Public use closure for ODF-managed state forests extended through Wed., Sept. 16

September 14, 2020, ODF Public Affairs

SALEM, Ore. — All Oregon Department of Forestry-managed forests are closed to public use through at least Wed, Sept. 16. Fire danger remains extreme, air quality is bad to hazardous, & last week’s wind storms caused downed trees on roads & other safety problems that need to be cleared. This covers the Tillamook, Clatsop, Gilchrist, Sun Pass & Santiam state forests as well as other smaller parcels managed by ODF in Lane, Douglas, Coos, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath, Polk, Lincoln, & Benton counties.

ODF appreciates the public’s understanding.

Actualización del Incendio Beachie Creek para el Lunes 14 de Septiembre, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Fecha de inicio: 16 de Agosto, 2020
Ubicación: Santiam Canyon Oeste de of Detroit, OR,
Sur del Condado Clackamas
Causa: Desconocida
Tamaño del incendio: 190,138 acres
Recursos Aéreos Asignados: 7
Personal total: 572

Salem, Ore. – Los combatientes continuaran el trabajo el Lunes para asegurar el perímetro del Incendio Beachie Creek. Brigadas y equipo pesado están trabajando para unir los trozos existentes en la línea de control en las partes del oeste y noroeste del incendio. Los esfuerzos de construcción de línea y reforzarla cual iniciaron el sábado al sur de la Carretera 22 continuaran. Los combatientes continúan trabajando con los dueños de las tierras en el perímetro sureste del incendio construyendo y asegurando líneas de control en esa área. El Domingo los combatientes comenzaron la liquidación y sistemáticamente evaluando los daños a las estructuras dentro del incendio y continuaran con esos esfuerzos hoy.

El Incendio Beachie Creek y el Incendio Riverside permanecen como una milla de separados. Los oficiales de los incendios cercanos están coordinando estrategias para minimizar el crecimiento y estabilizar los incendios. La combinación actual de vientos, sequia historial de los bosques y la falta de características de retención natural en Table Rock Wilderness y las áreas circundantes significa que todavía existe la posibilidad de que estos incendios puedan arder juntos. Basado en el tiempo atmosférico actual, se anticipa que si estos dos incendios se juntan en el futuro no resultara en un comportamiento dinámico de fuego tal como fue visto la semana pasada.

Los oficiales del incendio continúan trabajando muy acerca con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado Marion, ODOT (Departamento de Transportación de Oregon) y con la Policía Estatal de Oregon para coordinar los esfuerzos de recuperación a lo largo del Santiam Canyon. Actualmente 16,776 estructuras están bajo Nivel 3 de evacuación y otras 18,528 casas están bajo Nivel 2 de evacuación.  Es imperativo proteger los socorristas y comunidades en el paso de incendio que todos obedezcan las evacuaciones y cierres de caminos establecidos por oficiales del incendio y la ley. Cualquiera que entre en el perímetro del incendio está poniendo en peligro las operaciones de combate del incendio y rescate, pone vidas en peligro, y potencialmente aumentado el tiempo que se tardara para devolver a los residentes a sus comunidades.

TIEMPO ATMOSFERICO: Es probable que de nuevo las inversiones en el valle persistan a lo largo del día. Para el Lunes las altas temperaturas estarán dentro de los altos 60s a los bajos 70s, con humedad relativa mínima pronosticada en 40-50 por ciento en el lado oeste del incendio. Se espera que la humedad relativa sea mucho mas baja, de 30-45 por ciento en el lado este del incendio y en elevaciones encima de 2,500 pies. Se predice que el patrón del tiempo atmosférico cambiara en las siguientes 24 horas, con la posibilidad de lluvia en el lado oeste del incendio.

SEGURIDAD: Se les aconseja los miembros del público que obedezcan las órdenes de evacuación emitidas por la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado y sistemas de notificación de emergencia. Conozca cada nivel de Ready, Set, Go (Alistar, Poner, Vallase) Ready-Alistar sus pertenencias; Set-Poner sus cosas en la puerta o en el automóvil, Go-Vallase inmediatamente.

HOMO: Otra vez hoy, el humo continuara pesado a través del área del Incendio Beachie Creek. Esto conducirá a condiciones “insanas” y posiblemente “peligrosas”. Personas con problemas respiratorios pueden verse afectadas por el humo intenso. En áreas más cercanas al incendio – cerca de Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene – tendran los peores impactos de humo. Los niveles de humo pueden cambiar rápidamente dependiendo en el tiempo atmosférico. Revise las condiciones actuales del aire en DEQ’s Air Quality Index (Índice de Calidad del Aire) bajando la aplicación OregonAIR gratis en su smartphone.

CERRADOS: Caminos del Bosque Willamette, senderos y tierras alrededor del área del incendio están cerradas. Ver la orden oficial (Order 06-18- 04-20-13). Tierras de Bureau of Land Management (BLM) en la vecindad del incendio, y tierras Estatales administradas por el Departamento Forestal de Oregon (Oregon Department of Forestry) incluyendo el Bosque Estatal de Santiam (Santiam State Forest) también están cerrados al público. Visite InciWeb (dirección abajo) para la lista y mapa de caminos, senderos y sitios de recreación cerrados.

Información pública:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com

Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/
Oregon Smoke Blog: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

Beachie Creek Fire Update for Monday, September 14, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Start date: Aug, 16, 2020
Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas County
Cause: Unknown
Fire size: 190,138 acres
Air Assets Assigned: 7
Total personnel: 572

Salem, Ore. – Firefighters will resume work on Monday to secure the perimeter of the Beachie Creek Fire. Crews and heavy equipment are working to tie the pieces of existing control line together on the west and northwest portions of the fire. Line construction and reinforcement efforts which began Saturday south of Highway 22 will continue. Firefighters continue to work with landowners on the southeastern perimeter of the fire to build and secure control lines in that area. Firefighters began mopping up and systematically assessing damage to structures inside the fire on Sunday and will continue those efforts today.

The Beachie Creek Fire and the Riverside Fire remain about one mile apart. Officials from nearby fires are coordinating strategies to minimize fire growth and stabilize incidents. The combination of winds, record dry forests, and a lack of natural holding features in the Table Rock Wilderness and surrounding areas mean it is still possible the fires could burn together. Based on current weather, it is anticipated that a future merger would not result in dynamic fire behavior as seen last week.

Fire officials are working closely with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT and the Oregon State Police to coordinate recovery efforts along the Santiam Canyon. Currently 16,776 structures are at Level 3 evacuations and another 18,528 homes in level 2 evacuations. It is imperative to protect first responders and communities in the path of the fire that everyone heeds fire and law enforcement road closures and evacuations. Anyone who enters the fire perimeter jeopardizes firefighting and rescue operations, puts lives at risk, and potentially increases the time it will take to return residents to their communities.

WEATHER: Valley inversions are likely to persist through the day again. High temperatures Monday will generally be in the upper 60s to low 70s, with forecast minimum relative humidity of 45-55 percent on the west side of the fire. Relative humidity is expected to be much lower, 30-45 percent, on the east side of the fire and at elevations above 2,500 feet. The weather pattern is predicted to change in the next 24 hours, with a chance of rain on the west side of the fire.

SAFETY: Members of the public are encouraged to heed local evacuation orders issued by the county sheriff’s office and emergency notification systems. Know the Ready, Set, Go levels and make appropriate preparations. READY your belongings; SET your things at the door or prepack them in your car; GO and leave immediately.

SMOKE: Smoke will continue to be heavy across the area of the Beachie Creek Fire again today. This will lead to “unhealthy” and possibly “hazardous” conditions. Individuals with respiratory issues may find themselves affected by the intense smoke. Areas closest to fires - near Detroit, Florence, and Eugene – will have severe smoke impacts. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather.

Check current conditions on DEQ's Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

CLOSURES: Willamette National Forest roads, trails, and lands around the fire area are closed. View the official order (Order 06-18- 04-20-13). Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands in the vicinity of the fire and State lands managed by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) including the Santiam State Forest are also closed to the public. Go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of closed areas, roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Public information:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/
Oregon Smoke Blog:  http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

Actualización del Incendio Beachie Creek para el Domingo 13 de Septiembre, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Fecha de Inicio: 16 de Agosto, 2020
Ubicación: Santiam Canyon Oeste de Detroit, OR. Sur del Condado Clackamas
Causa: Desconocida
Tamaño del incendio: 188,935 acres
Recursos Aéreos Asignados: 7
Personal total: 563

Salem, Ore. – Una vez que la neblina empiece a disiparse el Domingo, los combatientes resumirán el trabajo alrededor del perímetro del Incendio Beachie Creek. Los combatientes empezaran la liquidación y evaluar sistemáticamente los daños a las estructuras dentro del incendio. Brigadas y equipo pesado trabajaran el Domingo para unir los trozos existentes en la línea de control en las partes del oeste y noroeste del incendio. Los esfuerzos de construcción de línea y refuerzos cual iniciaros el Sábado al sur de la carretera 22 continuaran el Domingo. Los combatientes están trabajando con los dueños de las tierras en el perímetro sureste del incendio construyendo línea de control a lo largo de esa sección del incendio.

El Incendio Beachie Creek y el Incendio Riverside permanecen como una milla de separados. A pesar de los rumores, que estos dos incendios se junten no es inminente. La combinación actual de vientos, sequia historial de los bosques y la falta de características de retención natural en Table Rock Wilderness y las áreas circundantes significa que todavía es posible que los dos incendios puedan arder juntos en los próximos días. Basado en el tiempo atmosférico actual, se anticipa que una futura junta de esos dos incendios no resultaría en un comportamiento de fuego dinámico como se vio en la última semana.

Los oficiales del incendio continúan trabajando muy acerca con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado Marion, ODOT (Departamento de Transportación de Oregon) y con la Policía Estatal de Oregon para coordinar los esfuerzos de recuperación a lo largo del Santiam Canyon. Actualmente 16,776 estructuras están bajo Nivel 3 de evacuación y otras 18,528 casas están bajo Nivel 2 de evacuación.  Es imperativo proteger los socorristas y comunidades en el paso de incendio que todos obedezcan las evacuaciones y cierres de caminos establecidos por oficiales del incendio y la ley. Cualquiera que entre en el perímetro del incendio está poniendo en peligro las operaciones de combate del incendio y rescate, así como aumentado el tiempo que se tardara en devolver a los residentes a sus comunidades y poniendo vidas en riesgo.

TIEMPO ATMOSFERICO: La alta presión de encima continuara debilitándose lentamente el Domingo y el Lunes. Eso significa que podría mejorar la calidad general del aire el domingo por la tarde, pero es probable que las inversiones en el valle sean persistentes a lo largo del día. Altas temperaturas el Domingo generalmente estarán en los altos 60s a los bajos 70s, con humedad relativa mínima pronosticada en 40-50 por ciento. Se predice que el patrón metrológico cambie a los principios de la semana que viene con una buena oportunidad de lluvia para el Lunes en la noche y el Martes.

SEGURIDAD: Se les aconseja los miembros del público que obedezcan las órdenes de evacuación emitidas por la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado y sistemas de notificación de emergencia. Conozca cada nivel de Ready, Set, Go (Alistar, Poner, Vallase) Ready-Alistar sus pertenencias; Set-Poner sus cosas en la puerta o poner en el automóvil, Go-Vallase inmediatamente.

HUMO: Otra vez el Domingo, el humo continuara pesado a través del área del Incendio Beachie Creek. Esto conducirá a condiciones “insanas” y posiblemente “peligrosas”. Personas con problemas respiratorios pueden verse afectadas por el humo intenso. En áreas más cercanas al incendio – cerca de Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene – tienen los peores impactos de humo. Los niveles de humo pueden cambiar rápidamente dependiendo en el tiempo atmosférico. Revise las condiciones actuales del aire en DEQ’s Air Quality Index (Índice de Calidad del Aire) bajando la aplicación OregonAIR gratis en su smartphone.

CERRADOS: : Caminos del Bosque Willamette, senderos y tierras alrededor del área del incendio están cerradas. Ver la orden oficial (Order 06-1804- 20-13) or go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of the closed roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Información pública:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com Telefono: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/
Oregon Smoke Blog http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

 Contact:

Jason Cox, ODF Public Affairs Specialist, 503-945-7427, jason.r.cox@oregon.gov

Beachie Creek Fire Update for Sunday, September 13, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Start date: Aug, 16, 2020
Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas County
Cause: Unknown
Fire size: 188,935 acres
Air Assets Assigned: 7
Total personnel: 563

Salem, Ore. – Once the dense fog begins to dissipate, firefighters will resume work Sunday around the perimeter of the Beachie Creek Fire. Firefighters will begin mopping up and systematically accessing damage to structures inside the fire. Crews and heavy equipment will work Sunday to tie the pieces of existing control line together on the west and northwest portions of the fire. Line construction and reinforcement efforts which began Saturday south of Highway 22 will continue Sunday. Firefighters are working with landowners on the southeastern perimeter of the fire to build and secure control lines along that section of the fire.

The Beachie Creek Fire and the Riverside Fire remain about one mile apart. Despite the rumors, a merger of the two fires is not imminent. The current combination of winds, record dry forests, and a lack of natural holding features in the Table Rock Wilderness and surrounding areas mean it is still possible the fires could burn together in the coming days. Based on current weather, it is anticipated that a future merger would not result in dynamic fire behavior as seen in the last week.

Fire officials continue to work closely with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT and the Oregon State Police to coordinate recovery efforts along the Santiam Canyon. Currently 16,776 structures are at Level 3 evacuations and another 18,528 homes in level 2 evacuations.  It is imperative to protect first responders and communities in the path of the fire that everyone heeds fire and law enforcement road closures and evacuations. Anyone who enters the fire perimeter is jeopardizing firefighting and rescue operations, increasing the time it will take to return residents to their communities and putting lives at risk.

WEATHER:  High pressure aloft will continue to slowly weaken Sunday and Monday. That means there could be some improvement in overall air quality Sunday afternoon, but valley inversions are likely to be persistent through the day. High temperatures Sunday will generally be in the upper 60s to low 70s, with forecast minimum relative humidity of 40-50 percent. The weather pattern is predicted to change early next week, with a good change of some rain Monday night and Tuesday.

SAFETY: Members of the public are encouraged to heed local evacuation orders issued by the county sheriff’s office and emergency notification systems. Know each Ready, Set, Go levels and make appropriate preparations. READY your belongings; SET your things at the door or prepack them in your car; GO and leave immediately.

SMOKE:  Smoke will continue to be heavy across the area of the Beachie Creek Fire again on Sunday. This will lead to “unhealthy” and possibly “hazardous” conditions. Individuals with respiratory issues may find themselves affected by the intense smoke. Areas closest to fires - near Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene - are having the worst smoke impacts. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on DEQ's Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

CLOSURES: Willamette National Forest roads, trails, and lands around the fire area are closed. View the official order (Order 06-18-04-20-13) or go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of the closed roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Public information:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com
Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/
Oregon Smoke Blog http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

Beachie Creek Fire Update for Saturday September 12, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Start date: Aug, 16, 2020
Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas County
Cause: Unknown
Fire size: 186,988 Acres
Air Assets Assigned:  7
Total personnel: 532

Salem, Ore. – Firefighters spent yesterday morning assessing and cleaning up areas along the southern fire front within the Highway 22 corridor. Crews were successful in establishing anchor points in the Mehama and Lyons area.  Structural protection and assessment were also done along the Abiqua drainage while additional crews established strategic anchor points to limit fire spread. As the fire continued north, work was performed along the northwest and northern fire fronts and additional anchor points were established. Extremely dry conditions allowed continued growth north toward the Riverside Fire. Because of positive nighttime humidity recovery levels, fire growth has slowed considerably.

Fire Officials continue to work closely with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT and the Oregon State Police to coordinate recovery efforts along the Santiam Canyon. Currently 13,764 structures are at Level 3 evacuations and another 18,528 homes are under in level 2 evacuations.

It is imperative to protect first responders and communities in the path of the fire that everyone heeds fire and law enforcement road closures and evacuations. Anyone who enters the fire perimeter is jeopardizing firefighting and rescue operations, increasing the time it will take to return residents to their communities and putting lives at risk.

WEATHER:  The strong high pressure over the region for the past several days will weaken today and continue into the weekend.  Winds should also begin to fall below critical thresholds elsewhere. Onshore flow will begin today and continue through the weekend. Temperatures are expected to reach 83-88 degrees today. These weather conditions are generally excepted to improve firefighting conditions as crews work to make progress on the fire.

SAFETY: Members of the public are encouraged to heed local evacuation orders issued by the county sheriff’s office and emergency notification systems. Know each Ready, Set, Go levels and make appropriate preparations. READY your belongings; SET your things at the door or prepack them in your car; GO Leave immediately.

SMOKE:  Smoke is expected to remain heavy throughout the area for the next several days. Individuals with respiratory issues may find themselves affected by the intense smoke. Smoke levels are fluctuating between unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) and hazardous (maroon) in these areas. Areas closest to fires - near Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene - are having the worst smoke impacts. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on DEQ's Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

CLOSURES: Willamette National Forest roads, trails, and lands around the fire area are closed. View the official order (Order 06-18-04-20-13) or go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of the closed roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Public information:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com
Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/
Oregon Smoke Blog:  http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

Beachie Creek Fire Update for Friday September 11, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13
Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Start date: Aug, 16, 2020
Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas County
Cause: Unknown
Fire size: 186,856 Acres
Air Assets Assigned: 7
Total personnel: 487

Salem, Ore. – Firefighters spent yesterday morning mopping up areas along the southern fire front along the Highway 22 corridor. Crews were successful in establishing anchor points in the Mehama and Lyons area where significantly less fire growth occurred. Crews then transition to doing structure protection in Silver Falls State Park and the areas of Drake’s Crossing and Scott’s Mills. Structural protection and assessment were also done along the Abiqua drainage while additional crews established anchor points to limit rapid fire spread. As the fire continued north, work was performed along the northwest and northern fire fronts. Extremely dry condition fueled continued growth toward the Riverside Fire.

Fire Officials continue to work closely with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, ODOT and the Oregon State Police to coordinate recovery efforts along the Santiam Canyon. Currently 13,764 structures are at Level 3 evacuations and another 18,528 homes are under in level 2 evacuations.

It is imperative to protect first responders and communities in the path of the fire that everyone heeds fire and law enforcement road closures and evacuations. Anyone who enters the fire perimeter is jeopardizing firefighting and rescue operations, increasing the time it will take to return residents to their communities and putting lives at risk.

WEATHER:  The strong high pressure over the region for the past several days will weaken today and continue into the weekend.  Winds should also begin to fall below critical thresholds elsewhere. Onshore flow will begin today and continue through the weekend. Temperatures are expected to reach 83-88 degrees today. These weather conditions are generally excepted to improve firefighting conditions as crews work to make progress on the fire.

SAFETY: Members of the public are encouraged to heed local evacuation orders issued by the county sheriff’s office and emergency notification systems. Know each Ready, Set, Go levels and make appropriate preparations. READY your belongings; SET your things at the door or prepack them in your car; GO Leave immediately.

SMOKE:  Smoke is expected to remain heavy throughout the area for the next several days. Individuals with respiratory issues may find themselves affected by the intense smoke. Smoke levels are fluctuating between unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) and hazardous (maroon) in these areas. Areas closest to fires - near Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene - are having the worst smoke impacts. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on DEQ's Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

CLOSURES: Willamette National Forest roads, trails, and lands around the fire area are closed. View the official order (Order 06-18-04-20-13) or go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of the closed roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Public information:
Facebook: facebook.com/BeachieCreek
E-mail: BeachieCreek@gmail.com
Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/

Oregon Smoke Blog:  http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

Beachie Creek Fire (*Incident Name Update) Update for Thursday September 10, 2020

Brian Gales, Incident Commander, NWIMT13

Les Hallman, Incident Commander, OSFM

Start date: Aug, 16, 2020

Location: Santiam Canyon west of Detroit, OR, Southern Clackamas County

Cause: Unknown

Fire size: 182,000 Acres

Air Assets Assigned: 5

Total personnel: 423

Salem, Ore. – Fire Operations continue to be in rescue mode; however, firefighters made significant progress yesterday in opening roadways for emergency personnel. This has created critical access for crews to affect rescues and for trapped citizens to evacuate. Additionally, as fire crews and law enforcement officers patrol the interior of the fire we gain critical intelligence on the extent of destruction.

The cities of Mill City, Gates, Lyons, Mehama, Detroit and other areas along Hwy 22 have seen significant damage. The fire has destroyed multiple buildings along the Santiam Canyon. Fire managers have now determined that at least 13 new fires were started between Detroit and Mehama from downed powerlines during the peak of Monday’s wind event and then on Tuesday a large front of wind-driven fire ran through the city of Detroit from the east. Local fire departments along the Hwy 22 corridor and along the northern flanks of the fire continue to respond to 911 calls for rescues and new fires. Firefighters also continued their rescue operations in the North Fork Area and along the northern and western perimeter areas of the fire.

Fire crews are working in close coordination with ODOT, Oregon State Police and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to create road access, effect rescues and assess the extent of damage. Evacuation notices are being coordinated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office who are working to identify victims and notify next of kin.

Rescue operations have been extensive and wide-ranging. Rescues have varied widely, in some cases individuals were impeded by downed trees and roadway blockages while others escaped the heavy smoke, high heat and flames by moving to local waterways. Individuals found with injuries were transported to local hospitals for further care and assessment.

Currently 9,764 structures are at Level 3 evacuations and another 11,941 homes are under in level 2 evacuations.

For the safety of first responders, fire officials want to stress how important it is that the public stay out of the fire perimeter. There are many fallen trees, hanging snags and power lines impeding roadways and it is not safe to access these areas.

Fire is a dynamic situation and a rapidly evolving incident. For better accounting of fire resources assigned, the name has been updated to reflect the original assignment. The name of the fire will be referred to as the Beachie Creek Fire.

WEATHER: Red Flag Warnings have been extended through 8 AM PDT Thursday due to the continuation of dry and windy conditions in these areas tonight. Winds should begin to fall below critical thresholds elsewhere. Dry and possibly unstable conditions are expected today. Onshore flow returns by Friday and continues through the weekend and into next week.

SAFETY: Members of the public are encouraged to heed local evacuation orders issued by the county sheriff’s office and emergency notification systems. Any public trying to access the area are asked to stay away to keep roads clear for those evacuating and for emergency vehicles. The roads are extremely hazardous due to falling debris, smoke and emergency vehicle traffic. Members of the public in the immediate area are asked to keep the Ready, Set, Go levels of evacuation in mind. READY your belongings; SET your things at the door or prepack them in your car; GO Leave immediately.

SMOKE: Smoke is expected to remain heavy throughout the area for the next several days. Individuals with respiratory issues may find themselves affected by the intense smoke. Smoke levels are fluctuating between unhealthy for sensitive groups (orange) and hazardous (maroon) in these areas. Areas closest to fires - near Detroit, Florence, Chiloquin and Eugene are having the worst smoke impacts. Smoke levels can change rapidly depending on weather. Check current conditions on DEQ's Air Quality Index or by downloading the free OregonAIR app on your smartphone.

CLOSURES: Willamette National Forest roads, trails, and lands around the fire area are closed. View the official order (Order 06-18-04-20-13) or go to InciWeb (link below) for a list and map of the closed roads, trails, and recreation sites.

Public information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeachieCreekFire2020

E-mail: Santiamfire2020@gmail.com Phone: 541-583-0526, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7001/

Oregon Smoke Blog:  http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/p/air-quality-now.html

1. Entering into or being upon National Forest System lands closed for the protection of public health or safety. 36 CFR § 261.53(e)

2. Being on the road. 36 CFR § 261.54(e)

3. Being on a trail. 36 CFR § 261.55(a)

Pursuant to 36 CFR § 261.50 (e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1. Any person with a permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission;

2. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

3. Owners or lessees of land in the area.

4. Forest Service Roads may be utilized by visitors vacating the Forest.