Single Publication

Anvil Fire

Size: 9,023 acres | Start Date: August 25, 2023 | Location: 8 miles east of Port Orford, OR | Containment: 0%  | Total personnel: 779 | Resources: 19 crews, 4 helicopters,32 engines

There is no update to the fire acreage or map today due to the infrared detection being unable to fly yesterday. We plan to update both when we have more information, hopefully later today or tonight.

The strategic preparations firefighters have made to protect structures and keep the Anvil Fire within containment lines resulted in minimal fire growth Monday. To counter critical fire weather conditions, crews maintained a heavy presence of engines, mechanized equipment, helicopters, and hand crews. Patrols from the air and ground scoured the area for signs of fire embers drifting over the Elk River Road but detected none.  Additional work has been completed near the Fish Hatchery to burn vegetation from the pre-constructed containment line down the ridge to reduce the intensity of the main fire as it approaches the ridge. Firefighters are evaluating the effectiveness of these actions constantly as the wind direction and weather conditions change. Mechanical issues prevented infrared mapping last night so exact acreage has not been updated. 

Yesterday, firefighters were successful in slowing fire spread in spite of windy and dry conditions. More challenging weather is in the forecast for today and tonight. In response, managers bolstered night shift operations in the Elk River corridor and have ordered more firefighters.

**Fire managers and local agency representatives are hosting a community meeting tonight at 7 PM at the Sixes Grange. Community members are invited to bring questions in person or live on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/flatfireoregon2023. 

Evacuations:  Curry County Sheriff’s Office has identified four evacuation zones around the Anvil Fire.  An interactive evacuation map is available at https://bit.ly/45UIh2E. Zones 1 and 4 are in Level 3 “Go“ evacuation status.  Zones 2 and 3 are in Level 2 “Get Set“ status. Sign up for Curry Co. emergency alerts at https://bit.ly/CurryCoEM. 

Flat Fire

Size: 34,242 acres | Start Date: July 15, 2023 | Location: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR | Containment: 75%  | Total personnel: 78 | Resources: 1 crews, 3 helicopters, 1 engines 

The Flat Fire has remained mostly static, but fire engines continue to patrol and monitor the fire and respond rapidly as needed to any increased fire behavior. On Monday, crews worked to extinguish fire from a stump hole within the existing containment line. Repair of suppression line is ongoing. The fire camp located at Old Mill will be closed up this morning as it is no longer needed to support the resources still assigned to the Flat Fire.

General Information

Weather:  A Red Flag Warning, an indication of weather conditions that could contribute to large fire growth, is in effect in the fire area from Monday at midnight through Tuesday at noon. Ridgetop winds are expected to top 25 mph. Relative humidity will also be low during this time. North/northeast winds are forecast for tonight. Fire managers are coordinating with local agencies to prepare for these weather events and their impact to the fires. Conditions may change quickly. Continue to monitor information sites for fire status updates.

Smoke:  Visit https://bit.ly/SWORsmoke for current smoke and air quality updates. 

Area and Road Closures:  For the safety of firefighters and the public, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has issued closure orders for the Anvil and Flat Fire areas. The Bureau of Land Management Coos Bay District has also issued an area closure which includes Edson and Sixes Campgrounds. Visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/orrsf-anvil-fire and https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/xx1002-flat-fire for closure maps and information.

Smoke and the marine cloud layer are mingling and settling in the lower elevations overnight causing limited visibility along highways.  Please drive slowly and with headlights on through any fire area.  Heavy equipment and firefighter transportation vehicles are also using the area highways and roads. Caltrans issued a schedule of road closures and lane restrictions on US-199 northeast from Crescent City. Local law enforcement cautions against any non-essential traffic along this route. For specific information on road access, please see the Caltrans QuickMap site at: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ and Oregon Department of Transportation site at: https://www.tripcheck.com/.  Do not use forest roads for alternate routes.