HAPPY CAMP, CALIFORNIA— 9 a.m. The Slater and Devil Fire South Zone (Happy Camp to Seiad communities) will be holding a virtual public meeting at 3 p.m. today, September 17, 2020. Join us at facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation.

Incident Commander Doug Turman and his Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2 assumed command of the North Zone of the Slater Fire (including areas around Gasquet, California) yesterday. The South Zone of the Slater Fire and the Devil Fire will remain under command of California IIMT 10 for now. Information will still be disseminated at facebook.com/SlaterAndDevilFireInformation to avoid confusion.

NORTH ZONE: Near Gasquet, firelines are holding along Knopki Road, despite limited available resources there. Equipment operators are using bulldozers to establish control lines along Monkey Ridge to prevent the fire from crossing Highway 199.

The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office has mobilized 10 task forces of structural fire engines, six from Oregon, three from Utah, and one from Washington State. Today, operations continued to implement direct and indirect fire strategies. The heavy smoke inversion lifted late afternoon yesterday over the North Zone of the Slater Fire, causing increased fire activity, but fire personnel were able to maintain control lines in and around Illinois Valley. Note to Level 3 evacuees: We are working hard to get you back into your homes. Thank you for your patience as we work to ensure your safety. Northern Rockies Team 2 continues to work with the Oregon State Fire Marshal, Oregon Department of Forestry and other local and federal agencies to contain the northern spread of the Slater Fire.

SOUTH ZONE: A low-pressure system crossed over the Slater Fire area from west to east, clearing smoke out and increasing fire activity yesterday afternoon into last night. Firefighters were able to contain several spot fires on the west side of the Thompson Creek drainage yesterday. Air quality is expected to improve around Happy Camp today, although smoke levels are predicted to remain unhealthy.

Priorities for the Slater Fire South Zone today include preventing rolling material from crossing control lines along Highway 96 and protecting life and property in the Thompson Creek drainage, where fire is backing towards homes. Meanwhile, work continues to build direct and indirect fireline around Seiad to contain the Devil Fire, which spread to the west and northeast yesterday.

The Slater Fire has now burned an estimated 143,092 acres, while the Devil Fire is at roughly 6,907 acres, aerial heat detection flights show. The Slater Fire remains at 10 percent containment, while the Devil is still 0 percent contained.

The Fox Fire burning southwest of Callahan in the Klamath National Forest is now estimated at roughly 1,512 acres. EVACUATION ADVISORIES and ORDERS are in effect for the Callahan area due to this fire – see the Siskiyou County Sheriffs Facebook page for updated details. The Fox Fire has shown active fire behavior and produced intense heat. The Slater Fire’ South Zone is supporting suppression efforts on the Fox Fire until additional resources arrive. CALFIRE is also assisting in response to this fire. It is currently zero percent contained.

Due to extreme fire danger, all National Forests in California closed September 9, and remain closed. More details on these closure orders, along with fire restrictions orders, can be found on National Forest websites and on InciWeb.

Due to public safety concerns associated with fire danger and fire activity, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) has temporarily closed the Wild Rivers Ranger District and the Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District. Closure orders and maps are available on the RRSNF website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices

As a result of extreme fire danger, the Bureau of Land Management Medford District has temporarily closed all Bureau of Land Management-administered public lands south of Grants Pass, Interstate 5, and U.S. Route 199 to the border of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website: www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

Highway 199 remains closed from O’Brien south almost to Gasquet. Highway 96 is now open to one-way controlled traffic. Drivers traveling these sections of highway should expect delays and use caution due to increased fire traffic, poor visibility and possible falling trees or rolling material. Other highways in Oregon are also being impacted by the smoke.

EVACUATION INFORMATION:

·      Current evacuation orders are posted on Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SiskiyouCountySheriff/.

·      For Del Norte County evacuation information, see www.facebook.com/DelNorteOfficeOfEmergencyServices

·      Evacuation order/warning info and other resources for Josephine County can be found by calling Josephine County Fire Information Center 541-474-5305 (7am-10pm) or online at:

www.facebook.com/josephinecountyEM, www.co.josephine.or.us/fire, or www.rvem.org

Lionshead Fire Update – Thursday, September 17, 2020 – 9:00 a.m. 

Weather and Fire Behavior: Fire activity should continue to moderate with the weather. Temperatures will be cooler today and some rain is expected this afternoon and into Friday. Thunderstorms are possible and there is some concern about debris flow, which can occur when rain follows fire activity. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning in Marion and Linn Counties.

Yesterday:  Yesterday on the Warm Springs Reservation, firefighters coordinated with Tribal representatives to scout potential contingency fire line along the northern perimeter of the fire. On the northeastern edge of the fire, firefighters took advantage of the moderated weather to work more directly adjacent to the fire’s edge. Crews performed structure protection activities, such as clearing brush and vegetation from around homes, in Sid Walter Flats. To the east and southeast, the fire perimeter was largely in patrol status and crews engaged in mop up and removal of fire-weakened trees for public safety. Crews continued with stabilization efforts in the Highway 22 corridor.  There is still some active burning occurring around the Stahlman area.  On the north side of the fire, firefighters worked along the 46 Road and contained spot fires south of Sisi Butte. Crews secured Hawk Cabin.

Today’s Activities: Most of yesterday’s work will continue today. Along the northern edge of the fire, crews will keep scouting for options to connect fire line west from the B-200 Road to Olallie Lakes, where they plan to tie control line in with the fire perimeter.  Good progress has been made preparing roads and dozer lines for burnout operations but there is still a significant amount of work to do. Firefighters will continue structure protection around homes in Sid Walter Flats and keep watch to secure the spot fires there and near Sisi Butte in the northwest. Crews will work along the 46 Road toward Breitenbush to prepare it for eventual re-opening. Firefighters expect to complete much of the mop up work in the Olallie Lakes area today. Structure groups will remain working in Marion Forks and monitoring the Stahlman area.

This evening, Pacific Northwest Team 3 will transfer command of the Lionshead Fire to Rocky Mountain Team 1.

Evacuations: Evacuation levels remain in place for the Lionshead Fire and updates are provided by Oregon Emergency Management at https://www.oregon.gov/oem/emops/Pages/RAPTOR.aspx. To ensure public safety on the Reservation, the Warm Springs Police Department is maintaining the current Level 2 “Be Set” evacuation notice for the Sidwalter area and Level 1 “Be Ready” notice along Highway 26.

Closures: Forest closures are in place for Deschutes, Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests:  Deschutes NF Alerts     Willamette NF Alerts   Mt. Hood NF Alerts  Roads and trails on the southwest portion of the Warm Springs Reservation near the fires remain closed for public safety.

FOR ADDITIONAL FIRE INFORMATION: Fire Information: 971-277-5075

TripCheck: https://www.tripcheck.com/

 Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LionsheadFire

Email:  2020.lionshead@firenet.gov