Document text
Future harsh weather conditions could spread Rum Creek Fire By Kevin Opsahl Updated: Sep 05, 2022 10:35 AM A A Strategic firing is shown in this Sept. 1 photo of the west side of the Rum Creek Fire.[Credit: Steven Pearce] The blaze was placed in the highest category of the Haines Index and the NWS issued a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday Fire managers are worried that Tuesday’s forecast of high winds, soaring temperatures and low relative humidity could be a recipe for the Rum Creek Fire to grow and spread past containment lines. “Tomorrow’s weather will provide a test for the fire lines,” a Labor Day news release stated. As a result, fire managers placed the fire for Tuesday in the Haines 6 category, the highest level using “the tool to estimate the effect of atmospheric dryness and stability on fire growth potential,” according to the release. The Haines 6 justification comes in addition to the National Weather Service issuing Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday afternoon and evening for the area of the Rum Creek Fire. “In advance of this weather change, firefighters are working aggressively to contain more of the fire,” the Labor Day news release said. The release went on to explain the work firefighters are doing ahead of Tuesday’s forecast to prevent the fire from spreading. “Tactical firing” near McKnabe Creek, on the Rum Creek Fire’s east side, was expected to be complete on Labor Day. Firefighters continued to mop up around the fire perimeter and near any structures to the chance for fire to cross the primary lines. “This hard work is reflected in the increase in containment to 34%,” the news release said. Even before the holiday, fire managers completed the remaining planned tactical firing on the Rum Creek Fire’s west side, tying lines from Mount Peavine north to the Rogue River. The news release went on to say that State Fire Marshal resources continued to “mop up remaining hotspots near structures, cutting hazard trees, and patrolling areas along Galice Road.” In addition, firefighters were “also working on structure assessment and pre-planning to the north and southeast of the fire.” That work came as the Fire Marshal began demobilizing task forces from the Rum Creek Fire and reassigned two of its task forces to the Double Creek Fire. Gov. Kate Brown had invoked Aug. 26, the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Fire Marshal to take “unified command” of the Rum Creek Fire. Existing evacuation orders and notifications for Rum Creek Fire-impacted communities remained in place as of Labor Day. The Labor Day announcement from fire managers about Tuesday’s likely weather activity came even after fire managers predicted Sunday’s heat and gusty winds would test control lines, too. At that point, the Rum Creek Fire was 27% contained and had spread to 18,966 acres. The Rum Creek Fire started Aug. 17, after lightning ignited a portion of forest in Josephine County. More information on the Rum Creek Fire can be found at https://tinyurl.com/JOCOEvacMap, https://www.facebook.com/rumcreekfire2022 and https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8348/. Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.