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Firefighters Nate Lindley and Tracy Martindale battle the Williams Creek Fire about a quarter mile from the Steamboat Inn on the Umpqua National Forest on Tuesday.
STEAMBOAT — The 4,994-acre Williams Creek Fire prompted officials to evacuate nearby residents this morning, and a second incident command team was brought on board to manage more than a dozen fires in the Tiller Ranger District, including a 22-acre fire reported Monday.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued the mandatory evacuation of residences on Moore Hill Lane at 10 a.m. Fire crews plan to continue burning out vegetation between the Williams Creek Fire and the lines that have been dug, and the evacuation was issued for safety reasons, fire information officer Jennifer O'Leary said this morning.
“Those residences are in an area where they are surrounded by unburned fuel,” she said. “In a controlled fashion, (burnout fires) will remove the unburned fuels between the fire and the line.”
The Williams Creek Fire, located 19 miles east of Glide, is now 30 percent contained. Structure protection for the residences and Steamboat Inn buildings, which were evacuated Saturday, will continue today. Highway 138 remains closed from Milepost 29 to 39.
In the Tiller Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest, 10 new smoke sightings have been reported since Monday afternoon, said Earl Cordes, UNF public information officer. To date, a total of 52 smoke sightings have been reported and 14 of those are staffed with crews, Cordes said.
The largest fire in the Tiller Ranger District is the 22-acre Cougar Butte Fire located in the Rogue Umpqua Divide Wilderness. The fire was spotted Monday, and a 20-person Hotshot crew is hiking into the area today, Cordes said.
The Northwest Incident Management Team assumed control of the Tiller Complex at 6 a.m. The team will manage most of the Tiller Ranger District, with the exception of the 13-acre Upper Cow Creek Fire and a few other small fires in the area, Cordes said. Douglas Forest Protective Association is managing the Upper Cow Creek Fire, which is located eight miles southwest of Tiller. That fire is now completely lined, Cordes said.
The Umpqua National Forest did not receive any new reports of smoke sightings in the Diamond Lake Ranger District since Monday's count of 11 smoke reports, eight of which are staffed with firefighters, Cordes said.
The Oregon and California Interagency Incident Management Team continues to manage the Williams Creek Fire. The personnel count on that fire is up to 1,118 people, which includes 30 20-person hand crews and six helicopters. One minor injury has been reported.
Fire officials expect to have the Williams Creek Fire, which was spotted July 28, contained by Friday.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued the mandatory evacuation of residences on Moore Hill Lane at 10 a.m. Fire crews plan to continue burning out vegetation between the Williams Creek Fire and the lines that have been dug, and the evacuation was issued for safety reasons, fire information officer Jennifer O'Leary said this morning.
“Those residences are in an area where they are surrounded by unburned fuel,” she said. “In a controlled fashion, (burnout fires) will remove the unburned fuels between the fire and the line.”
The Williams Creek Fire, located 19 miles east of Glide, is now 30 percent contained. Structure protection for the residences and Steamboat Inn buildings, which were evacuated Saturday, will continue today. Highway 138 remains closed from Milepost 29 to 39.
In the Tiller Ranger District of the Umpqua National Forest, 10 new smoke sightings have been reported since Monday afternoon, said Earl Cordes, UNF public information officer. To date, a total of 52 smoke sightings have been reported and 14 of those are staffed with crews, Cordes said.
The largest fire in the Tiller Ranger District is the 22-acre Cougar Butte Fire located in the Rogue Umpqua Divide Wilderness. The fire was spotted Monday, and a 20-person Hotshot crew is hiking into the area today, Cordes said.
The Northwest Incident Management Team assumed control of the Tiller Complex at 6 a.m. The team will manage most of the Tiller Ranger District, with the exception of the 13-acre Upper Cow Creek Fire and a few other small fires in the area, Cordes said. Douglas Forest Protective Association is managing the Upper Cow Creek Fire, which is located eight miles southwest of Tiller. That fire is now completely lined, Cordes said.
The Umpqua National Forest did not receive any new reports of smoke sightings in the Diamond Lake Ranger District since Monday's count of 11 smoke reports, eight of which are staffed with firefighters, Cordes said.
The Oregon and California Interagency Incident Management Team continues to manage the Williams Creek Fire. The personnel count on that fire is up to 1,118 people, which includes 30 20-person hand crews and six helicopters. One minor injury has been reported.
Fire officials expect to have the Williams Creek Fire, which was spotted July 28, contained by Friday.
• You can reach reporter Marissa Harshman at 957-4202 or by e-mail at mharshman@nrtoday.com.
