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--> --> Squire fizzles; fire risk `extreme' By Sean Wolfe Ashland Daily Tidings Cooler evening weather gave a boost to firefighting efforts in the region, but officials in Ashland are cracking down to keep any new fires from starting. In an announcement Friday, Ashland Fire Chief Keith Woodley ratcheted the fire danger level from high to extreme, and enacted tougher fire restrictions for city owned forest lands and private property within city limits. Prohibitions include public chainsaw use, mowing of dry grass, power-driven machinery in areas of flammable vegetation, and smoking outside of vehicles in wildland areas. In the meantime, fire officials are now diverting resources from the Squire Fire near Ruch to take on more active wildfires at Wall Creek and Lost Lake. The Squire Fire, which has been burning all week, was only recently tamed Friday when the combination of firefighters and aircraft working the scene managed to contain 85 percent of the blaze. According to Dennis Turco, fire prevention specialist for the Oregon Department of Forestry, the fire on Saturday was 95 percent contained. Full containment is on track for 7 p.m. Sunday. "Fire lines held again last night, and residents have returned to their homes," Turco said in a telephone interview Saturday. "The Squire Fire has also been remapped, and we're now estimating 2,804 acres were burned, which was less than we expected," Turco said. According to Turco, 336 firefighters remain at the Squire site, while about 150 other workers are being diverted to other blazes. Other fires in the region include Lost Lake, which is nine miles southeast of Lake Creek. That fire has scorched 224 acres, but isn't expected to do much more damage, and will be contained at 250 acres or less, officials said. At Wall Creek, winds kicked up Friday but fire lines managed to hold. That fire is now 55 percent contained at 321 acres. Structural teams assigned to defend homes at Wall Creek and Squire have been released, Turco said. "Yesterday was an extremely good day for us. Things are looking good. All our other fires are contained, and now we're in patrol mode." Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing