Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Our View: Cheers and Jeers ... Stouts fire still growing, but in a good way ... Man suspected of sexually abusing child ... Our View: Cheers and Jeers ... Stouts fire still growing, but in a good way ... Man suspected of sexually abusing child ... WILDFIRES Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 2:26 PM Updated Aug 3, 2015 at 6:36 PM Douglas Forest Protective Association shared this video, taken from the Milo Fire Department on the afternoon of July 30. By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 2:26 PM Updated Aug 3, 2015 at 6:36 PM » RELATED CONTENT • SOCIAL MEDIA: Stouts fire photos, videos • Stouts Fire » Social News Wind gusts of up to 20 mph, 100-plus degree temperatures and low humidity have pushed the southern Douglas County wildfire that's overloading the Rogue Valley with smoke to more than 15,000 acres. Oregon Department of Forestry officials say the fire, which first roared to life about 11 miles east of Canyonville Thursday afternoon, turned northeast Saturday after burning east. The blaze is about 3 percent contained, according to the Incident Information System website . Due to the fire's rapid flare up, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has also authorized the use of federal funds to help fund fire operations. The dollars will cover 75 percent of Oregon's "eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating, and controlling designated fires," according to a FEMA news release. Part of the President's Disaster Relief Fund, the money goes toward "firefighting and lifesaving efforts" only, FEMA reported. They noted that they "do not provide assistance to individuals, homeowners, or business owners, and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire." The funds instead cover expenses for field camps, equipment use, repair and replacement, tools and supplies. A red flag warning is in effect across Southern Oregon until 11 p.m. today because of anticipated thunderstorms, which could spell more trouble for the 1,100-plus crew members trying to beat back the flames. Smoke from the fire has choked the Rogue Valley, deteriorating air quality to "hazardous" levels in Shady Cove and Klamath Falls and "unhealthy" levels in Medford and Lakeview over the past 24 hours, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Air quality in Grants Pass and Cave Junction were listed as "moderate." The smoky cloak is expected to linger, with Northern California sending wildfire smoke into the upper levels of the atmosphere while the Stouts and nearby Cable Crossing fires continue to send smoke into the lower levels, meteorologists say. "We'll probably see smoke from those fires through Wednesday at least, at least in the upper levels of the atmosphere," said Charles Smith of the National Weather Service in Medford. The Cable Crossing blaze, located about six miles east of Glide in Douglas County, has grown to more than 1,100 acres and is 15 percent contained. There were 157 lightning strikes recorded in Jackson, Josephine and Douglas counties from about 5 p.m. Saturday into early today, the National Weather Service reported. Most were recorded in Jackson County, with several additional touchdowns in eastern Douglas County. The strikes touched off some new fires in Jackson and Josephine counties. ODF officials said several new ones had been reported today on the 1.8 million acres of lands the agency protects, including two fires just south of the Applegate Valley. The largest had grown to a half-acre in size by this morning, ODF officials said. There have been 52 new fire starts on Rogue River-Siskiyou National forestlands since Friday, with 25 staffed while additional resources work their way to others. The largest fire, called the Brown Mountain West fire, has grown to nine acres three miles southeast of Fish Lake. Officials say most of the other burns have not exceeded an acre. Scattered trace amounts of rain have fallen across the region, though not enough to have any significant impact on the smoke. "Not wetting, but enough to cool things down," said Dave Wells, Stouts fire public information officer. A level 3 evacuation (leave now), originally instituted for residents on Upper Cow Creek Road, dropped to a Level 2 Sunday, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. Level 2 evacuations (be ready to go at a moment's notice) are still in effect from the Galesville Dam to Snow Creek, Ferguson, Stouts Creek and Conley lanes and the Trail Highway in Tiller. A Level 1 evacuation (be ready for a potential evacuation) remains in effect for the Milo Academy area. The American Red Cross has set up an evacuation center at the Canyonville YMCA for displaced residents. Structural fire protection teams from Clackamas, Lane, Linn-Benton, Lincoln, Marion and Yamhill counties are working with dozens of private contracting crews on keeping structures safe. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 2, 2015 at 2:26 PM Updated Aug 3, 2015 at 6:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501