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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 16, 2005 Blossom fire burns to Rogue River Fire complex near Blossom Bar topped 8,500 acres Monday, having grown by 2,000 acres since Sunday By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune AGNESS — Blossom fire flames backed down to the Rogue River in two places as expected Monday, as fire crews focused on scratching defendable lines through rugged terrain along its eastern flank. After a second straight day of light fire behavior, the Blossom fire was listed Monday evening at 8,389 acres. Combined with two other smaller and already contained fires, the so-called Blossom Complex was estimated late Monday at 8,526 acres. The Blossom fire grew just about 2,000 acres between Sunday and Monday as a multi-agency crew of 1,800 attacked it in three areas and from three different base camps in Josephine and Curry counties. Flames early Monday crept south down Mule Creek Canyon and hit the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue at two points — one at Blossom Bar, and a second east of there, fire public-information officer John Zapell said. Advertisement But these paths were planned by firefighters intent upon using the Rogue as a watery fire line. "It sounds like a bad thing, but it’s not necessarily bad," Zapell said. "It’s just kind of creeping and sliding downhill toward the river." Hot embers Monday did not fly over the river to trigger small fires called "spot fires," Zapell said. Helicopters armed with water buckets patrolled the area to quell any spotting that, if allowed to grow, could allow the fire to move into new territories. "We’re keeping our eyes on it pretty close to make sure that it doesn’t spot over to the south side," said Zapell from the Forest Service’s Agness Station. Firefighters expect the bulk of today’s efforts and resources to be checking for spot fires again and strengthening hand lines dug along the flames’ eastern side. By the end of work Monday, firefighters had scratched 16 miles of fire lines to date, and Zapell estimated the need for another 12 miles of line. The lines, Zapell said, were as far as a mile away from the flames as crews struggled in the steep, rugged wilderness area terrain. "We can’t reach a lot of the areas close to the fire and there are no escape routes," he said. Much of the eastern flank work was handled Monday by Oregon Department of Forestry crews working out of a separate fire camp near Glendale. A third came was in the Eden area more toward the fire’s north side. Excursion jet boats from Gold Beach were still being used Monday to ferry firefighters into the southern portion of the Blossom Fire, Zapell said. The fire remained listed late Monday as 20 percent contained. While crews earlier set a containment date at Aug. 22, Zapell said the team leading the Blossom fire assault believed variable weather patterns made it too early to set a containment target. The Blossom fire was one of three lightning fires ignited July 21 in the Agness area 25 miles northeast of Gold Beach. The Blossom fire doubled in size late last week, triggering the evacuation of the Marial Lodge and a rafting closure to the Rogue’s Wild and Scenic Section during one of the most popular rafting periods of the season. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail Blossom fire burns to Rogue River ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Advertisement s