Crews Reposition as Winds Threaten East Evans Creek Fire Lines
Board Mountain remains the priority as firefighters reinforce the southern edge; damage assessments identify one vacant home and five outbuildings
FAST FIRE FACTS
Name: East Evans Creek Fire
Location: Approximately 7 miles west of Shady Cove
Acres: 14,442
Containment: 8%, latest reported
Mapping: No infrared flight completed overnight; updated acreage and perimeter unavailable Sunday morning
Primary Activity: Southern edge of the Board Mountain spot fire south of Boswell Mountain
Main Fire: Hold and mop-up status
Hull Mountain Spot Fire: Hold and mop-up status
Canyon Creek Spot Fire: Holding within established control lines
Structure Damage: One long-vacant primary residence and five outbuildings identified with fire-related damage
Structure Protection: Expanded into Antioch, Pomeroy and Jones Road areas
Aircraft: Five helicopters repositioned outside the inversion zone for earlier access; additional aviation resources available as conditions allow
Weather Concern: Hot, dry and windy conditions with potential for increased fire behavior
Fire Danger: Extreme across ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties
Evacuations: Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 notices remain active; evacuation levels were upgraded Saturday evening
Community Meeting: Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m., Shady Cove School Gym
Latest Maps: View current East Evans Creek Fire maps
Cause: Vehicle crashed into a power pole; the cause of the crash remains under investigation
Updated: Sunday morning, July 19, 2026
East Evans Creek Fire AM update for 7/19/26.
The July 19 public information map shows the East Evans Creek Fire at 14,442 acres, including the main fire and associated spot-fire perimeters extending east toward Board Mountain and Boswell Mountain. No new infrared flight was completed overnight, but updated official perimeter mapping was released Sunday morning. View all current maps on the East Evans Creek Fire Maps page. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
SAMS VALLEY, Ore. — The East Evans Creek Fire is now mapped at 14,442 acres as firefighters reinforce control lines and reposition resources ahead of another hot, dry and windy afternoon.
Crews made progress overnight along the Board Mountain spot fire after wind-driven activity pushed across containment lines Saturday, while improved overnight humidity helped moderate fire behavior.
Containment remains 8% based on the latest reported figure.
ODF said no infrared mapping flight was completed overnight because increased wildfire activity across Oregon has stretched aviation resources. However, a new July 19 public information map released Sunday morning shows the fire at 14,442 acres based on updated perimeter data.
Firefighters expect another challenging afternoon as hot, dry and windy conditions return.
BOARD MOUNTAIN REMAINS TOP PRIORITY
The southern edge of the Board Mountain spot fire remains the primary operational concern.
Crews worked overnight south of Boswell Mountain, where fire crossed control lines Saturday and established new fire in adjacent wildland fuels.
Firefighters made progress tying that activity back into existing control lines, but steep terrain and limited access continue to complicate suppression efforts.
Wildland and structural resources are being strategically repositioned along the southern edge Sunday so crews can quickly respond if fire activity increases again.
The goal is to take advantage of morning conditions before temperatures rise, humidity falls and winds strengthen during the afternoon.
MAIN FIRE, HULL MOUNTAIN REMAIN IN HOLD AND MOP-UP
The main East Evans Creek Fire and the spot fire northwest of Hull Mountain remain in hold-and-mop-up status.
Crews are reinforcing existing firelines, removing hazardous trees and using handheld infrared cameras to locate heat that may be hidden underground or beneath vegetation.
Once detected, firefighters expose and extinguish those hot spots to reduce the chance of rekindling during warmer and windier conditions.
CANYON CREEK REMAINS CONTAINED
The Canyon Creek spot fire, closest to Shady Cove and Trail, remained within established control lines overnight.
Firefighters continue deepening mop-up inside the perimeter and strengthening areas where heat remains.
The work is intended to create greater depth between active heat and containment lines before critical weather conditions return.
A wildland fire engine stands ready as a large smoke column rises from the East Evans Creek Fire during ongoing suppression operations. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
ADDITIONAL FIRE DAMAGE IDENTIFIED
As structural crews gain access to more areas within the fire footprint, additional damage has been identified.
Fire officials reported one primary residence that had been vacant for an extended period and five outbuildings sustained fire-related damage.
Assessments remain ongoing, and additional structures may be evaluated as access improves.
STRUCTURE PROTECTION EXPANDS
Structural protection operations have expanded into the Antioch, Pomeroy and Jones Road areas as firefighters prepare for the possibility of increased fire activity.
Crews are assessing properties, improving defensible space, strengthening water availability and refining protection plans around homes.
Structural resources will remain positioned alongside wildland firefighters Sunday so crews can respond quickly if conditions deteriorate.
Additional personnel and equipment have also been staged with local agencies to strengthen initial-attack capability in case new fires start elsewhere in the region.
A helicopter flies through smoke-filled skies at sunset while supporting firefighting operations on the East Evans Creek Fire. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
HELICOPTERS REPOSITIONED TO BEAT THE INVERSION
Aircraft will support firefighters as visibility allows.
A morning inversion has repeatedly limited aviation operations on the incident by trapping smoke near the surface.
To improve early-day access Sunday, five helicopters have been relocated outside the inversion zone, allowing them to begin flying sooner once conditions permit.
Aircraft will provide reconnaissance, water drops and support to firefighters working active areas.
COMMUNITY MEETING TODAY
Fire officials will hold a community meeting Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m.
Shady Cove School Gym
100 Cleveland Street
Shady Cove, OR 97539
The meeting will provide a brief operational update on the East Evans Creek Fire.
It will also stream through the ODF Southwest Oregon District Facebook page.
LATEST FIRE MAPS
The July 19 operations map shows the East Evans Creek Fire at 14,442 acres, including the main fire and associated spot-fire perimeters extending east toward Board Mountain and Boswell Mountain. No new infrared flight was completed overnight, but updated official perimeter mapping was released Sunday morning. View all current maps on the East Evans Creek Fire Maps page. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
A new July 19 public information map shows the East Evans Creek Fire at 14,442 acres, reflecting updated perimeter data from early Sunday morning.
ODF reported that no infrared mapping flight was completed overnight because increased wildfire activity across Oregon has placed greater demand on aviation resources. As a result, there is no new overnight infrared heat map, but updated official perimeter mapping is available.
The newest map shows the main fire and multiple associated spot-fire areas extending east toward Board Mountain and Boswell Mountain, including Saturday’s increased activity south of Boswell Mountain.
View the complete collection of current public information, infrared, operations and briefing maps on the East Evans Creek Fire Maps page.
Fire Weather
A map of Watches, Warnings, and Advisories from NWS Medford shows the region expected to experience issues with air quality.
Hot, dry and windy conditions are again expected to challenge firefighters Sunday.
Improved humidity overnight helped moderate fire behavior and allowed crews to strengthen containment lines, but conditions are expected to deteriorate as the day progresses.
Firefighters are preparing for:
Rising afternoon temperatures
Lower relative humidity
Increasing winds
Greater potential for wind-driven spotting
Critically dry vegetation receptive to embers
Continued potential for thunderstorms and lightning over the next several days
A morning inversion may temporarily moderate fire behavior while trapping smoke near the surface.
Once the inversion lifts, clearer air should improve aviation access but may coincide with warmer, drier and windier conditions at the fireline.
Smoke may continue settling into valleys and low-lying areas, reducing visibility and affecting air quality.
FIRE DANGER
Extreme fire danger remains in effect on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands across Jackson and Josephine counties. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level remains at Level 2.
Activities prohibited under Extreme fire danger include:
Using power saws, including battery- and electric-powered chainsaws
Cutting, grinding or welding metal
Mowing dried or cured grass
Operating other spark-emitting internal-combustion equipment
Mowing green, irrigated lawns and agricultural harvesting remain exempt.
Debris burning, fireworks, tracer ammunition and exploding targets remain prohibited. Campfires and charcoal fires are allowed only in designated campgrounds.
ODF urges residents and visitors to use extreme caution with anything that could start a fire and immediately report new fires by calling 911.
EVACUATION LEVELS
The latest evacuation map showing level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations due to the East Evans Creek Fire. Residents should use the interactive Genasys map to check current conditions for a specific address. (Project Genasys)
Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 evacuation notices remain active in portions of Jackson and Douglas counties.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office upgraded evacuation levels Saturday evening as fire activity increased.
Because evacuation zones can change rapidly, residents should rely on the most recent county alerts and live evacuation mapping for their current status.
Level 3, Go: means leave immediately.
Level 2, Set: means be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
Level 1, Ready: means remain alert, prepare your belongings and be ready for conditions to change.
Check your current evacuation zone and live evacuation map.
Level 3: Go Now
JAC-017
JAC-109
JAC-124
JAC-126
JAC-149B
Residents in Level 3 zones should remain out of the area until officials announce it is safe to return.
Level 2: Be Set
JAC-016
JAC-026
JAC-111
JAC-112
JAC-127
JAC-131
JAC-132
JAC-133
JAC-134
JAC-147
JAC-148
JAC-149A
JAC-203B
Level 1: Be Ready
JAC-003
JAC-004
JAC-014
JAC-036
JAC-158
JAC-203A
DOU-1012
DOU-1015
SHC-151
SHC-152
SHC-153
SHC-154
SHC-156
SHC-157
SHC-158
The SHC zones place Shady Cove under a Level 1: Be Ready notice.
Evacuation levels and boundaries may change as conditions develop. Residents should continue monitoring county alerts and verify their address through the official evacuation map.
EVACUATION SHELTER
Eagle Point Middle School at 477 Reese Creek Road is serving as the evacuation shelter for residents and domestic pets affected by the East Evans Creek Fire. (Google Street View)
The evacuation shelter for residents and domestic pets remains open at:
Eagle Point Middle School
477 Reese Creek Road, Eagle Point, OR 97524
Pets are welcome on the shelter property but cannot enter the school building. The American Red Cross has established a designated area for domestic pets.
Livestock sheltering remains available through the Jackson County Expo:
Jackson County Expo
21 Peninger Road, Central Point
Owners should call 541-776-7206 before arriving to confirm space is available. The same number may be used for medical or livestock sheltering assistance.
A Jackson County Roads employee staffs a closure as an electronic sign warns drivers of nearby fire activity. (Courtesy Jackson County Parks)
CLOSURES
The following closures remain in effect:
Tiller-Trail Highway from the Jackson County line to Highway 62
East Evans Creek Road at Meadows Road
West Fork Evans Creek Road
Rock Creek Road
Rogue Elk Park, including the campground, day-use area and boat ramp
Dodge Bridge Boat Ramp, currently used as a firefighting water-supply site
BLM-administered lands near the fire remain closed to public entry, including hunting, hiking and camping.
A 24-hour Temporary Flight Restriction remains in effect over the fire. Flying a drone near the incident is illegal and may force firefighting aircraft to stop operating.
Cover photo: Active fire burns through timber overnight as crews continue working to secure the East Evans Creek Fire following wind-driven activity near Board Mountain and Boswell Mountain. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
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