Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1 assumes command of Kelsey Peak Fire, rain and cooler temperatures in forecast

September 8, 2025

LOWER ROGUE RIVER CORRIDOR, Ore. – Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Dan Quinones, assumed command of the Kelsey Peak Fire today at 6:00 a.m. Resources from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District and ODF’s Southwest Oregon District have made significant progress constructing containment lines on the Kelsey Peak Fire since it was sparked by lightning last week. The fire is burning on BLM administered lands in rugged terrain with dense vegetation, limited access, and large overstory trees north of the Rogue River along the Kelsey Creek drainage.

Transitioning command of the fire to Team 1 brings additional capacity and resources to the incident and allows local firefighters to rest and be available to respond to new fires. The weather forecast for the week includes cooler temperatures, precipitation and the threat of more lightning.

Fire crews today will take advantage of the cooler, damp weather to further strengthen existing control lines, identify potential features and points to establish direct control lines, and building line adjacent to the fire’s edge, minimizing fire size. Smoky conditions have limited the use of aircraft on the fire over the last several days, as conditions allow, they will be used to support firefighters on the ground. Eight helicopters are assigned to the incident.

On the west side of the fire, control lines will be extended with bulldozers south from BLM Road 32-9-14.2, while firefighters look for opportunities to build direct line along the southern edge of the fire. Overnight, access to the northeast corner of the fire was improved as bulldozers worked to open a roadway for firefighter travel. Better access to this area of the fire will allow construction of direct control line along the northern edge of the fire and the east side of the fire working south toward the East Fork of Kelsey Creek.

“We have a window of opportunity to take strong action on the fire,” commented Incident Commander Quinones during the day shift planning meeting. “Moderated fire behavior will allow us to go after the fire in its existing footprint.”

While focusing on the full suppression operational objectives of the incident, special consideration will be given to the protection of cultural and historic resources in the area, public and firefighter safety, and minimizing impacts to the natural characteristics of the Rogue River and its tributaries. The Rogue River remains open for permitted boaters, however firefighting activities in the area could cause delays.

Firefighting resources from the Kelsey Peak Fire are available to support local agency’s initial attack of new wildfires.

Closures: The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell. A temporary closure of a portion of the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway (BLM Road 32-9-14.2) has been implemented by the BLM Grants Pass Field Office. The public is strongly encouraged to avoid the entire Byway to facilitate safe firefighter access on the steep, narrow, windy road. Members of the public may not enter closed areas, and all uses—including hiking, hunting and dispersed camping—are prohibited. Please see the map for full closure information on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

Evacuations:  The Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3 – GO NOW evacuation order for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management issued a Level 1 – BE READY evacuation notice Zone JCU-801. More info: https://tinyurl.com/KelseyPeakEvacs

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 7,000 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_8274. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.

Favorable weather aids good progress around the Marks Creek Fire

September 7, 2025

PRINEVILLE, Ore. – With more seasonable weather conditions across the fire area today, crews continued to make progress around the entire fire.  With the fire now fully lined, tree fallers focused on clearing hazardous snags, going over 100 feet deep in some areas.  By removing these danger trees, crews were able to safely work into the interior of the fire further securing the perimeter. 

Overnight crews will continue to build depth to the lines in areas with easier access.  They will use infrared sensors to find and mark areas of heat in the interior so day crews can extinguish them.

Highway 26 remains open; however, firefighters and heavy equipment are entering and exiting the roadway in multiple areas along the fire perimeter. Please drive with caution and slow down in the fire area to ensure firefighter and public safety.

Evacuations: Crook County Sheriff’s Office evacuation orders remain in place. An evacuation map is available on the Crook County Sheriff’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CrookCountySheriff/.

Local Area Closures: The U.S. Forest Service has implemented a temporary forest closure. For more information, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/ochoco/alerts/marks-creek-fire-area-closure.

ODF CIMT 1 in-briefed on Kelsey Peak Fire, firefighters continue steady progress on the line

September 7, 2025

LOWER ROGUE RIVER CORRIDOR, Ore. (Sept. 7, 2025) – As firefighters remain engaged on the Kelsey Peak Fire, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 1 was in-briefed on the incident by local leadership from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District and ODF Southwest Oregon District. The fire, burning on BLM-administered land along the Lower Rogue River Corridor roughly 26 miles northwest of Grants Pass, was sparked by lightning during a thunderstorm last Wednesday night. ODF CIMT 1 is currently working with their counterparts to learn as much as possible about the fire, terrain, local historic structures, and communities before taking command of the incident on Monday morning. With the team transition, updates will begin to be available on the Kelsey Peak Fire 2025 Facebook page tomorrow.

Today, resources assigned to the fire improved work along existing control lines, bolstering these areas to create a strong barrier to stop the forward spread of the fire. Additionally, they were able to create new lines along the north and southeast portions. Smoky conditions have halted the use of aircraft for the past two days, but a window opened up around 5:30 p.m. and helicopters were able to assist firefighters on the ground.

Tonight, resources will continue to push forward on building lines around the fire. This effort will help to keep it as small as possible, which remains a top priority, along with the safety of firefighters and the public. More than 150 personnel will be working on the fire overnight, including five 20-person crews, 13 engines, one bulldozer, two water tenders and medical staff.

Evacuations around the fire remain in place tonight. The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management placed Zone JCU-801, located mostly southeast of the fire, on a Level 1, BE READY evacuation notice. In Curry County, Sheriff John Ward of the Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3, GO NOW, evacuation order for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell. A portion of the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway (BLM Road 32-9-14.2) is closed. The public is strongly encouraged to avoid the entire Byway to facilitate safe firefighter access on the steep, narrow, windy road. Members of the public may not enter closed areas, and all uses—including hiking, hunting and dispersed camping—are prohibited. Please see the map for full closure information on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

Firefighters are also scouting the area for cabins and other historical locations in an effort to preserve them. While the Rogue River Ranch, Marial and the Zane Grey Cabin are near the general area of the fire, they are currently not threatened by it. The Level 3 evacuation affecting some of these structures is due to the limited road access currently threatened by the fire. Resources will continue to monitor fire behavior and take the steps necessary to keep these structures safe.

The fires along the Lower Rogue River Corridor were started by lightning during a thunderstorm last Wednesday; the following is a complete list of the fires that affected ODF-protected land:

Additional fires burning downriver near the Paradise and Half Moon Bar Lodges are on ground protected by our partners at the U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Coos Forest Protective Association; please follow their pages for additional fire updates.

Help firefighters by following all current regulations during Extreme fire danger:

• ODF: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/
• BLM: https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/fire-restrictions

Firefighters hold Kelsey Peak Fire lines, ODF CIMT 1 ordered

September 6, 2025

LOWER ROGUE RIVER CORRIDOR, Ore. (Sept. 6, 2025) – Challenging conditions once again were felt by resources assigned to the Kelsey Peak Fire, burning on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land along the Lower Rogue River Corridor roughly 26 miles northwest of Grants Pass. Smoky conditions persisted across the fire today, contributing to lower intensity  fire behavior, but shutting down air operations for a second day in a row. Despite the lack of air support, firefighters were able to hold the established lines and even build on some of them today, bolstering their overall strength. Storm systems moving through the area could bring erratic winds tonight, which could naturally increase fire behavior; firefighters working the evening shift are prepared for this possibility. Resources include five 20-person crews, 13 engines, two water tenders and medical personnel.

With the complexities of the topography, steep terrain, and dense brush, as well as thunderstorms in the forecast for the coming days bringing added threats of new fire starts, the decision was made by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District and BLM Medford District to order ODF Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 1. The team will bring added resources to the fire, as well as release local ODF personnel to return to their normal initial attack response readiness in the face of potential new fire starts. The team will arrive on Sunday afternoon and be in-briefed with the current fire situation before taking command of the incident  Monday morning.

This afternoon, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management placed Zone JCU-801, located mostly southeast of the fire, on a Level 1, BE READY evacuation notice. Additionally, BLM Grants Pass Field Office has temporarily closed a portion of the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway (BLM Road 32-9-14.2) and Sheriff John Ward of the Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3, GO NOW, evacuation order for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The public is strongly encouraged to avoid the entire Byway to facilitate safe firefighter access on the steep, narrow, windy road. Members of the public may not enter closed areas, and all uses—including hiking, hunting and dispersed camping—are prohibited. Please see the map for full closure information on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

Thunderstorms began to materialize around 5 p.m. in southern Oregon. Numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes have been recorded up the entire west side of Jackson County with a small cluster in southeastern Josephine County at the time of this release. While the system brought some rain, firefighters are ready to respond to new reports of fire tonight. ODF’s Detection Center staff are monitoring these strike areas for smoke and a reconnaissance flight is planned for this evening with more flights planned for Sunday morning.

The fires along the Lower Rogue River Corridor were started by lightning during a thunderstorm last Wednesday; the following is a complete list of the fires that affected ODF-protected land:

Additional fires burning downriver near the Paradise and Half Moon Bar Lodges are on ground protected by our partners at the U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Coos Forest Protective Association; please follow their pages for additional fire updates.

Help firefighters by following all current regulations during Extreme fire danger:

• ODF: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/
• BLM: https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/fire-restrictions

Fierce attack continues on Kelsey Peak Fire, thunderstorms in the forecast

September 6, 2025

LOWER ROGUE RIVER CORRIDOR, Ore. (Sept. 6, 2025) – Firefighters continued to engage aggressively on the Kelsey Peak and Marial fires burning along the Lower Rogue River Corridor last night, located roughly 26 miles northwest of Grants Pass. These fires are two of 10 that started as a result of lightning on ODF Southwest Oregon District-protected land following thunderstorms on Wednesday. Overnight, resources were able to finish work on the Marial Fire, stopping it at a half-acre and mopping up 100% of the incident. This leaves the Kelsey Peak Fire as the only active incident of 10 fires affecting Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. While the other nine are in patrol status, they continue to be monitored for signs of heat and any lingering hot spots found are immediately extinguished.

Fire behavior remained active on the Kelsey Fire overnight, but resources were able to put in line with bulldozers, connecting to the work that was completed yesterday along BLM Road 32-9-14 on the north end of the fire. They were also able to reinforce those lines along the road itself and hold the fire there despite embers that threatened to spread beyond established control lines.

Today, this work will continue. Resources assigned to the fire for Saturday include 11 20-person crews, two 10-person crews, 14 engines, two sets of fallers, five bulldozers, and seven water tenders, along with three Type 1, three Type 2 and two Type 3 helicopters; in all, 326 personnel are working on the fire today. Smoky conditions didn’t allow for the use of aircraft yesterday, however clearer skies this morning may mean work from the sky can continue safely today. Additional resources like air tankers will be ordered as needed.

Overnight, an infrared (IR) flight was able to be conducted over the Kelsey Peak Fire, and through more arcuate mapping, the fire was determined to be 506 acres. This jump in acreage is partly due to strategic firing operations that were conducted yesterday to protect the BLM Road 32-9-14.2, which serves as the only exit for communities further west of the fire. ODF, BLM and firefighters on the ground remain committed to keeping this fire as small as possible and extinguishing it quickly, but safely. Challenges on this fire include incredibly steep terrain, limited road access, dense brush, large hazardous trees, rolling debris and snakes.

Due to the threatened road, the BLM Grants Pass Field Office has temporarily closed a portion of the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway (BLM Road 32-9-14.2) and Sheriff John Ward of the Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3, GO NOW, evacuation order for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The public is strongly encouraged to avoid the entire Byway to facilitate safe firefighter access on the steep, narrow, windy road. Members of the public may not enter closed areas, and all uses—including hiking, hunting and dispersed camping—are prohibited. The closure order encompasses BLM Road 32-9-14.2 along the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway. Please see the map for full closure information on the BLM website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

The following is a complete list of fires on ODF-protected land from Wednesday’s thunderstorm:

Thunderstorms remain in the forecast, but the risk has been heightened today. As a result, the National Weather Service Medford Office has issued a Red Flag Warning from 2 – 11 p.m. across all of Jackson and Josephine counties, and the most western portion of Curry County where the Kelsey Peak Fire is located. The designation is due to the potential for abundant lightning on dry fuel with gusty, erratic winds up to 35 miles per hour. While storms could bring rain, windy conditions can prompt fire growth and lightning can bring new fire starts. Firefighters across the district remain ready to respond to new reports of fire and detection flights over existing or new lightning strikes will be conducted as needed.

Additional fires burning downriver near the Paradise and Half Moon Bar Lodges are on ground protected by our partners at the U.S. Forest Service Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Coos Forest Protective Association; please follow their pages for additional fire updates.

Help firefighters by following all current regulations during Extreme fire danger:

• ODF: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/
• BLM: https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/fire-restrictions