DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ore. – Favorable weather has helped crews get a handle on the Skyline Ridge Complex burning in Douglas County.
On August 1, a series of fires were sparked by lightning in the hills southeast of Canyonville. By August 6, over 2,000 acres were burned.
Firefighters released the following update:
Containing the wildfires closest to Canyonville is one of firefighters’ top priorities today. Once completed, more resources will be focused on the 1,104-acre Poole Fire south of Days Creek. While good progress has been made on the south end of that fire, difficult terrain on the northern edge has proven more challenging.
Yesterday firefighters also began engaging on the Dismal Creek 210 Fire in the Upper Cow Creek area. Crews placed hoses around much of that fire and aim to complete that today.
As the highest priority set of wildfires in the region, the Skyline Ridge Complex received more than 300 additional personnel yesterday, bringing staffing to 824. The number of hand crews doubled to 26, with more water tenders and more fire engines arriving. Ten helicopters will continue making water drops today, helping firefighters gain control of the smaller fires, many of which are now fully lined and in mop up.
Temperatures in the high 70s or low 80s today should help firefighters. However, burning debris rolling downhill and across control lines will continue to pose a hazard.
The PNW Team 8 will host an in-person community meeting at Tiller Fire Station on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ODF Team 1 will then host a virtual community meeting on Facebook Live Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
Incident Commander Joe Hessel said, “We’re pushing for steady, thorough and methodical work today to contain many of the smaller fires
so we can then focus more resources on Poole Creek, our biggest and most challenging fire.”
The fires were last reported to cover 2,059 acres and were 5% contained.
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