Over the last 24 hours, fire behavior has been active on several fires within the Tyee Ridge Complex in Douglas County. The Lighthouse 3 Fire reached 656 acres. The Cougar Creek Fire grew to the south at Day Creek and to the northeast, reaching 3,965 acres. Crews worked to hold and establish lines and mop up spot fires throughout the night. Strong coordination between the Oregon Department of Forestry wildland resources and the Oregon State Fire Marshal structural task forces protected homes on Hubbard Creek Road. Combined, the fires that make up the complex are estimated to be 4,876 acres in size, and containment is 5%.
The Hardscrabble, Blue Hole, Yellow Point, and Big Tom Fires continue to be in mop-up, and backburning operations occurred on the Big Tom fire until early Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, warmer temperatures and drier conditions are expected to keep fire behavior active. Fuels remain dry and ready to ignite, and rolling material and snags may spark fires across fire lines. Firefighters will likely encounter backing and flanking, with the potential for isolated uphill runs and short-range spotting in the afternoon. Clear and sunny weather conditions will drive this behavior, but may also allow for air resources to engage. Seventeen aircraft will be available including Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) and 17 helicopters. Wednesday’s mission is to work aggressively to line and hold fires wherever possible.
The structural task forces sent through the Oregon State Fire Marshal will mop up around homes and other buildings on Hubbard Creek Road. Firefighters will also conduct structure preparation on Briarwood Road, and scout opportunities for structure preparation on Cole Road east of the Lighthouse fires. After Wednesday, weather conditions are likely to become cooler and showers are forecasted.
All evacuation notices issued by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office remain unchanged. An estimated 183 persons have evacuated. The Red Cross shelter for evacuees is located at The Way Church of Sutherlin located at 1352 E. Central Ave. in Sutherlin, OR. To shelter livestock, contact Douglas County Animal Control at 541-440-4471. Companion pets can be sheltered at Saving Grace Pet Adoption
Center in Roseburg. To view the current evacuation information map, go to www.dcso.com/evacuations.