Following a series of thunderstorms that unleashed nearly 300 lightning strikes across the Rogue Valley over the weekend, firefighters have effectively tackled 13 fires that were ignited by the natural phenomenon. These fires, varying in size from a mere 1/100th of an acre to a more significant nine-acre expanse, impacted both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF)-protected areas in Jackson and Josephine counties. Currently, only two fires remain in mop-up status.
The larger of the two ongoing fires, the Heppsie Mountain Fire, is situated on BLM’s Heppsie Mountain, to the south of Highway 140 and east of Lakecreek. As of Wednesday morning, substantial progress has been made, with the fire now 95% contained. Firefighters are committed to completing the mop-up operations and conducting thorough checks of the entire area before concluding their efforts. Furthermore, resources will continue to closely monitor the region for smoke for the next three days following the declaration of 100% containment.
The other remaining fire demanding resources is the Palmer Peak Fire, located approximately 3.5 miles northwest of McKee Bridge in the Applegate region. Firefighters have contained the fire at four acres and have extended mop-up efforts 50 feet into the fire’s perimeter. Resources will persistently stay engaged in this incident, pushing forward to finalize mop-up operations.
All other fires stemming from the thunderstorm have been successfully contained and thoroughly extinguished. The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) maintains an active search for potential holdover fires caused by lightning strikes. Through the utilization of a camera detection system, ground patrolling, and reconnaissance flights, the ODF aims to identify and address holdover fires. These fires, resulting from lingering lightning strikes, can smolder for extended periods and reignite under the right conditions.
With temperatures projected to rise significantly towards the end of the week, the risk of new fires erupting from these recent storms remains a concern. Therefore, all resources are poised and ready to promptly respond to any fire-related reports.
The threat of Extreme Fire Danger still looms over Jackson and Josephine counties, prompting authorities to enforce rigorous regulations. To help firefighters and curtail the risk of human-caused fires, it is important that the public adheres to these regulations. A detailed list of current regulations can be found at https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.
You can track these fires through our 2023 Wildfire Season partner’s Wildfire Aware app.
Source: ODF
