East Evans Creek Fire Reaches 54% Containment as Crews Begin Pulling Hose
Mop-up exceeds 200 feet in many areas as overnight crews patrol the perimeter and command prepares to transfer Monday
FAST FIRE FACTS
Acres: 15,580
Containment: 54%
Growth: No new perimeter growth reported
Mop-Up: More than 200 feet in many areas
Current Focus: Mop-up, patrol and equipment backhaul
Infrared: UAS mapping remaining heat near firelines
Crews: Four 10-person Adults in Custody crews joining mop-up and repair work.
Command: Florida team takes over Monday at 6 a.m.
Evacuations: Notices remain in portions of Jackson County
Latest Maps:View current fire maps
Firefighters continue searching for and extinguishing residual heat inside the East Evans Creek Fire as mop-up exceeds 200 feet in many areas and containment rises to 54%. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
SAMS VALLEY, Ore. — Containment on the East Evans Creek Fire has increased to 54% as firefighters push mop-up beyond 200 feet in many areas and begin removing hose and equipment from increasingly secure portions of the perimeter.
The fire remains at 15,580 acres, with no new perimeter growth reported.
Crews continued strengthening containment lines Saturday while systematically searching for smoke and heat along the fire’s edge. On the western side of the main fire, firefighters have begun pulling hose and equipment that is no longer needed for mop-up.
Four trained Adults in Custody fire crews are also joining the incident to support mop-up and suppression repair as other resources complete their assignments.
MOP-UP EXTENDS BEYOND 200 FEET
Firefighters have now pushed mop-up more than 200 feet inside the perimeter in many areas.
Crews are gridding the ground near control lines, feeling for heat and watching for smoke as they build a wider band of cooled and extinguished vegetation between remaining interior fire and the perimeter.
That secured area is reflected in the fire’s increased containment.
Mop-up remains the primary focus as crews work through burned timber, heavy fuels and pockets of vegetation that did not burn during the fire’s initial spread.
INFRARED DRONE MAPS REMAINING HEAT
An Unmanned Aircraft System equipped with infrared technology surveyed the fire overnight and mapped areas of heat near the fireline.
That information is being used to direct daytime firefighters toward hot spots requiring additional water or hand work.
Infrared technology is particularly valuable as visible smoke becomes less common and remaining heat becomes harder to detect from the surface.
INTERIOR SMOKE AND TORCHING MAY CONTINUE
Smoke remains visible from portions of the fire’s interior, where flames continue creeping and smoldering through islands of unburned vegetation.
Isolated torching may also occur as individual trees or pockets of fuel ignite.
Those areas are inside established control lines, but firefighters will continue watching them and checking the perimeter for any sign that heat is threatening containment.
HOSE AND EQUIPMENT COMING OFF WESTERN EDGE
Crews have begun backhauling hose and equipment from the western edge of the main fire where mop-up work has progressed far enough that those resources are no longer needed.
Removing equipment from secured areas is another step in the incident’s transition from active suppression toward patrol, repair and long-term monitoring.
Substantial hose and equipment remain deployed elsewhere on the fire as crews continue deepening mop-up.
Members of an ODF-led Adults in Custody fire crew prepare for work on the East Evans Creek Fire, where four trained crews are adding capacity for mop-up and suppression repair as other resources complete their assignments. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
ADULTS IN CUSTODY FIRE CREWS JOIN INCIDENT
Four Oregon Department of Forestry-led fire crews made up of trained Adults in Custody are joining operations on the East Evans Creek Fire as other resources reach the end of their assignments.
Adults in Custody firefighters dig through burned ground to expose and extinguish hidden heat during mop-up operations on the East Evans Creek Fire. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
Three crews from South Fork Forest Camp began their first shift Sunday, while a fourth crew from Santiam Correctional Institution was expected to arrive later in the day.
Each crew includes 10 qualified wildland firefighters and an ODF South Fork staff member. Corrections officers are assigned to fire camp to provide security while crew members are off shift.
The new crews will add capacity for continued mop-up and suppression repair as the incident transitions away from intensive perimeter construction and toward securing the fire’s interior.
Adults participating in the program receive wildland firefighting training, work experience and skills intended to support their transition back into the community following release.
ODF and the Oregon Department of Corrections have jointly operated South Fork Forest Camp for 75 years. The program provides 12 trained crews for fire season.
Outside wildfire assignments, crews also assist with prescribed burning, reforestation, campground and trail maintenance, debris cleanup, search-and-rescue operations and emergency responses across Northwest Oregon.
OVERNIGHT CREWS CONTINUE PATROL
Firefighters remained on patrol overnight, checking the fire area for visible smoke or renewed activity near the perimeter.
Night operations are now focused less on aggressive suppression and more on identifying changes that require a response from daytime crews.
The shift reflects continued progress securing the perimeter while maintaining coverage during the overnight hours.
Cover image: South Fork Forest Camp crew vehicles stage for assignments on the East Evans Creek Fire. Each Adults in Custody crew includes 10 trained wildland firefighters and an ODF staff member. (Oregon Department of Forestry)
COMMAND TRANSFER SET FOR MONDAY
Oregon Department of Forestry Complex Incident Management Team 1 will transfer command of the East Evans Creek Fire to Florida Complex Incident Management Team 1 at 6 a.m. Monday.
ODF Incident Commander Dan Quinones and his team will leave after 16 days assigned to the fire. The team will return home to rest and prepare for possible future assignments supporting Oregon’s statewide fire response.
Florida Incident Commander Butch Galbraith and the incoming team will oversee continued mop-up, patrol and suppression work.
ELEVATED FIRE CONDITIONS CONTINUE
Sunday is expected to bring temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s with breezy winds.
Although conditions have moderated from the most severe weather earlier in the incident, vegetation remains dry and capable of supporting rapid spread from a new ignition.
Firefighters will continue watching for changes in fire behavior, while resources assigned to the East Evans Creek Fire remain available to assist local agencies if another fire starts nearby.
LATEST FIRE MAPS
Updated mapping for July 25 places the East Evans Creek Fire at 15,580 acres. (Oregon Department of Forestry) View all current maps on the East Evans Creek Fire Maps page.
Improved field mapping has revised the East Evans Creek Fire to 15,580 acres, a reduction of 125 acres from the previous estimate.
The revised figure reflects more accurate perimeter information and should not be interpreted as the fire physically shrinking.
Current maps continue to show the main fire and associated spot-fire areas surrounded by an extensive network of control lines.
As suppression work moves deeper into mop-up and patrol, mapping continues helping crews identify remaining heat, coordinate repair work and track secured sections of the perimeter.
FIRE WEATHER
Firefighters successfully held control lines through Friday’s critical conditions, including temperatures in the low 90s and humidity near 15%.
Saturday is expected to bring:
Temperatures in the upper 80s
Improved relative humidity
Shifting winds
Continued elevated fire conditions
Dry fuels capable of supporting rapid spread
Conditions may be less severe than Friday, but vegetation remains highly receptive to ignition.
Any new smoke or fire should be reported immediately by calling 911.
FIRE DANGER
Extreme fire danger remains in effect on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands across Jackson and Josephine counties.
Dry vegetation can ignite easily and allow new fires to spread rapidly.
Restrictions remain in place on activities capable of producing sparks or igniting cured fuels.
Residents should continue using extreme caution with vehicles, equipment and outdoor activities.
EVACUATION LEVELS
The latest evacuation map showing level 1 evacuations of the East Evans Creek Fire. Residents should use the interactive Genasys map to check current conditions for a specific address. (Project Genasys)
Evacuation notices remain active in portions of Jackson County.
No new evacuation changes were announced in Saturday morning’s ODF update.
There are no Level 3 evacuation zones remaining, and Douglas County has lifted all notices associated with the fire.
Residents should continue checking official Jackson County emergency information for the current status of their zone.
Firefighters and heavy equipment remain active throughout affected areas, even where evacuation levels have been reduced.
EVACUATION SHELTER
The American Red Cross shelter at Eagle Point Middle School is no longer available to residents.
The Red Cross continues assisting people who need help transitioning home or securing other arrangements.
Anyone requiring sheltering assistance should contact:
Non-Emergency Dispatch: 541-776-7206
CLOSURES
A Jackson County Roads employee staffs a closure as an electronic sign warns drivers of nearby fire activity. (Courtesy Jackson County Parks)
Fire-related road and land closures remain in effect.
ODF continues to list:
East Evans Creek Road at Meadows Road
West Fork Evans Creek Road
Rock Creek Road
Heavy fire traffic remains throughout portions of the incident area. Drivers should travel cautiously and give crews room to work.
BLM-administered lands near the East Evans Creek Fire remain closed to public entry, including hunting, hiking and camping.
A 24-hour Temporary Flight Restriction remains in effect over the incident.
Flying a drone near the fire is illegal and can force firefighting aircraft to suspend operations.
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