PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The ever-growing Rum Creek Fire in southwest Oregon remained active overnight — burning over 2,700 more acres, officials announced Thursday.
The wildfire, which was sparked by lightning on Aug. 17, is burning 15,635 acres, or more than 24 square miles, near Galice as of Thursday morning, according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center. The blaze is reportedly 1% contained.
Firefighting efforts will continue to focus on areas where officials say the blaze has crossed containment lines, or “slopped-over.” Fire crews worked overnight to re-establish containment lines to stop the fire from spreading further into the east.
Oregon Department of Forestry added that firefighters will concentrate on creating containment lines along the McKnabe Creek as the terrain makes it difficult for crews to battle the blaze in the night.
“This is rough country,” said Joe Hessel, incident commander for Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1, on Wednesday. “Every foot, every chain, every mile of line we complete is a big deal.”
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Officials warn gusty winds forecasted for Friday could create flare-ups, so fire personnel is actively monitoring weather conditions.
Residents in the area remain under evacuation orders, with those north of Copper Queen and Dog Creek Road under a Level 1 – Be Ready notification.
An interactive map found here shows residents of Jackson and Josephine counties what evacuation level their address is under.