Jessica Cejnar Andrews / Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 @ 12:49 p.m. / Emergencies, Fire, Oregon

Residents Along Elk River Road Near Port Orford Told to Evacuate As Anvil Fire Burns Toward Fish Hatchery


The Anvil Fire, burning roughly 8 miles east of Port Orford, is at 1,433 acres and is zero percent contained. | Photo courtesy of Flat and Anvil Fires - Oregon 2023 Facebook page

From the Curry County Sheriff's Office:

This morning at 6:00am, the Operations person for Rocky Mountain Team 3 contacted the Sheriff’s Office and advised that the Anvil Fire just east of Port Orford had increased in size and aggressiveness due to an east wind event overnight.  The incident management team advised that the fire was burning towards the Elk River Fish Hatchery and had reached the Management Action Point established to determine evacuation levels.  The Sheriff’s Office was also made aware that the fire had reached the Elk River about four miles above the Elk River Fish Hatchery

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office called in patrol deputies to go do door to door Level III notifications of evacuations in the area along Elk River that was previously in a Level II. Communications 911 deputies were also called in to help handle the increase of radio traffic and calls about the evacuations. Level III notifications for evacuations were completed prior to 10:00am.  At that point deputies made level II notifications from the intersection of U.S. Highway 101 and Elk River to about milepost 4 on Elk River Road.  There is now a road closure into the Level III area starting at about milepost 4 on the Elk River Road.  The Sheriff’s Office and USFS Law Enforcement will continue to patrol the Level III closed areas.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office will continue work with the Fire Incident Management Teams to keep the public notified of any evacuation level changes due to the fire behavior.  If you haven’t signed up for Everbridge Emergency Notices, you can go to the Curry County Webpage and sign up at co.curry.or.us.  For any questions about Everbridge, you can call Ashley Thien or Commissioner Brad Alcorn in Emergency Management at 541 247-3275.

AS A REMINDER:

LEVEL I (1) EVACUATION or PROTECTION ALERT: A wildfire threat is in your area. It would be wise to consider planning and/or packing, in the event an evacuation becomes necessary.

LEVEL II (2) EVACUATION WARNING or NOTICE: High probability of a need to evacuate. You should prepare now by packing necessary items and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure. Remember the 6- P’s: 1. A plan for the persons in your family (including a meeting place.) 2. Personal items (including toiletries, food and water for 2-3 days and special personal possessions.) 3. Prescriptions- Have your full, current supply of prescriptions packed. 4. Photographs (and other mementos) which cannot be replaced. 5. Pets (Have a plan in place and pets secured so frightened pets don’t escape fenced yards or kennels.) 6. Papers- Pack all important papers, including reference phone numbers, account numbers, etc.   Now is the time to move persons with mobility or medical issues.  If you have livestock or large animals, please move them to a safe place now!   Please use common sense and evacuate at any time you feel uncomfortable or see active fire behavior.

LEVEL III (3) EVACUATION REQUEST or ORDER: Occupants of the affected area(s) are asked to leave within a specified time period, by pre-designated route(s). Perimeter roadblocks are typically established. At this stage:   You should take your family, pets, and necessary items including medications and important papers and evacuate now if you are in a Level III area.   Check in with your local Red Cross shelter (even if you don’t intend to stay there). Check in with them and let them know where you will be in case your family is looking for you.   Drive with your lights on, safely and SLOWLY remaining aware of your surroundings as you leave.

As your Sheriff, I want you to know that we will always make it a priority to protect you and your property as best we can.  Stay safe and watch out for each other.


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