Incidents All News

Firefighters using drones to identify hot spots near firelineCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Mop-up continues to be the focus for firefighters on the Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fire. The use of handheld infrared cameras and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) equipped with infrared cameras has helped firefighters identify fire burning below the surface. Once located, firefighters dig up these hotspots and use water to cool the heat and douse the flames.

Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fire resources respond to five new lightning-caused firesCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Mop-up operations continue across the Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fire, naturally pushed forward in progress following rain over the weekend. While the precipitation itself was beneficial on the fire line, thunderstorms sparked new, small fires across the Willamette Valley. 

Rainy weather challenges firefighting efforts, provides opportunities COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – More than one inch of rain fell on the Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fire Saturday afternoon during passing thunderstorms. These storms produced abundant lightning across western Oregon throughout the day. As a safety precaution, firefighters left the fireline as thunderstorms passed through the area. Despite these challenging firefighting conditions, including a threat of flash flooding, containment increased today to 55%.

Shift in weather expected, mop up focus of firefighting activityCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – The northern portion of the Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fire is in patrol status, while all other areas are now in mop up. This transition to mop up will further secure the perimeter, resulting in increases to the fire’s containment. Today, the containment has increased to 42%.

Firefighters continue mopping up into interior, work to secure perimeterCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Containment for the Cottage Grove – Lane 1 Fires has increased to 37%. As firefighters work to mop up around the fire containment will continue to increase. Gridding for mop up and searching for areas of heat that could rekindle can be a tedious task and requires attention to detail and deliberate action.

Warmer, windy weather prompts small spot fires on Lane 1 Fire

Cloud cover slows firing operations, crews continue mop-up around the fireCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Cloud cover over the fire and increased humidity impacted firing operations for most of the day Monday. When clouds cleared in the late afternoon and fuels began to dry there was a short window for crews to connect portions of line along the eastern perimeter near the Bohemia Mining District.

Warm, windy weather prompts small spot fires outside lines on Lane 1 Fire, both lined overnight

ODF Team 1 assumes command of Lane 1 Fire, firing operations continueCOTTAGE GROVE, Ore. – Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Hessel, took command of the Lane 1 Fire at 6 p.m. Saturday from the North Carolina Incident Management Team, Incident Commanders Cheek and Hardee. IC Hessel complimented the hard work the team and firefighters have put in the last three weeks and stated, “We will be continuing to build on the plan they created and the work they have accomplished, it’s a good plan!”