Watson Creek
This fire has about 100 personnel and is 0% contained. It’s burning in timber (litter and understory) and brush. Approximately eight residences are threatened.
Location: 13 miles west of Paisley
Cause: Under investigation
Acres burned: 10,500
Eli Creek Fire
Gusty winds and light fuels are affecting the spread of this fire. Resources on scene include four dozers, five engines, five single-engine air tankers (SEATs), two heavy air tankers, two Type 1 helicopters, two Type 2 helicopters, and numerous landowner resources.
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| Above: Lightning strikes in Oregon. |
Location: 15 mi SW of Pilot Rock
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 5,500
Kinzua Complex
Numerous fire starts and active fire behavior challenged firefighters yesterday in Wheeler and Morrow counties. Landowner engagement, heavy use of air resources, and quick response by the John Day Unit was critical to the effort. The District was supported in these suppression activities by our federal partners and severity resources for this thunderstorm event.
Location: John Day/Fossil area
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 550
More information:
Grizzly Road Fire
ODF performed heavy initial attack on the Grizzly Road Fire and it did not burn onto ODF-protected land. No anticipated issues.
Location: 11 mi SE of Madras
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 360
More information:
Miles and Columbus fires (formerly the South Umpqua Complex/Sugar Pine Fires)
These fires are being managed under unified command by the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2 (Incident Commander Doug Turman) and components of Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 3 (Incident Commander Link Smith).
Miles Fire – 32,934 acres, 35% contained
Although fire suppression efforts are progressing well, fire managers say that fire intensity remains active within the perimeter. Without a break in the weather in the foreseeable future, firefighters continue to stay ahead of the fire front through methodical burnout operations, nursing it to established control lines.
Warmer temperatures and light winds led to increased fire activity on the northwest and northeast portions of the fire. The wind also worked in the firefighters’ favor, coming out of the west and pushing the fire back into itself near Elkhorn Peak. These conditions are also conducive to tactical burnout operations, where crews slowly remove unburned vegetation between control lines and the main fire to prevent any long range spotting and active fire runs.
Columbus Fire – 9,814 acres, 29% contained
Control lines along the west and north edges of the Columbus Fire are holding well. Control lines have been completed along the east boundary in preparation for future burnout operations.
Location: Approximately 5 miles northeast of Trail
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: Combined total of 46,718
Personnel: 1,740
More information:
Other fires
Klondike Fire – Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Klondike Fire has now become the largest active wildfire in Oregon at over 66,000 acres.
Critical fire weather last night resulted in an increase in acreage of both the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires. Low relative humidities overnight allowed the fires to burn very actively. High temperatures and winds out of the northeast gusting to 25 mph will continue today.
California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 (CIIMT) has assumed command of the western edge of the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires. CIIMT4 was called in to continue with the aggressive fight to fully suppress the fire. This will allow the Alaska Incident Management Team to focus their effort on controlling the southeast corner of the fire that is directly threatening the communities of Selma and Cave Junction.
Location: 9 miles northwest of Selma
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 66,332 acres
Personnel: 830
Containment: 15%
More information:
Taylor Creek Fire – Josephine County
Location: 10 miles west of Grants Pass
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 52,588 acres
Personnel: 632
Containment: 58%
More information:
High to extreme fire danger across most of Oregon
Find the latest fire danger levels and restrictions at ODF’s Fire Restrictions and Closures web page at
For photos and more information on Oregon wildfires and wildfire readiness, visit ODF’s wildfire blog at:
ODF 2018 FIRE STATISTICS
Fires and acres burned
(as of Aug. 18, 2018)
Lightning-caused fires = 180
Human-caused fires = 540
Total fires = 720
Total acres burned = 52,000 *
* An estimate – does not include very recent fires or all acres of recent growth on existing fires
10-year average fires and acres burned
(as of Aug. 18, 2018)
Lightning-caused fires = 221
Human-caused fires = 426
Total fires = 647
Total acres burned = 29,709