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Evacuations ordered along Chetco River The Chetco Bar fire sends up a plume of smoke above burning wildlands near the Chetco River Thursday. [Photo from Inciweb] Friday Aug 18, 2017 at 1:14 PM Aug 18, 2017 at 3:20 PM Local and wire reports The Chetco Bar fire surprised fire crews overnight and jumped containment lines, forcing authorities to issue a mandatory evacuation notice starting at 8 a.m. today for all residents and campers in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area and along the Chetco River above Loeb State Park, according to a report by the Curry Coastal Pilot. “The sooner the better,” U.S. Forest Service Incident Commander Bob Houseman told the paper at 9:30 a.m. The fire, which has burned nearly 11,000 acres since July 12, surprised fire officials when it jumped containment lines last night near Quail Prairie Lookout, about 26 miles east of Brookings, and about 12 from Wilderness Retreat. “It moved much more quickly yesterday and last night than we expected; the containment plans we had are no longer feasible,” Houseman said. “If the fire behaves like that again today, it could be pressing that (Wilderness Retreat) area by this afternoon.” Brookings and Harbor residents woke Friday morning to find the sun obscured by smoke and everything covered in ash. By 9:30 a.m., officials from multiple fire, police, sheriff and emergency agencies gathered at Brookings’ emergency operating center to get a report from Houseman and began evacuation plans. By 10:30 a.m., police officers, sheriff’s deputies, search-and-rescue volunteers and other emergency personnel were heading up North Bank Chetco River to notify residents and campers about the evacuation. Only residents will be allowed access to North Bank Chetco River Road starting at Loeb State Park, authorities said. Everyone else will be turned away, said Curry County Sheriff John Ward. The shelter for evacuees is Brookings-Harbor High School. Residents and others potential affected by the evacuation who need more information should call 541-247-3680 Fire officials have scheduled a 3 p.m. community meeting Sunday at Brookings’ Azalea Middle School, 505 Pacific Ave. For more details, see www.currypilot.com/?referrer=logo Throughout the state, wildfires continue to wreak havoc. In the Rogue River, Siskiyou National Forest, the Blanket Creek fire burning about seven miles east of Prospect is at 5,292 acres and 61 percent containment. The fire, part of the High Cascades Complex, is one of 10 fires in the area, including the 5,043-acre Spruce Lake fire on the west side of Crater Lake National Park, which s at 60-percent containment. The Miller Complex, burning about 17 miles east of Cave Junction, includes 24 fires that collectively have burned 4,668 acres, according to InciWeb, the federal incident information system. The complex is at 6 percent containment. The lightning-caused Shan Creek fire, burning since Thursday roughly 10 miles west of Grants Pass, was estimated Friday at 400 acres, but firefighters planned to map the perimeter to get a more accurate measurement. The fire was at 20 percent containment. The air quality in Medford and Ashland was listed Friday afternoon as unhealthy for sensitive groups, and was listed as unhealthy in the Klamath Basin. In Klamath County, the lightning-caused North Pelican fire was believed to have doubled in size since it was last mapped at 109 acres Thursday afternoon, according to the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership, which includes agencies such as the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Crater Lake National Park and the Klamath Lake Oregon Department of Forestry district. Owing to strong northerly winds, rocky terrain and a remote location deemed too dangerous for smoke-jumpers, fire officials are anticipating the fire in a remote area of Pelican Butte to be greater than 200 acres. The fire is burning more than a mile away from parks and structures, but officials ask forest users to avoid Pelican Butte for Monday eclipse viewing. Agencies are considering road closures in the area to avoid conflicts, but as of Friday afternoon only ask motorists to drive with their headlights on and to use caution around firefighters and equipment. In Jefferson County, the Nena Springs fire has grown to 46,000 acres and is 40 percent contained, according to Oregon State Fire Marshal reports Friday. Aided by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Red Team late Thursday night, 229 personnel are fighting the flames, along with two helicopters, 10 engines and four water tenders. The fire crossed Highway 3 at Fish Hatchery Grade just after 10 p.m. Thursday. Crews overnight successfully prevented the fire from putting structures in danger on the other side of Warm Springs River. The Kah-Nee-Ta Resort & Spa remains closed following a Level 3 evacuation, though the structure is no longer threatened, fire marshal reports say. The Red Cross has an evacuation center at the Warm Springs Community Center.