COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Mop up continues on the Row River Fire southeast of Cottage Grove near the Dorena Reservoir. The fire, which was first reported on Sunday burned about 12 acres of wooded land by the Rowena River Trail before being fully lined by ODF personnel dispatched from the Springfield office.
Read more about the fire in this article by the Eugene Register-Guard.
Oregon has experienced almost no measurable rain in late June and the first half of July, allowing vegetation to dry out. Statewide the moisture content of fuels is dropping. With relative humidity also low in summer, the stage is set for fires to start more easily and spread more quickly. So far 2017 has seen an average number of fires for this time of year. However, there have been fewer lightning-sparked fires than the 10-year average for this date and more human-caused ones.