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77 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, September 16, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 22, 2004 Forest blaze grows rapidly Staff and wire reports DAYS CREEK — A fire in southern Douglas County grew to more than 4,000 acres Saturday, with winds pushing smoke from the blaze into the Rogue Valley. The Bland Mountain Fire broke out Friday evening and grew rapidly, destroying one residence and threatening 41 others, said Scott Hayes, fire information officer with the Douglas Forest Protective Association. The Red Cross called for a voluntary evacuation of about 100 residences. An emergency shelter was set up at Days Creek High School. More than 400 firefighters were assigned to the fire, which was 25 percent contained late Saturday, Hayes said. The cause of the blaze was under investigation. Advertisement The fire’s spread slowed early Saturday under a blanket of smoke, but came alive at about 2 p.m. when much of the smoke lifted, officials said. Once the skies cleared, five helicopters took to the air and began cooling hot spots. The fire is burning about 50 miles north of Medford in second-growth timber and brush in steep terrain. It is in the same area as the Bland Mountain Fire of 1987 that killed two men, burned some 10,000 acres and destroyed 14 homes. Tiller-Trail Highway, which leads east out of Canyonville, was closed to all but local traffic. Winds from the north pushed smoke from the fire into the Rogue Valley late Friday, with the worst of it clearing the area by midday Saturday. Forecasters expect westerly winds for today, meaning that skies in the Rogue Valley should remain smoke-free, National Weather Service spokesman Murray Orr said. Some Medford residents reported ashes falling on their cars and property on Saturday morning. Nina DeConcini, communications manager for the state Department of Environmental Quality, said the reports did not surprise officials. Even with Saturday’s smoky skies, DeConcini said air-quality levels in the Rogue Valley remained in the "good" range throughout the day. Elsewhere, three fires remained burning Saturday in Crater Lake National Park, most of them small. The Pacific Crest and Lightning Springs trails have been reopened, the National Park Service said. Oregon Department of Forestry officials said that although temperatures in Southern Oregon are expected to cool during the next few days, fire danger remains in the "extreme" category. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities