Aug. 19, 2011, 8:30 a.m.
Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Southwest Oregon District
Contact: Brian Ballou, ODF public information officer, (541) 621-4156
Don Hickman, Jackson County Fire District #3 information officer, (541) 944-3873
Fire crews working on the North River Road Fire, east of the city of Rogue River, made good progress overnight with building fireline and knocking down hotspots along the fire’s perimeter. The fire is estimated at 425 acres in size and is 40 percent contained. Approximately 300 firefighters are assigned to the fire today.
A second fire west of the city of Rogue River, next to Foothill Blvd., is contained at 2.5 acres.
North River Road is closed to the public between the city of Rogue River and Twin Bridges Rd. Residents who were advised to evacuate from their homes yesterday have been allowed to return. At least 25 homes were threatened by the North River Road and Foothill Blvd. fires.
No homes burned in the fires, but three outbuildings and one vehicle were destroyed. No injuries have been reported.
The cause of the fires, which broke out after 4:00 p.m. Thursday, is being investigated. A series of fires started along the edge of Interstate 5’s northbound lane between mile markers 45 and 48.