Milepost 97 Fire moves south

(UPDATED at 10:15 a.m. PDT July 28, 2019)

The Milepost 97 Fire just south of Canyonville, Oregon grew incrementally Saturday, expanding by an average of less than a quarter mile on all sides, but added 2,131 acres to bring the total to 11,009 acres. It spotted across to the east side of Interstate 5 near Turkey Creek at Milepost 94 four miles south of Canyonville. Firefighters on the ground and in the air worked to contain the spot fire. (see the map below)

The fire is burning within a fire scar from 1987 filled with hazardous snags and overgrown brush.

A total of 931 personnel are assigned to the fire, including 37 hand crews and 41 engines.

Most of the fire perimeter saw additional growth Saturday during moderate weather conditions except for an area where it bumped into Interstate 5. If this fire suppression capability continues, and especially if the weather worsens, it could lead to the fire becoming very large with a prolonged suppression campaign.

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Milepost 97 Fire, including the most current, click here.)

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(UPDATED at 4:17 p.m. PDT July 27, 2019)

Some lowlife stole a trailer and its contents from firefighters that were working on the Milepost 97 Fire near Canyonville, Oregon Friday night. More information.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has Level 2 “GET SET” evacuation notices for all residences on the west side of Interstate 5 between mileposts 88 and 83. This includes:

Barton Road
Azalea-Glen Road
Old Booth Lane
Harrel Lane
Hobbs Lane
Fortune Branch Road on the Azalea-Glen side
Forrest Road
Realty Road
Quines Creek Road
Mobley Drive

Additionally, all residences off Upper Cow Creek Road starting at Interstate 5 milepost 88, east to the base of Galesville Dam are being elevated to a Level 2.

Level 2 or “Get Set” means significant danger and you are encouraged to leave. If you decide to stay, be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

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(Originally published at 8:49 a.m. PDT July 27, 2019)

The Milepost 97 Fire in southwest Oregon has spread south 6.5 miles since it started just south of Canyonville Wednesday night. A mapping flight at 11:30 p.m. PDT Friday found that it had reached to within 2 miles of Azalea and 7 miles northeast of Glendale. It has burned over 8,800 acres. (a map is below)

(To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Milepost 97 Fire, including the most current, click here.)

So far the fire has paralleled Interstate 5 on the west side of the freeway, which has remained open. However the southbound off-ramp at Exit 95 (Canyon Creek) three miles south of Canyonville was closed Friday night.

On Thursday the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3 “Go” evacuation order for approximately three residences in the 100 to 300 blocks of Ritchie Road.   On Friday the office announced a Level 1 “Ready” evacuation notice for all residences on the west side of Interstate 5 between mileposts 88-83.  Level 1 “Ready” means be ready for the potential to evacuate and as always, have a “go kit” ready.

The Milepost 97 Fire is burning through a mixture of private industrial timberlands, Oregon and California Railroad Revested Lands Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, and areas held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs for the Cow Creek Tribe.

Both ground and aviation resources are currently engaged in fully suppressing the fire with seven helicopters, two large air tankers, and two single engine air tankers supporting firefighters on the ground.

The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 3 assumed command of the fire at 6 p.m. Friday. The Incident Command Post is in Tri-City near Pruner Road and Industrial Way.

Smoke from the Milepost 97 Fire has spread through southern Oregon and northern California. Some of the cities in Oregon affected are Grants Pass, Medford, and Ashland. And in California, Yreka, Weed, Mt. Shasta, and Redding.

More information about smoke from the Milepost 97 Fire at Wildfire Today.