[Grampa Dave]

This is it re an update.

Hopefully these backfires will work and not back fire on them.

All locals, please post whatever you hear on your local radio stations or what you see and observe personally.

Most the data is thin until about 10 am.

[Granof8]

Fire Information Update
Florence Fire
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 08:00 pm
Fire Information Center: (541) 592-1029


Status: 150,000 acres Start: July 13, 2002 Cause: Lightning storm
Location: 5 miles west of Selma, Oregon on the Siskiyou National Forest within the Kalmiopsis Wilderness.
Percent Contained: 5 percent Cost to date: $6 million Line to Build: 61 miles
Structures Lost: 3 residences and 8 outbuildings
Personnel: 1,500 total personnel Injuries: None Expected Containment: Unknown
Today’s Resources: 15 helicopters (5 Type-1, 6-Type-2 and 4-Type 3), 31-handcrews (9-Type 1 and 30-Type 2), 84 engines, 12 water tenders, 27 dozers. In addition 7 structural task forces (110 people) from all over the state are providing fire protection to residences within the fire area and along Highway 199.
At Risk: Portions of the town of Cave Junction, Kerby, Agness, Gardner Ranch and Selma, private residences in the Oak Flat area and McCaleb Ranch, private inholdings east of McCaleb Ranch, Late Successional Reserve, Illinois and Rogue National Wild and Scenic River, campgrounds.
Closures: Galice and Illinois Valley Ranger Districts on the Siskiyou National Forest west of State Highway 199 is closed to all public access due to extreme fire conditions. The Bear Camp road #2300 is exempt from this closure.
Cooperating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry; Oregon National Guard; Illinois Valley Fire District; Oregon State Police; Josephine County Sheriff’s Dept; American Red Cross; Oregon State Fire Marshall’s Office; U.S. Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; Josephine County Emergency Operations Center.

What’s New: Firefighters today are continuing to construct and reinforce fire line on the east flank of the fire, west of Illinois Valley communities. The fire has moved to within four miles of Game Lake on the west flank, to Silver Peak on the north flank, to within five miles of Selma and Cave Junction on the east flank and to Chetco Peak on the south flank. Dozer and hand lines have been established along the eastern flank from the Chrome Ridge Road, north of Selma, to the California border. Firefighters today will continue to reinforce this line, preparing the north line of Div. D for a controlled burnout when weather conditions allow. The burnout will be done in increments to keep the fire from crossing the established line.

The entire Illinois River Valley is now under a 30-minute evacuation notice. Structural and wildland fire resources have been positioned to protect residences in the valley. The communities of Agness, Goldbeach, and Brookings are not currently at imminent risk.

A Red Cross shelter has been opened in Grants Pass at the South Middle School (541-890-0612).

A Red Flag Warning for strong northerly winds and low relative humidities at the ridge tops has been issued until noon Thursday.

Pacific Northwest National Incident Management Team 2
Mike Lohrey, Incident Commander