Jessica Cejnar Andrews / Monday, July 17, 2023 @ 10:16 a.m. / Emergencies, Fire
(Update) Firefighters Aim For 'Full Suppression' on a Rapidly Growing Blaze Near Agness
The Flat Fire is estimated at 5,477 acres near the Curry County community of Agness. | Photo courtesy of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
Updated at 2:09 p.m.: Fire personnel tackling the Flat Fire near Agness, Oregon are assessing structures to see how much danger there is, though there are no evacuation orders currently in effect.
Community members are urged to monitor the Curry County and Josephine County sheriff's offices for official evacuation notices.
The fire was mapped at 5,477 acres via an infrared plane flight on Sunday evening, said Doug Epperson, public information officer for Northwest Incident Management Team 6, which took over fire operations at 6 a.m. Monday.
There are a total of 332 personnel battling the blaze, which is burning in the 21-year-old Biscuit Fire footprint on both sides of the Illinois River, according to an update as of noon Monday.
Resources include one piece of heavy equipment, 19 engines, seven helicopters and 10 crews. More personnel and equipment will be arriving in the next few days.
There are currently no closures ine ffect, though people are encouraged to stay out of the area.
For more information about fire restrictions, click here. For smoke forecasts, click here.
People can get up to date information by visiting, www.facebook.com/flatfireoregon2023.
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Firefighters are seeking “full suppression” of a blaze that started on U.S. Forest Service land near Agness, Oregon on Saturday and has grown to roughly 5,477 acres.
No one is being evacuated as of about 9:45 a.m. Monday, Curry County Commissioner Brad Alcorn told the Wild Rivers Outpost. But because of the difficult terrain and unpredictable weather, Alcorn said he expects the fire will grow.
“There are a handful of residences up there, probably 14 to 15 homes and the sheriff has contacted everyone,” Alcorn told the Outpost. “They’re in communication so if there is a situation where we need to do an immediate evacuation we have a mechanism in place to make sure that happens safely.”
The Flat Fire was first reported at about 6 p.m. Saturday, Alcorn told the community in a video briefing on Sunday.
It’s burning near Oak Flat, about two miles southwest of Agness, according to a Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest news release Sunday. The Forest Service stated Sunday that about 40 structures are threatened. The fire is making the biggest gains in the Lawson Creek drainage and is on both sides of the Illinois River, burning in the 2002 Biscuit Fire scar, according to the release.
On Sunday, 10 crews, two water tenders, nine engines, one fixed wing aircraft, three helicopters and other air assets battled the fire.
Resources from Coos Forest Protective Association, a nonprofit that works with state and federal forestry officials, are also working the fire as are multiple air tankers.
According to Alcorn, other agencies taking part in a fire briefing Sunday evening include emergency management officials from Coos and Josephine counties, the State Fire Marshal and South Coast Lumber representatives.
Curry County’s emergency operations center is on a partial activation currently, supporting ongoing fire suppression efforts, Alcorn said.
“That’ll be dictated by fire behavior,” Alcorn said.
On Sunday, Alcorn told the community that he had moved his office to the emergency operations center to be able to provide up-to-date information to Curry County residents.
Meanwhile, southern Curry County residents will be impacted by heavy smoke, according to Alcorn. Alcorn also relayed a message from Curry County Sheriff John Ward, who warned of low-lying smoke making driving conditions in the area difficult. Alcorn asked people not to venture into that area to “sightsee.”
The Curry County commissioner also praised the local Search & Rescue team.
“When you have a fire like this and we get people up there recreating on trails and floating down the river, etc., they don’t know there’s a fire. They can smell the smoke, but they don’t see the flames and they don’t realize how close they are to getting into trouble,” Alcorn said. “Our Search & Rescue folks look for people so they can warn them and direct them on how to get out of the situation they’re about to get into.”
Fire professionals will continue to have daily briefings for the community, Alcorn said. He said he’ll make sure to put significant updates out on social media.
The National Weather Service has predicted a red flag warning starting at 11 p.m. this evening through 8 a.m. Tuesday for the Western Siskiyou National Forest, the Western Rogue Basin and the Illinois Valley.
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