Single Publication

Size: 33,242 acres

Start Date:  July 15, 2023

Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Containment: 58%

Total personnel:  512 

Resources: 17 engines l 12 crews l 4 bulldozers l  17 water tenders l  17 masticators l 4 helicopters 

Highlights:  Fire behavior continues smoldering and creeping among interior fuels. Low rates of fire spread persist in the unburned islands within the perimeter. A small number of single tree torching in these islands is occurring but is not expected to threaten containment lines. The team continues to focus on identifying fire behavior conditions that could result in rapid fire spread. These indicators are specifically wind and slope alignment conditions in drainages and ridge-top winds and are considered critical in any wildfire situation.  The primary firefighting tool in this effort is the constant visual assessment of the fire lines and isolated heat sources.  Smoke from the Smith River Complex is impacting various air and ground fire operations as well as local communities.  Resources continue to support fires in the surrounding area. 

Today’s Activities:  Firefighters are pressing forward to reach the full suppression objective for the Flat Fire.   Ground and/or aviation resources are concentrating on identifying any threatening fire behavior using constant visual assessments of the fire activity.  Fuels Group crews constructing hand line in the Pistol River drainage are nearing completion of the southern tier contingency line project.  Chipping, brushing, masticating and timber removal will continue as firefighters look to improve the new lines for contingency against wind driven fire expansion.   Improving those lines is a priority to reach an acceptable end state and achieve the full suppression objective.  Additional contingency opportunities are being explored where future fire activity can be anticipated to pose the greatest threat. Air resources are available to support initial attack efforts as required.
 
Weather:  Temperatures are cooling today and will continue to trend cooler throughout the week which ought to aid firefighting efforts. Higher relative humidity will continue to slow active fire behavior. There is a 5-10% probability of isolated showers or thunderstorms.

Smoke:   Smoke from the surrounding area fires will continue to impact firefighting efforts and local communities as dictated by wind conditions. The Smoke Outlook is available at:  Current Smoke Outlook for SW Oregon/NW California (wildlandfiresmoke.net)

Closures:  U.S. Highway 199 has been closed north of Gasquet due to fires on the Six River National Forest, please use U.S. Route 101 to SR 42s for all travel to and from the Rogue Valley. Forest Service and BLM roads should not be used as alternate routes due to fire activity. The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (RRSNF) has issued a closure order for the fire area including trails, roads, and a portion of the Illinois River. Visit  Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest - Alerts & Notices (usda.gov)  for more information.

Evacuations:  Level 1 “Get Ready” evacuation status in place for areas in the vicinity of the Flat Fire. Link to more information:  Welcome to Curry County, OR                 

Restrictions:  Fire danger is currently extreme; the RRSNF is implementing Level 3 Public Use Restrictions. Level 3 PURs on the Wild Section of the Rogue River have been implemented by the RRSNF, Medford BLM and ODF. More information: Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest - News & Events (usda.gov)