Umpqua, Ore. – Resources continued to arrive on the Tyee Ridge Complex today with a total of 1093 personnel engaged. Aircraft assisted with water and retardant drops, supporting ground operations in areas of steep or inaccessible terrain. Two Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs) from Medford provided retardant drops on ridges on the Lighthouse 3 Fire. To the north, crews increased mopup on the Big Tom, Hardscrabble, Blue Hole, and Yellow Point Fires. Tactical firing operations also helped improve line on Big Tom. Moving these fires toward patrol status will aid the overall effort by allowing resources to focus on the more active fires to the south.
Fire behavior became very active in the afternoon on the Lighthouse and Cougar Creek Fires with spotting, slopovers, and uphill runs. Thermal belts, or pockets of warmer air over the fires, contributed to this activity. Oregon Department of Forestry wildland fire resources responded, including helicopters, single engine air tankers, heavy equipment, and hand crews. They built and reinforced line, and engaged in initial attack on spots and slopovers. Two Oregon State Fire Marshal task forces worked around structures, installing sprinkler kits at the Lighthouse Center and along Hubbard Creek Road.
Continued active fire behavior is likely overnight. Winds are expected to become gusty at 7 to 13 miles per hour. Night operations will focus on digging hand line, attacking any spot fires that cross lines, and addressing slopovers. Crews will continue tactical firing operations where possible to remove fuels between control lines and the fire’s edge.
All evacuation notices issued by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office remain unchanged. An estimated 183 persons have evacuated. The Red Cross shelter for evacuees is now located at The Way Church of Sutherlin located at 1352 E. Central Ave. in Sutherlin, OR. To shelter livestock, contact Douglas County Animal Control at 541-440-4471. Companion pets can be sheltered at Saving Grace Pet Adoption Center in Roseburg. To view the current evacuation information map, go to www.dcso.com/evacuations.