Rum Creek Fire in Josephine County now over 15,000 acres in size

JOSEPHINE COUNTY, Ore. – The Rum Creek Fire is approaching 16,000 acres in size.

The fire was first seen on August 17 in rural Josephine County near Galice. As of the morning of September 1, the fire covered 15,635 acres and was 1% contained, according to the fire’s official Facebook page.

So far, one home and two structures have been destroyed by the fire.

Structural protection crews are reportedly continuing to assess homes, wrap structures, install sprinklers, and clear flammable material from roofs and gutters.

With dry, hot conditions headed to the area, the fire is expected to be more active than usual this week.

Crews are actively working on establishing control lines, eliminating potential fuels, and making sure any structures in the area are safe.

Numerous evacuation notifications have been issued. An interactive map showing evacuation levels according to address can be found at //JosephineCounty.gov/FireMap.

The fire is burning around the Rogue River, so river closures are currently being determined on a day-to-day basis. River status can be found at https://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/rogue/rogue_river.php.

According to the Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program, the Rum Creek Fire will continue to produce widespread smoke and may produce a plume visible from Interstate 5. For air quality levels, visit https://www.oregonsmoke.org.