Salt Creek Fire Now 40% Lined

Near Eagle Point, Oregon– Firefighters working on the Salt Creek Fire, located approximately 10 miles east of Eagle Point, reported significant progress last night, reaching 40% lined. The fire, currently estimated at 1,500 acres, is burning on steep terrain along Salt Creek Road and affects both private and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

The Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, a Type 1 IMT, has been ordered to take command of the incident. They will be in-briefed at 10 a.m. and will shadow current resources throughout the day before assuming command at 6 p.m. This transition aims to bring additional resources and prepare local districts for any new fire starts.

Fire activity decreased last night due to lower temperatures. This allowed firefighters to construct bulldozer and hand lines along the entire northern portion and the southwest border of the fire. The eastern and southeastern sections remain largely unlined and will be the focus of today’s efforts.

Currently, 321 personnel are assigned to the fire, including 12 20-person crews, nine engines, 10 water tenders, seven bulldozers, and six tree fallers. Firefighters face hazards such as snags, steep terrain, and hot conditions.

Aircraft will be heavily utilized again today, including one Type 3, two Type 2, and three Type 1 helicopters dedicated to this incident. Additional air tankers will be ordered as needed.

The Salt Creek Fire was first reported on Sunday afternoon, just after 4 p.m. Initial responders from the ODF Southwest Oregon District and Lake Creek Fire District estimated the fire to be 2-5 acres. Rapidly growing in hot, dry, and windy conditions, the fire expanded to 10 acres within 30 minutes and 200 acres within 90 minutes. Six helicopters, two Large Air Tankers (LATs), and a Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT) were ordered to contain the fire with retardant drops, creating temporary lines around most of the incident.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Jackson County Emergency Management have issued an Evacuation Level 1: BE READY for Zones JAC-316, JAC-317, JAC-319, and JAC-321. These zones are north of Highway 140, approximately 12 miles east of Eagle Point, in the Lake Creek area. There are no structures threatened at this time, and deputies are conducting door-to-door notifications.

Salt Creek Road and Wasson Canyon Road are closed at Highway 140, and Double Day Road is closed off of Butte Falls Highway. However, Highway 140 and Butte Falls Highway remain open. For more information on evacuation zones, visit Genasys Protect.