Gov. Kotek this month declared a State of Emergency for Oregon, and Lane County’s eight major fires continue to burn on this week.
On July 29, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) announced that the State is being supplied by the Oregon National Guard for resources to combat the fires. According to Gov. Kotek’s State of Emergency Declaration, ODF can “order firefighting resources as needed from the National Guard.” The announcement also states that “since the declaration, the department has already ordered two medevac helicopters . . . and other air support from the National Guard.”
“The wildfire situation on the ground is dynamic and challenging, and we need all hands on deck,” Gov. Kotek wrote the announcement.
The fires in Lane County have not let up either.
• The Adam Mountain Fire (about 25 miles southeast of Cottage Grove), a result of multiple fires merging together, is over 8,000 acres and has no containment reported according to the WatchDuty app on July 30. This is the largest fire in Lane County as of July 30.
• The Lane 1 Fire (about 20 miles southeast of Cottage Grove) was just under 2,000 acres with 0% containment reported as of July 30.
Lane County Sheriff’s Department also sent out an update of Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation areas near the fire. This now includes the Bohemia Mining District and Fairview Peak as well as the original areas including east of Disston starting at Brice Creek Road milepost 0.7 and following Brice Creek Road south.
County roads including Brice Creek Road east of the Umpqua National Forest Boundary, Champion Creek Road, and Sharps Creek Road past the waste transfer site are closed except to owners of private lands accessed from these roads, according to the Sheriff’s department.
They also stated that people camping near the evacuation areas should leave now.
• No Man Fire (about 30 miles southeast of Cottage Grove) is just under 600 acres with no containment reported as of July 30.
• Salmon 33 Fire (about 35 miles southeast of Cottage Grove) is at 153 acres with no containment reported, and the Little Cowhorn Fire (about 25 miles east of Springfield) is at just under 200 acres with 0% containment reported as of July 30.
• Horse Heaven Creek Fire (30 miles southeast of Cottage Grove) is about 440 acres with no containment reported as of July 30.
• Coffeepot Fire (about 10 miles south of Oakridge) has grown to over 2,700 acres with 0% containment reported as of July 30.
• Chalk Fire (about 15 miles north of Oakridge) has also grown to 3,600 acres with 7% containment reported as of July 30.
• Ore Fire (30 miles northeast of Springfield) has also grown to over 1,452 acres with 29% containment reported as of July 30.
The Chronicle checks the WatchDuty app to stay updated on fire containment and acres. The app is run by retired firefighters, dispatchers, first responders, and journalists working together to monitor radio scanners to provide notices to keep users alert on any fire danger.
Stay informed: Wildfire resources
• The Watch Duty app
• Oregon Department of Forestry website and Facebook
• Special District Association of Oregon Website sdao.com
• Fire and Smoke Map airnow.gov
• ALERT West website alertwest.live
• Sign up for emergency alerts at www.LaneAlerts.org
