JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – Evacuation levels around a wildfire burning northwest of Grants Pass continue to decline.
The Rum Creek Fire was started by lightning near the community of Galice on August 17, 2022.
Just one day after the fire was first reported, 25-year-old wildland firefighter Logan Taylor of Talent lost his life battling the Rum Creek Fire.
As the community mourned the loss of Taylor, the fire continued to grow at a slow but steady pace.
On August 24, the first “Level 1,” or “Be Ready,” evacuation alerts were sent out to people near the Rum Creek Fire, which covered about 1,000 acres of wilderness.
Within just a few days, windy conditions caused the fire to grow exponentially. By August 27, it covered over 4,300 acres and was considered 0% contained.
At the time, “Level 3, GO” evacuation orders were issued, along with “Level 2, Be Set” and more “Level 1, Be Ready” notices in the area.
By September 13, the Rum Creek Fire was 21,347 acres in size. However, favorable weather conditions over the previous days allowed containment to increase to 80%.
With the increased containment, evacuation levels decreased in the area as surplus firefighting resources were reassigned or sent home.
For the latest evacuation level updates, visit https://rvem.org/News/ArtMID/414/ArticleID/89
The Bureau of Land Management estimates the Rum Creek Fire will be completely contained by October 31.
Current incident information can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8348/
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.