Fielder Mountain Fire Reaches 7% Containment as Crews Line 75% of Perimeter
Fire holds at 550 acres as Complex Incident Management Team 1 prepares to take command
Fast Fire Facts
Fire Name:
Fielder Mountain Fire
Location:
Rogue River, Ore.
Size: 550 acres
Containment: 7%
Activity:
Hand and dozer line has been completed around approximately 75% of the fire perimeter.
Start Date:
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, shortly after 3 p.m.
Cause:
Under investigation. Initial reports indicated tires on a semi-truck were burning before fire spread into nearby vegetation.
Ground Resources:
10 20-person hand crews
10 Type 6 engines
5 water tenders
5 dozers
2 single-resource fallers
1 falling module
1 structural task force
Aviation Resources:
4 Type 1 helicopters
3 Type 2 helicopters
1 Type 3 helicopter
2 Air Attack platforms
Evacuations:
3 Level 3 (GO NOW)
1 Level 2 (Be Set)
6 Level 1 (Be Ready)
UPDATE: 3:15 PM
Firefighters continue making progress on the Fielder Mountain Fire, which remains estimated at 550 acres and is now 7% contained, according to ODF Southwest Oregon.
Crews have completed line around approximately 75% of the fire, up from about 70% Friday morning. Approximately 40% is now hose lined as firefighters continue strengthening existing line and working to secure the remaining perimeter.
ODF Complex Incident Management Team 1 has completed its in-brief and will assume command at 6 p.m. Friday, allowing Southwest Oregon District resources to return to initial-attack readiness.
Overnight Fire Activity: Flames and smoke rise above the Fielder Mountain Fire as crews continue suppression operations into the night. Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
ROGUE RIVER, Ore. — Firefighters working through the night on the Fielder Mountain Fire completed hand and dozer line around approximately 70% of the wildfire, making significant progress after Thursday’s wind-driven run north of Rogue River.
The fire is estimated at 550 acres Friday morning and remains 0% contained, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
Crews spent the night working uphill through steep terrain, using dozers where the ground allows and constructing hand line in areas too difficult for heavy equipment. Hose lays are also being extended farther up the mountain to support firefighters working along the perimeter.
Conditions began improving around 1 a.m. as temperatures cooled, humidity increased, and winds became less gusty. That gave firefighters a better opportunity to work directly along the fire’s edge after crews battled hot, windy conditions, active spotting, hazardous trees, and difficult terrain throughout Thursday afternoon and evening.
Friday morning brings a new challenge. Warmer temperatures and gustier winds are expected to return, putting additional importance on completing the remaining fire line and strengthening what crews built overnight.
While approximately 70% of the fire now has hand or dozer line around it, that does not mean the fire is 70% contained. ODF continues to report containment at 0% while crews work to secure those lines and reduce the chance that fire can cross them.
Evening Operations / Cover Photo: Firefighters and equipment stage below the Fielder Mountain Fire as active flames and a large smoke column rise from the hillside Thursday evening. Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
Ten 20-person hand crews are assigned Friday, along with ten Type 6 engines, five water tenders, five dozers, two single-resource fallers, and one falling module.
Retardant Drop: An air tanker drops retardant along the Fielder Mountain Fire as flames burn across steep terrain during Thursday’s aerial attack. Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
A substantial aviation response is also available, including four Type 1 helicopters, three Type 2 helicopters, one Type 3 helicopter, and two Air Attack platforms.
No structures have been reported lost. A structural task force remains assigned to the incident as firefighters work near homes and rural communities in Jackson and Josephine counties.
ODF Incident Management Team 1 is expected to arrive Friday afternoon for a briefing and assume command of the Fielder Mountain Fire at 6 p.m. The team was ordered Thursday as the fire rapidly increased in size and complexity.
Moving the fire to an incident management team will also release Southwest Oregon District resources to respond to new fires, an increasing concern with thunderstorms possible across the region in the coming days.
Fire Started Along Interstate 5
The Fielder Mountain Fire began shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, near northbound Interstate 5 at Mile Marker 51 north of Rogue River.
ODF, Rogue River Fire District, Grants Pass Fire Rescue, and Rural Metro Fire initially responded to reports of grass fires along the interstate. Initial reports indicated tires on a semi-truck were burning before fire spread into nearby vegetation. The official cause remains under investigation.
What began as an estimated 5- to 10-acre fire quickly pushed uphill Thursday afternoon, driven by hot temperatures and wind. By evening, hundreds of acres had burned and a large smoke column was visible throughout much of the Rogue Valley.
Aircraft worked over the fire until diminishing daylight forced them to return for the evening, leaving night crews to continue the fight from the ground.
For residents around Rogue River and neighboring rural areas, the fire remains an active emergency Friday morning. Evacuation notices remain in place on both sides of the Jackson-Josephine county line, and residents near the fire should be prepared for conditions and evacuation boundaries to change during the day.
Evacuations Remain in Place
Multiple evacuation notices remain in effect Friday morning in Jackson and Josephine counties.
Level 3 (GO NOW):
JAC-043
JAC-052-B
ROR-053
Level 2 (Be Set):
JAC-052-A
Level 1 (Be Ready):
Jackson County: JAC-037, JAC-039, JAC-044, ROR-054, ROR-064
Josephine County: JCU-422
Residents in a Level 3 (GO NOW) zone should leave immediately. Evacuation boundaries can change as conditions develop, and residents near the fire should continue monitoring official county evacuation information and maps.
Evacuation Shelter
North Middle School
1725 NW Highland Ave., Grants Pass, Oregon
The shelter is available for people and pets.
Livestock Shelter
Jackson County Expo
21 Peninger Road, Central Point, Oregon
Morning Briefing: Firefighters gather for a briefing Friday morning before continuing suppression work on the Fielder Mountain Fire. Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District.
Fire Weather and Access
Warmer and gustier conditions are expected again Friday after cooler temperatures, higher humidity, and lighter winds helped moderate fire behavior overnight.
Thunderstorm chances are also expected to increase in the coming days, creating additional concern for new wildfire starts across Southwest Oregon.
The public is being asked to stay out of the fire area and give firefighters, law enforcement, and emergency vehicles room to work.
Drivers traveling through the Rogue River area should remain alert for emergency traffic and changing conditions near Interstate 5.
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August 13, 2024: Fielder Mountain Fire Grows to 400 Acres as Evacuations Expand Near Rogue River
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