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The Chilcoot Fire is currently 1,775 acres with 5% containment. The Ridge Fire is currently 238 acres with 75% containment. There are currently 724 personnel assigned to the incident.

There will be a Virtual Community Meeting for the Chilcoot and Ridge Fires on Thursday, September 7th at 7:30 pm on the Chilcoot and Ridge Fires 2023 Facebook page.

The school year has begun as well as bowhunting season. This brings more traffic onto the local roads, so we ask for the public’s patience and awareness of the additional traffic brought by our wildland fire crew vehicles and heavy equipment.

Yesterday the fires saw no significant changes as crews diligently performed activities ranging from going direct and constructing handline, to installing hose lays and employing various pieces of heavy equipment for specialized tasks. Overall, the weather proved favorable to firefighting, realigning resources between fires and for supporting the team’s dynamic operations.

Chilcoot Fire: The indirect line along the southwest is nearly done and will extend all the way over to the east flank. Along that flank, the 300 Road has been prepped as a contingency line and the chipping is completed. Handline has been accomplished 20 feet into the fire along the north flank wherever possible given the limitations of the rocky terrain. Firefighters discovered a holdover lightning fire to the north but within the contingency line. A helicopter dropped buckets of water and a crew remained overnight to patrol it.

Ridge Fire: Containment remained unchanged but that doesn’t reflect the amount of work performed yesterday. Mop up is continuing 50 feet into the fire line, strengthening and adding depth to the lines. However, the soil needs to be evaluated for heat for several days to consider sections as being safely completed. The remaining firefighters are focused on key tasks, including a Type 1 wildland fire module (WFM) that will remain for a few days. A 7-10 member WFM provides an innovative, highly mobile, versatile, and logistically independent team.

Weather: The rain has subsided, likely for over a week. There is almost no chance of precipitation as temperatures will increase as the fuel moisture gradually decreases. Ridge winds will increase this week and by Thursday enable the heat in the embers to cause localized smoke. The canyons are retaining their moisture and this inversion will cause morning mists.

Closures: There is a forest closure for portions of the Umpqua National Forest in response to fire activity in the area to protect public and wildland firefighter safety. A Closure Order for the Canton Creek area has been issued by Bureau of Land Management (BLM): Chilcoot Ridge Fire Emergency Closure Order BLM Roseburg District. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction over the fire area.

Fire Information: (541) 900-5862, 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM   Email: 2023.chilcoot@firenet.gov