MAPLETON, Ore. – Firefighters today are continuing their fight to slow the spread of a wildfire in private forestland and a portion of BLM land about 1 mile southeast of Mapleton in western Lane County. The fire- estimated this afternoon at more than 500 acres – is in steep terrain on the south side of the Siuslaw River and is burning toward the south away from Mapleton.
Fire crews aided by six bulldozes, five water tenders, an excavator and a processor, are reinforcing control lines this morning that they dug yesterday. They are adding water hoses to the fire lines and working to extend those lines. However, containment remains officially at 0%.
Meanwhile, two helicopters are taking water from the Siuslaw River to drop on the fire. ODF fire officials are asking the pubic to avoid the area downstream from Mapleton in the Hadsall Creek Road section of the Siuslaw River where the helicopters are refilling their buckets. Fire officials are also asking the public to avoid the Hadsall Creek Road and Sweet Creek Road areas because of heavy firefighting traffic.
Lane County Sheriff has eight homes under a Level 3 (Go) evacuation order and 24 homes under a Level 2 (Get Set) evacuation order.
A number of local firefighting agencies have been assisting on the fire, including :
- Mapleton Fire Department
- Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue (Note: the Reedsport Volunteer Fire Department covered for SVFR so they could dispatch to the fire)
- Swisshome-Deadwood Rural Fire Protection District
Other agencies aiding in the fire include the Lance County Emergency Management, Lane County Road Department, Lane County Sheriff, Oregon Department of Transportation and USDA Forest Service wildland firefighters from the Siuslaw National Forest.
ODF Incident Management Team One led by Joe Hessel will take command of the fire at 6 p.m. tonight, freeing up local resources to focus again on initial attack on any new fires in coming days.
Cause of the fire is under investigation.
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