Low humidity and wind gusts up to 15 miles per hour led to increased activity overnight on fires within the Garner Complex in Jackson County.
An unburnt area inside the control lines caught fire and burned, but did not cross control lines.
Large fuels, such as downed logs, stumps and roots, continue burning above and below ground. Heat in some of these areas can be difficult to see with the naked eye, so crews use infrared scanners that sense heat and make it visible to firefighters. Using the scanners overnight, firefighters found over 70 hot spots in burned over areas, according to ODF’s Night Operations Section Chief Jason Pettigrew. The scanners make mopping up large areas more efficient, with hand crews following up to extinguish any hot spots that are located. A total of 1,444 personnel remain engaged on the Complex, including 45 fire engines, 17 water tenders, 8 dozers and 46 hand crews. The 8,886-acre Complex is 68% contained.
ODF Incident Management Team 1 is holding a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2 at Evans Valley Education & Community Center, 8205 East Evans Creek Road in Rogue River. The team encourages residents to attend to hear from fire officials about the fire’s status.