that the data and situation reports are based on formal incident summaries and situations reported locally may not yet be included or has not been validated for this summary. Evacuation questions should be directed to state or local Emergency Operation Centers (EOC) for verification. It is advised that media consult the data provided and then call the Information Desk for more specific, detailed information on the fire situation, It will be periodically updated by the Public Information staff at NWCC. Specific information may be gained through calling the NWCC Information Desk at (503) 808-2764. |