JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – The Garner Complex has reached nearly 30,000 acres and is 60% contained.
The complex includes following fires: Grave Creek, Pleasant Creek and Ditch Creek. They were all started by lightning on July 15 in Jackson and Josephine Counties, with most activity centered near Grants Pass.
The Taylor Creek Fire was recently removed from the Garner Complex. It’s now being managed by a separate incident management team.
According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, over 2,600 firefighting personnel are currently assigned to the fires.
The Grave Creek Fire is reportedly the largest and most active fire at 7,816 acres. However, lines around the fire are holding and crews are conducting suppression and repair operations with mop-up work being done between 100 and 200 feet within the perimeter.
At 12:40 p.m. on July 29, evacuation levels on Graves Creek Road north of Ditch Creek were reduced from Level 2 (be set) to Level 1 (be ready.)
At about the same time, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office sent out the following evacuation changes:
Due to the planned firefighting operations, including backburns, for the Taylor Creek wildfire, residences on Riverbanks Road between 7293 and 8549, including the following road:
· Burnette Road is being placed on a Level 3 “GO” Evacuation.
· Do not delay leaving to gather any belongings or make efforts to protect your home.
· This may be the last notice you receive.
· A shelter has been established at Grants Pass High School.
· Josephine County Sheriff’s Office Search & Rescue will be performing door to door notifications.
If you have not signed up for Josephine County Citizen’s Alert, Josephine County’s emergency notification system, you can sign up online at www.rvem.org.
The Red Cross evacuation shelter remains active at Grants Pass High School, 830 NE 9th St, Grants Pass, OR 97526.
This article contained the latest information that was accurate as of July 30 at 9:40 a.m. For current updates and evacuation notices, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5935/
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