Single Publication

July 23, 2023

Flat Fire Morning Update

Size: 20,232                                            

Start Date:  July 15, 2023

Point of origin: 2 miles southeast of Agness, OR

Cause: Human-caused, Under Investigation

Total personnel: 1,241

Resources: 33 engines l 40 crews l 8 bulldozers l 15 water tenders l 8 masticators l 10 helicopters

Current Situation: Pacific Northwest Team 3, a national type one team, arrived and shadowed with Northwest Team 6 yesterday, and assumed command of the fire 6:00 a.m. today. The transition to the type one team brings additional resources for suppression efforts of the incident and additional strategic planning.

Structure protection groups are nearly complete with their work in Oak Flat and Agness. As this work is finished, they will remain to protect communities while allowing any extra resources to help with suppression efforts around the fire.

As fire line is completed in the north and southwest, resources are being shifted to the northeast and southeast to create control lines to prevent fire spread while continuing full suppression efforts.

Today’s activities: Pacific Northwest Team 3 will maintain the momentum started by Northwest Team 6. In the north part of the fire, firefighters are working to extinguish hot spots (mop up), in the areas where they have completed burnout operations. In the northeast and southwest, burnout operations to reduce vegetation will continue. In the south, firefighters are assessing in the 1174 trail and road system to establish additional control lines to slow southern fire progression.

Evacuations: Curry County is sending evacuation notices utilizing Everbridge. Sign up below https://www.co.curry.or.us/departments/emergency_management/index.php

Weather: Today’s forecast is for cooler temperatures with higher humidity.

Smoke: The Smoke Outlooks are available at oregonsmoke.org

Closures: The Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest has issued a closure order for the fire area including trails, roads, and a portion of the Illinois River. bit.ly/RRSNFClosures

Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in place fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou

Please be careful when driving in the area due to increased fire traffic.