Oregon Deploys Incident Management Team to Evans Creek Road Fire

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. (Jul. 10, 2026) — The Oregon Department of Forestry has ordered a Complex Incident Management Team to take command of the rapidly growing Evans Creek Road Fire, the first time the agency has assigned a state incident management team to a wildfire in Oregon this year.

The move comes as the fire, burning approximately 26 miles northeast of Medford, has grown to an estimated 1,550 acres after igniting Friday afternoon. The additional management team will coordinate the influx of firefighters, aircraft, heavy equipment and other resources arriving to battle the blaze while allowing local Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District personnel to return to protecting the district’s broader wildfire response area.

The Evans Creek Road Fire was reported at 2:41 p.m. Friday on private forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Since then, it has spread onto adjacent Bureau of Land Management lands under extreme fire conditions fueled by hot temperatures, low relative humidity, steep terrain and active fire behavior.

Fire officials said the fire’s rapid growth has largely been driven by multiple spot fires, which occur when wind carries burning embers ahead of the main fire and ignites new fires. During the initial attack, firefighters successfully caught and contained two spot fires before they could spread. However, a third spot fire became established, gained momentum and ultimately contributed to the fire’s significant expansion.

That increase in fire activity prompted the Southwest Oregon District to request a state Complex Incident Management Team. Such teams are typically assigned to large or increasingly complex wildfires that require expanded coordination of personnel, equipment, logistics and operational planning.

The incoming management team will oversee suppression efforts as hundreds of firefighters and numerous partner agencies continue working to slow the fire’s advance. Meanwhile, local ODF firefighters will be able to resume initial attack responsibilities across the Southwest Oregon District, which protects approximately 1.8 million acres of forestland in Jackson and Josephine counties. Officials said maintaining initial attack capability is critical during periods of extreme fire danger, allowing crews to respond quickly to new wildfire starts before they become large incidents.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 1 (Be Ready), Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuation notices for residents near the fire. A Level 3 evacuation means residents should leave immediately due to the immediate danger posed by the wildfire.

Authorities continue to urge the public to stay out of the area because of multiple road closures, heavy firefighting traffic and ongoing aircraft operations. Residents are encouraged to monitor official evacuation notices and emergency information from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as conditions continue to change.

Firefighters remain engaged in an aggressive suppression effort on both private and federal lands. Officials said hot, dry weather, low humidity, steep terrain and continued active fire behavior remain among the greatest challenges facing crews as they work to contain the wildfire.

The latest on the Evans Creek Road Fire can be found here.