Near Brookings, Ore. — Evacuations remain in effect for the Chetco Bar Fire.
An emergency shelter at Riley Creek Elementary in Gold Beach is housing those who can’t return to their homes.
Chief Scott Magers is the Incident Commander representing the State Fire Marshal.
Upwards of 788 people from many agencies are battling the fire.
There are 14 task forces at work including one from Jackson County.
According to Red Cross, there were 60 people at the shelter Monday night.
Monique Dugaw says the goal is to provide those displaced from their homes with food, shelter, water and stability.
“There are a lot of people who have been evacuated quickly. They’ve left with hardly anything… literally the clothes on their back in some cases. That’s why the Red Cross is there to be able to help people in those situations when it’s chaotic and it’s scary and there’s a lot of unknowns,” Dugaw said.
As of two Tuesday afternoon, Curry County Sheriff John Ward says those from Cape Ferrelo up to the Pistol River can now return to their homes under a level two evacuation.
That’s about 700 homes.
However, if the fire were to start moving west again, he says the level three evacuation would be back into effect.
“Just because you’re back in there the threat isn’t completely gone. And if things change, we ask you to follow their instructions and get back out so we can continue to do the work we’ve done thus far,” Chief Scott Magers said.
Chief Jim Watson from the Brookings Fire Department says the Conflagration Act was granted allowing the department to get an additional 249 structural firefighters working through the state of Oregon.
According to the sheriff, at least five homes have been destroyed thus far.
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