Redwood Highway back open and evacuations lifted for fire near Selma

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. — Fire crews near Selma are close to putting out the Redwood Highway Fire.

Highway 199 is now fully re-opened and evacuations in place for several hours Saturday night have been lifted.

The Oregon Department of Forestry said the fire is now 100% lined and 45% contained.

The fire has been burning south along Highway 199 near milepost 23, although ODF said aircraft were able to stop the forward spread.

Crews had one fire at milepost 17, another at 18 and the main fire at milepost 23 when it started around 6:30 Saturday night.

Crews made great progress overnight and limited the fires to about six acres total.

They were able to avoid any threat to structures.

“It was Illinois Valley Fire District’s initial call and everyone comes rushing in to help and you see that over and over again here because we are all a lot stronger when we work together and we know that, so that’s always going to be the tactic that we have and you’re always going to see all those different fire districts out at the scene,” Natalie Weber with ODF said.

ODF said firefighters on scene will continue to finish with operations by tonight as an investigation ongoing.