Lincoln County Crews Help With East Evans Creek Fire

Wildland and structural firefighters working on the East Evans Creek Fire, located approximately seven miles west of Shady Cove, continue to make progress, building line around the perimeter and protecting homes and structures near the fire’s edge. Containment lines built overnight have held, and firefighters continue to build on that progress. The fire is currently estimated to be 2,656 acres; an infrared (IR) flight is planned for this evening to confirm the fire’s current footprint and acreage. The fire started on Friday afternoon at 2:41 p.m. after a car crashed into a power pole, sparking dry vegetation in the area. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the cause of the crash.

Due to the complexities of the incident, including steep terrain, extreme fire behavior and the threat of lightning in the forecast, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Medford District and the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) ordered ODF Complex Incident Management Team 1. Governor Tina Kotek's invocation of the Emergency Conflagration Act mobilized the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Blue Incident Management Team to protect structures near the fire.

Together, these teams were in-briefed by local resources at noon on Saturday, and took unified command of the incident at 6 p.m. These teams bring experience, as well as additional resources, to the incident and allow local firefighters to rest and return to their regular duties, including responding to any new reports of fire. Throughout the day on Saturday, firefighters were able to minimize growth on the fire, however a few small spot fires were found. Resources included numerous helicopters, air tankers, engines, crews, and bulldozers. Retardant drops are helping to create temporary fire line. Focus remains on the southern portion where the majority of homes and structures are located, along with uncontained edges to the north and east.  

On the structural side, four structural task forces from Marion, Lincoln, and Linn counties and the southern Oregon coast were mobilized by OSFM today. The conflagration declaration allows OSFM to deploy statewide structural firefighting resources when a wildfire threatens life and property beyond the capabilities of local agencies. These newly arriving resources joined a Douglas County strike team and a Klamath County task force that responded yesterday through an Immediate Response request to provide structure protection. Crews focused on providing structural protection to homes and critical infrastructure and securing fire line around homes.

Firefighters are preparing for several days of critical fire weather, including high temperatures, gusty winds and the potential for lightning. Resources will continue to monitor conditions closely and make plans accordingly. Firefighters are directed to put the fire out as quickly as possible and keep the fire footprint as small as possible, but face numerous challenges on this incident, including steep terrain, active fire behavior and poison oak. The safety of the public and firefighters is the top priority on this incident, along with protecting property and critical infrastructure.