CANYONVILLE, Ore.— The Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal has sent structural firefighters and equipment to protect residences and other buildings near the Poole Creek Fire if needed. The 27 firefighters from Polk and Yamhill counties arrived this evening with eight fire engines, two water tenders and two command vehicles. Tomorrow they’ll begin assessing structures along Ferguson Lane and Moore Ranch Road. If needed, they will improve defensible space around homes and outbuildings.
The Poole Creek Fire remains firefighters’ top priority. Crews are working to complete and strengthen control lines on the fire’s east and west flanks. A mobile retardant base placed on the south bank of the South Umpqua River is making it more convenient for helicopters to drop retardant along control lines to cool hot spots. Helicopters are also dropping retardant on unburned vegetation to reduce the risk of any fires crossing the control lines.
On the south and southwest side of the Poole Creek Fire, firefighters have mopped up about 200 feet from the perimeter of the fire. This part of the fire is unlikely to spread beyond those well-established control lines. Overall containment stands at 23% on fires in the Complex.
ODF’s Partenavia aircraft, which is equipped with night-vision and infrared heat cameras, will fly over the Poole Creek Fire tonight looking for heat. This helps firefighters identify and extinguish any remaining heat and find new spot fires beyond control lines. New spots can be difficult to find beneath heavy vegetation on steep slopes.
Wednesday will see higher temperatures into the upper 90s and lower humidity over the fire, with a Red Flag Warning for dry and unstable air.
A Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation advisory is in effect for residences in the area north of the Poole Creek Fire. For the latest evacuation information go to www.dcso.com/evacuations
# # #