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WINDS PUSH BISCUIT FLAMES OVER LINE Published: August 31, 2002 By Bill Lundquist, Pilot Staff Writer Chetco Effect weather conditions pushed the Biscuit Fire Wednesday afternoon over a contingency fire line near Tolman Ranch, but no structures were lost. Alaska Incident Management Team Information Officer Bill Beebe said crews were moved back and helicopters dropped water. Mike Frazier, with the U.S. Forest Service, said the area around Tolman Ranch has been cleared and protected, so there should be no danger to structures. Due to the increased fire activity, the estimated containment date has been moved to Sept. 6. In North...

Australian and New Zealand fire fighters were deployed today to a massive wildfire burning out of control on the United States' west coast. Weary US fire fighters have struggled for a month to contain what has become Oregon's largest fire in more than 100 years. "We are excited to have the Australians and New Zealanders here because we need all of the help we can get," Paul Galloway, a spokesman at the Oregon fire fighting headquarters, said. "It's a pretty significant fire that has stretched our resources on a national level." Australia and New Zealand sent 48 of their most...

Oregon's largest wildfire in more than a century threatened power lines feeding several Northern California towns yesterday as crews tried to stop a slow creep along its southeastern flank. Hand crews had created three or four fire lines in front of the advancing flames west of O'Brien, but said they would have to ask Pacific Power to shut down the power lines if the wildfire got too close. When carbon-rich smoke thickens around the cables, it can cause the electricity from the lines to arc, endangering firefighters. Turning off the power would put the California towns of Gasquet, Hiouchi and...

August 10, 2002 Florence fire jumps lines, makes tracks for Brookings By PAUL FATTIG Medford Florence fire jumps lines, makes tracks for Brookings Mail Tribune The dog days of August continue to hound firefighters battling the southern flank of the 331,375-acre Florence fire. As temperatures rise, residents in the hamlet of Wilderness Retreat along the Chetco River more than a half-dozen miles east of Brookings have been warned to evacuate on a moment’s notice if the fire flares up along its southwest flank. However, the fire is about three and a half miles from the scattered homes and as of...

Grants Pass- U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth said thinning national forests and restoring the natural role of fire in the ecosystem should be made top priority after he toured the largest active wildfire in the nation.The Florence Fire was threatening to become the largest wildfire in state history after expanding to 308,000 acres on the Siskiyou National Forest and adjoining lands in southwestern Oregon and Northern California.The largest wildfire in Oregon was the Tillamook Fire in 1933 which burned 311,000 in the northwest corner of the state.The threat to 17,000 people of the Illinois Valley has eased, but the...

Forest Service Chief Calls for Controlled Burns 08/09/2002 By JEFF BARNARD, Associated Press Writer U.S. Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth toured the Florence Fire Thursday and said it is imperative to thin national forests and restore the natural role of fire in the ecosystem. Bosworth said he wanted a firsthand look at the largest active wildfire in the nation, to see how well the national firefighting effort is dealing with what could become the worst wildfire season in history. "The most important thing we can do in a good part of the West is doing some thinning and reintroduce fire...

Florence, Sour Biscuit Fires Merge 08/08/2002 By KGW and AP Staff Shifting winds helped merge the Florence and Sour Biscuit Fires, creating a megafire that appeared to be heading back towards the southern Oregon hamlet of Agness. The Florence and Sour Biscuit fires have burned more than 285,000 acres on the Siskiyou National Forest in southwestern Oregon and California since lightning struck July 13. Florence was 10 percent contained and Sour Biscuit 30 percent, authorities said. The threat to the 17,000 residents of the Illinois Valley diminished as crews burned out the last of a 40-mile containment line protecting O'Brien,...