Aerial and ground reconaissance following this morning’s lightning event in southern Oregon has turned up 54 new fires in the Douglas County area. Two of the fires are five or more acres in size, and several others range from 2-3 acres.
The Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) has deployed firefighting resources to 30 of the fires. An Oregon Department of Forestry air tanker and four helicopters are working four of the blazes located in the Cow Creek area west of Riddle and in the Rabbit Mountain and Glendale areas. An additional helicopter has been ordered.
Four DFPA hand crews have joined the suppression effort, assisted by resources from Coos Forest Protective Association, forest landowners, local fire departments and the Bureau of Land Management.