As new fire activity has significantly slowed this week and requests for firefighting resources decline, the statewide fire preparedness level dropped to Level 3 on Friday.

While there are still a few large fires on the landscape – the largest in Oregon being Klondike West at 117,458 acres – this is nevertheless an encouraging sign. No ODF incident management teams are deployed at present, although ODF staff are represented on some large fires.  

The fire preparedness level is best understood as a measurement of demand for firefighting resources. Lowering the preparedness level reflects a sustained decrease in this demand. ODF and other partners in Oregon’s complete and coordinated system are maintaining formidable firefighting forces and are still putting out new fires with initial attack and battling to fully contain existing blazes. 

A fire reported Sunday evening north of Grants Pass grew to nearly 200 acres and destroyed two residences as firefighters faced numerous challenges, including live power lines and even a cougar sighting.

This fire is on private land near the community of Hugo, west of Interstate 5 near exit 66. As of Tuesday morning, a 200-plus firefighter force lined the entirety of the fire, boosting containment to 30 percent. Regular updates are being posted to swofire.com. 

Two residences, 13 outbuildings, two recreational vehicles and 11 vehicles were destroyed. Three additional residences were damaged. About 265 structures remained threatened and 663 people have been evacuated.

ODF’s Southwest Oregon District is engaged in the fire along with the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Rural Metro Fire, the Grants Pass Department of Public Safety, Josephine County Emergency Management, Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the American Red Cross.

While gusty winds are still causing minor flare-ups throughout the fire’s footprint, crews have made enough progress that OSFM teams are heading home today. However, both local structure and wildland crews will remain present to continue mop-up over the coming days.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.