Single Publication

Media contact: Kyle Sullivan  (541) 618-2340 
 
Rogue River and Rogue River Trail Closed Due to Rum Creek Fire 
 
Medford, Oregon – As a result of the Rum Creek Fire, the BLM is closing and not permitting use of the Wild and Scenic Lower Rogue River and Rogue River Trail from Grave Creek to Russian Creek until further notice. This order is for the safety of the public and firefighter personnel and covers all BLM-managed public lands 1/2 mile north and south of the Rogue River. 
 
Boaters will not be permitted to float between Grave Creek and Russian Creek until the closure is lifted. Members of the public may not enter closed areas, and all uses—including hiking, boating, hunting and camping—are prohibited. Pacific Northwest Team 13 is currently engaged on the fire.  
 
“The BLM doesn’t take river closures lightly and we tried to keep the river open as long as possible,” said Bill Dean, Grants Pass Field Manager. “We apologize for the impacts to the rafting community and will re-open the river as soon as it is safe to do so. We commit to honor permits at a later date.”  
 
Overnight, the fire burned rapidly, which caused increase spotting and the fire progressed closer to the river. This afternoon, winds picked up and increased fire activity. The BLM and Pacific Northwest Team 13 will conduct daily assessments in an effort to re-open the river as soon as it is safe to do so.
 
Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website:  https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions   
 
For additional information about the Rum Creek Fire, please visit https://www.facebook.com/rumcreekfire2022; or https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8348/ To be added to the daily email list, please email 2022.rumcreek@firenet.gov 
 
For the latest road and weather condition updates, visit https://www.tripcheck.com/. 
 
Please call 911 to report any signs of new fires. 
 
A list of personal use restrictions, as well as closure orders, are available at https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BLMOregon. 
 
-BLM- 
 
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in the 11 Western states and Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In fiscal year 2018, the diverse activities authorized on BLM-managed lands generated $105 billion in economic output across the country. This economic activity supported 471,000 jobs and contributed substantial revenue to the U.S. Treasury and state governments, mostly through royalties on minerals.