Single Publication

Anvil Fire Activity

Size: 587 acres               Start Date:  August 25, 2023      Point of origin: 8 miles east of Port Orford, OR                           

Containment: 0%           Total personnel: 310

Resources: 10 crews, 3 helicopters, 4 engines, 5 water tenders, 4 pieces of heavy equipment

Helicopters were unable to fly yesterday due to the weather. However, clouds and drizzle over the fire area moderated fire behavior. Wildland Fire Module crew members continue to provide fuels and weather data to the Fire Behavior Analysts and Incident Meteorologists for modeling and analysis. Tomorrow, machine operators will begin tracking two mini-excavators to the China Peak area to work alongside the dozer, constructing machine line and opening and connecting roads to use as control lines if needed. Masticator work continues alongside crews on Grassy Knob Road to the forest boundary, clearing vegetation and widening the road to create a control line. Interagency Hotshot Crews and the dozer operator progressed on the Grassy Knob Road to Elk River Road fireline. Hand crews are working north from the fish hatchery to figure out a place to tie in with the dozer line. Firefighters will continue to set up hoses and sprinkler systems at residences along Elk River Road. The fire remains north of Red Cedar Creek, east of Anvil Creek, and south of a Dry Creek tributary.

Flat Fire Activity

Size: 34,242 acres             Start Date:  July 15, 2023                Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Containment: 75%           Total personnel: 281

Resources: 5 crews, 3 helicopters, 11 engines, 7 water tenders, 6 pieces of heavy equipment

Heavy equipment operators and hand crews continue with suppression repair work on the Flat Fire. This work includes pulling in dozer line berms, seeding, mulching, installing water bars, and chipping branches and small trees. Firefighters are watching and addressing, as needed, interior pockets of fuel that continue to burn out to ensure they are not a threat to firelines. On the eastern, uncontained side, crews remain vigilant, watching fire behavior and taking appropriate actions to cool hot spots and keep fire inside the current perimeter. Initial attack resources remain available for new fire starts.

Weather: Today, conditions will begin to warm up and dry out. A northeast wind shift will start to occur in the afternoon. On Wednesday and Thursday, near-critical fire weather conditions are forecast, with increased winds predicted.

Smoke: Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for current smoke and air quality updates.

Closures: The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) has issued an updated closure order for the Anvil Fire (06-10-28-23-63). Visit https://bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts for Flat and Anvil Fire closure information. U.S. Highway 199 re-opened Monday morning after a rockslide caused a closure Sunday. There is still a pilot car system operating, expect 20-40 minute delays. Local law enforcement cautions against any non-essential traffic along this route. Navigation apps and mapping programs have been routing travelers into active fire areas. Check www.tripcheck.com in Oregon and www.quickmap.dot.ca.go in California for current closures and detours. Do not use forest roads for alternate routes.

Evacuations: Level 1 “Get Ready” evacuation status is in place for areas near the Flat Fire. Level 2 “Get Set“ evacuation status is in place along the Elk River from about milepost four to the USFS Butler Bar Campground near the Anvil Fire. Sign up for Curry Co. emergency alerts at https://bit.ly/CurryCoEM.

Restrictions: The RRSNF decreased fire danger from Extreme to High and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level from Level 3 to Level 2, effective Sept. 5, 2023. Public Use Restrictions (PUR) remain at Stage 3 across the forest and on the Wild Section of the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River. Visit https://bit.ly/RRSNFAlerts for more information. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) over the fire areas. Please do not fly unmanned aircraft (drones) in the fire vicinity. If you fly, we can't.