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Wind expected to fan Chetco flames Friday Aug 25, 2017 at 1:44 PM Aug 25, 2017 at 5:01 PM Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune @RyanPfeil Much of Curry County, threatened by the flames and smoke of the monstrous Chetco Bar fire, is under a red flag warning because of winds in the forecast expected to further fan the flames. The warning is in effect for "mainly the southern half of Curry County" until 11 a.m. Saturday because of 10 to 15 mph winds with 20 to 25 mph gusts, according to a Weather Service bulletin issued today.  "Strong, gusty wind with low relative humidity and high to very high fire danger will contribute to the potential for significant spread of new and existing fires," the bulletin said. Areas in and close to the fire have been evacuated. A sizeable chunk west of the fire along the coast is under a Level 2 — get set — evacuation advisory. The city of Brookings, southwest of the fire, has been placed under a Level 1 — get ready — advisory, according to the Curry County Sheriff's Department. An interactive map of all affected areas can be viewed online at http://tinyurl.com/Aug24-EvacUpdateMap. The lightning-sparked fire has ballooned to more than 102,000 acres since it was reported July 12 in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. It has destroyed multiple structures, including homes and outbuildings. Firefighters so far have been unable to contain any part of the blaze. As of today, 1,398 personnel are assigned to the fire, with firefighters from states across the West. A task force from the Rogue Valley made up of firefighters from Medford Fire-Rescue, Jackson County Fire District 3, Jackson County Fire District 5 and Ashland Fire & Rescue has been there since Sunday, working primarily on structural protection during night shifts. On Thursday, clear skies allowed for air attacks on the fire, including retardant and water drops along the fire's west and southwest portions and hand crews and dozers constructing containment lines throughout the night, according to a news release from the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office. The blaze has resulted in the closures of stretches of the Tincup and Kalmiopsis Rim trails, according to the Incident Information System online wildfire resource. U.S. Forest Service Road 4103-087 is also closed from the beginning of the gated road west to the terminus at Chetco Pass. An American Red Cross evacuation shelter remains open at Riley Creek Elementary, 94350 Sixth St., Gold Beach. Smoke and other fires Much of southwest Oregon remains under an air-quality alert because of wildfire smoke spewing from numerous fires, an area that stretches from the Oregon Coast east to Lake County and northeast into Douglas County. On Friday, much of the smoke drifting into Jackson County was coming from the north and northwest, traveling from the 13,546-acre Umpqua North Complex burning about 50 miles east of Roseburg. South-southwest winds also pushed in smoke from wildfires raging across western Siskiyou County and the 14,066-acre Miller Complex burning 17 miles southeast of Cave Junction. "We have multiple sources of smoke," said meteorologist Shad Keene. On the High Cascades Complex, which consists of 17 fires within Crater Lake National Park and the High Cascades Ranger District, 13 fires have been contained and are in patrol status. The Red Blanket fire, the largest fire in the complex at 7,112 acres as of Friday, has reached and spotted across the Pacific Crest Trail in the Sky Lakes Wilderness, a half-mile south of Crater Lake National Park. Fire officials have extended the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail from the southern boundary of Crater Lake National Park to its junction with the Sevenmile Marsh Trail. Helicopters and scooper aircraft were being utilized to stop the fire from spreading further east and to the bottom of Red Blanket Creek, according to InciWeb, the federal fire information website. The Red Blanket fire was at 76 percent containment, but firefighters have their eye on a weather forecast that calls for hot, dry and unstable weather through the weekend that could lead to increased fire behavior. The Umpqua North Complex is considered 7 percent contained, while the Miller Complex is at 46 percent containment, according to fire officials. Area visibility is expected to be better in the mornings and worse as the days wear on. — Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil.