ODF firefighters in Jackson and Josephine counties are entering their sixth consecutive day of chasing fires started by thunderstorms. Six fires have been found on ODF-protected lands within the Grants Pass Unit, and 26 fires in the Medford Unit. Most of the fires have been ¼ acre in size or smaller – quite a few of them less than a tenth of an acre. The largest was the 5-acre Bishop Creek Fire near Ruch.
All of the fires are in mop up or patrol status.
The daily thunderstorm weather pattern began on Saturday, May 30. As the days ticked by, the storms became progressively wetter, but not wet enough to extinguish all of the lightning-caused fires. The rain that accompanied the storms increased in volume as the days progressed, but was unevenly distributed.
Sleepers may pop up over the next few days (or longer) as the thunderstorm pattern ends and a moderate drying trend begins.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Lull In The Action
Despite having a third round of thunderstorms over the Southwest Oregon District on Monday, no new fires have been found by ODF firefighters. Yesterday's storm hit primarily in Josephine County -- with a handful of strikes strewn across Jackson County -- and engines from the Grants Pass Unit charged out in response to one reported smoke. Alas, darkness fell before a fire could be found. Today, after a thorough search of the same area, neither smoke nor fire could be found.
They're still looking, though, and a reconnaissance flight is buzzing both counties today, searching for smokes.
In Jackson County, Medford Unit firefighters are revisiting the two-dozen fires found since the thunderstorm onslaught began last Saturday.
They're still looking, though, and a reconnaissance flight is buzzing both counties today, searching for smokes.
In Jackson County, Medford Unit firefighters are revisiting the two-dozen fires found since the thunderstorm onslaught began last Saturday.
Monday, June 1, 2009
More Than 20 Small Fires Found
Another thunderstorm late Sunday may have sparked new fires on ODF-protected lands in Jackson County. As of this morning, at least 20 fires have been found since Saturday. Reports of smoke are being received by the Medford Unit’s dispatch office several times an hour. A reconnaissance flight is in the air to search for new smokes and to confirm reported fires.
The largest fire from the weekend’s storm was a 5-acre fire in the Bishop Creek area, southeast of Ruch. A fire yesterday near the Jacksonville Reservoir Road burned nearly an acre of brush before being contained around 10:00 p.m.
Most of the fires caused by the lightning storms have each burned less than a half-acre. In many cases, the fires have been confined to a single tree or have burned small patches of brush.
Fires in the Jones Rd, Vine Creek, Boswell Mountain and Indian Creek areas were located late Sunday and are being mopped up.
The weather forecast is calling for more wet thunderstorms today.
The largest fire from the weekend’s storm was a 5-acre fire in the Bishop Creek area, southeast of Ruch. A fire yesterday near the Jacksonville Reservoir Road burned nearly an acre of brush before being contained around 10:00 p.m.
Most of the fires caused by the lightning storms have each burned less than a half-acre. In many cases, the fires have been confined to a single tree or have burned small patches of brush.
Fires in the Jones Rd, Vine Creek, Boswell Mountain and Indian Creek areas were located late Sunday and are being mopped up.
The weather forecast is calling for more wet thunderstorms today.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
New Fires, Smoke Reports Keep Crews Busy
ODF’s Medford Unit dozer and fire-fighting crews stopped a half-acre fire this afternoon in the Coon Creek area, located approximately 5 miles south of Hwy 140 in the Little Butte Creek drainage. Meanwhile, an ODF engine crew finished off a small fire near Obenchain Road, west of Butte Falls. A local resident had built a fireline to contain the fire until the ODF engine arrived.
Two single-tree fires in the Jones Rd area, located in Sams Valley, were also discovered and crews are hiking in.
Engine crews are now searching for reported smokes in the Vine Creek area, 2 miles south of Lost Creek Reservoir; the Boswell Mountain area, 5 miles west of Shady Cove; and the Indian Creek area, southeast of Shady Cove.
Two single-tree fires in the Jones Rd area, located in Sams Valley, were also discovered and crews are hiking in.
Engine crews are now searching for reported smokes in the Vine Creek area, 2 miles south of Lost Creek Reservoir; the Boswell Mountain area, 5 miles west of Shady Cove; and the Indian Creek area, southeast of Shady Cove.
Lightning Fire Tally Continues To Climb
As expected, several smokes from Saturday’s thunderstorms popped up today as soon as the skies cleared and the temperature started rising. Ten fires have now been found on ODF-protected lands in Jackson County. Most of the fires have been less than an acre in size, and are being mopped up.
New fires found since mid-morning include two on Lyman Mountain, located 3 miles north of Gold Hill; two fires on Olson Mountain, which is 3 miles southeast of Lost Creek Reservoir; and one fire near Shilo Rd, located approximately 2 miles north of Hwy 234 and 1 mile east of Antioch Rd.
New fires found since mid-morning include two on Lyman Mountain, located 3 miles north of Gold Hill; two fires on Olson Mountain, which is 3 miles southeast of Lost Creek Reservoir; and one fire near Shilo Rd, located approximately 2 miles north of Hwy 234 and 1 mile east of Antioch Rd.
Five Fires Found in Storm’s Wake
Fire-fighting crews from ODF’s Medford Unit found five fires during yesterday’s thunderstorms. The largest is the 5-acre Bishop Creek #1 Fire (originally estimated to be 10 acres), located 1.5 miles SE of Ruch. A second fire in the same drainage burned one-quarter acre of forestland, and in the nearby Sterling Creek area another fire burned one-half of an acre.
A couple miles south of Gold Hill, on a ridge between the Kane Creek and Galls Creek drainages, a fire burned three-fourths of an acre.
The fifth fire found yesterday was on Johns Peak, and it burned one-half an acre.
The incident commander on the Bishop Creek #1 Fire reported this morning that the fire-fighting crew had encircled the burned area with fire line and hoses and was mopping up hot spots. The other four fires are also being mopped up.
Five engines from ODF’s Grants Pass Unit assisted with yesterday’s hunt for lightning-caused fires, which continued well into the night. Many, many reports of smoke and sightings of fire were called in by people from all corners of Jackson County. A reconnaissance flight scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. today will search for additional fires.
A couple miles south of Gold Hill, on a ridge between the Kane Creek and Galls Creek drainages, a fire burned three-fourths of an acre.
The fifth fire found yesterday was on Johns Peak, and it burned one-half an acre.
The incident commander on the Bishop Creek #1 Fire reported this morning that the fire-fighting crew had encircled the burned area with fire line and hoses and was mopping up hot spots. The other four fires are also being mopped up.
Five engines from ODF’s Grants Pass Unit assisted with yesterday’s hunt for lightning-caused fires, which continued well into the night. Many, many reports of smoke and sightings of fire were called in by people from all corners of Jackson County. A reconnaissance flight scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. today will search for additional fires.
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