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Warmer, windy weather prompts small spot fires on Lane 1 Fire

COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Warmer weather returned across the Lane 1 Fire on Tuesday, bringing the potential for increased fire activity. A small spot fire, estimated to be six acres was found off a southeast portion of line yesterday afternoon. In the windy conditions, it continued to spot uphill, creating multiple smaller fires. Firefighters continued to work in these areas into the evening, however fog and extremely high relative humidity are making it difficult to determine where some of the smaller fires are located. When temperatures begin to rise later today, smoke will help firefighters determine where these remaining hot spots are, with a goal of lining all of these spots as quickly as possible. 

Along the majority of the north and west side of the fire perimeter, mop-up operations continued yesterday and overnight. Higher relative humidity has been beneficial to firefighters dedicated to this work, and as a result, containment has increased to 26%. 

The resources that have been engaged on the Lane 1 Fire range from contracted firefighters, engines, and bulldozers to industrial heavy equipment and machinery provided by private landowners and companies, as well as local, state and federal firefighting agencies. Each has contributed to the ongoing effort in suppressing the fire. With the majority of line constructed, some industrial equipment is being demobilized from the fire. ODF Team 1 is appreciative of the collaborative efforts that were made by these entities. 

As progress continues to be made, resources will continue to be demobilized from the incident, or strategically placed elsewhere on the fire where additional work is needed. 

Closures: Due to the wildfires, the Umpqua National Forest has issued three closures impacting every district of the forest. Cottage Grove Ranger District is closed. Closure Orders and maps can be found here:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices.

The Bureau of Land Management has issued the following emergency closure for Lane County: https://www.blm.gov/announcement/bureau-land-management-expands-emergency-fire-closure-due-cottage-grove-lane-1-fire

The following County roads are closed except to owners of private lands accessed from these roads: Brice Creek Road east of Umpqua National Forest Boundary, all of Sharps Creek Road.

Evacuations: A “Level 3” evacuation notice is in effect for the Bohemia Mining District and Fairview Peak. Additionally, a “Level 1” evacuation notice has been issued by the Lane County Sheriff’s Department for areas east of Disston, starting at Brice Creek Road milepost 0.7 and following Brice Creek Road south. An evacuation map is available at: www.LaneCountyOR.gov/Lane1Fire. 

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 8500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_5180.html. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.

Fire Restrictions: Umpqua National Forest restrictions can be found online – https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/umpqua/fire

Oregon Department of Forestry restrictions can be found here – https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx

Douglas Forest Protective Association restrictions can be found here – https://www.dfpa.net/public-fire-restrictions