Doubleday Fire Afternoon Information Update for 9/
Incident: Doubleday Wildland Fire
Released: 9/18/2008
Oregon Department of Forestry
Incident Management Team 2
Bill Hunt, Incident Commander
Doubleday Fire
Afternoon Information Update
For Thursday September 18, 2008
Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 assumed command this morning of the Doubleday Fire burning on state-protected private lands and U.S. Bureau of Land Management lands. The lightning-caused fire was detected about noon on Wednesday approximately 13 miles east of Eagle Point and it grew rapidly with active spotting during the afternoon to an estimated 750 acres. Driven by southwest winds, it burned in a northerly direction to within approximately 1.5 miles of the Town of Butte Falls. The fire continued to burn actively overnight. No damage to any structures has been reported. No evacuation is in effect at this time for residents in the Butte Falls area. However, residents should stay tuned to local media outlets for the latest fire information.
Fire traffic is very heavy on roads in and out of Butte Falls and the fire area. Some roads near the fire will be closed to public access. Expect long delays if you are traveling in the area and restrict travel to necessary trips.
Heavy fuels conditions from blown down timber on Bureau of Land Management lands continue to hamper efforts to contain the blaze and create hazardous conditions for firefighters. Fire control lines created from bulldozers, handcrews, and natural barriers have been established around the north, west, and south sides of the fire, but large amounts of unburned fuel still exist within these lines. The fire is still considered uncontrolled. Other concerns are the protection of public water supplies, spotted owl habitat, and valuable timber and range lands.
Weather conditions forecast for Thursday are expected to be somewhat helpful with slightly cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Winds are expected to pick up from the south to southwest in the afternoon with gusts to 10 mph. Later, a shift to west-northwest winds is anticipated through evening. An increase in cloud cover and possible precipitation is forecast for Friday.
The Incident Management Team has established an Incident Command Post at Tou Velle State Park near Eagle Point as well as setting up a public information center in the City Park in Butte Falls. Today's priorities for the team are firefighter and public safety, protecting structures, securing adequate resources to manage the fire, limiting further fire spread, and assessing strategy options for aggressive day and nighttime suppression efforts.
For More Information: A additional fire information phone number may be available when the Incident Command Post is fully functional. Until then, contact the Oregon Department of Forestry 541-665-0622. Additional information is available on-line at the following sites:
Pacific Northwest Regional fire information is available at http://www.nwccweb.us/index.asp
National Fire Information is available at http://www.nifc.gov/fire info/nfn.htm
Fire-At-A-Glance:
Size: 750 acres (estimated)
Location: 2 miles south of Butte Falls, OR and 13 miles east of Eagle Point, OR
Containment: 5 percent (estimated)
Cause: Lightning
Personnel: Assessment in progress
Estimated Cost: Assessment in progress
Evacuations: None at present
Closures/Restrictions: Motorized access is being restricted on Salt Creek and Doubleday Roads and may be expanded to other roads near the fire.
Announcements: None
Participating Agencies: Oregon Department of Forestry, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Town of Butte Falls, Jackson County Fire Districts, Jackson County Search and Rescue, Jackson County Sherriff's Department, Private Forest Landowners
