UPDATE: Thursday, June 19, 10:17 p.m.
Crews have completed 95% of the fire line around the Upper Applegate Fire, and mop-up operations are underway, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. Tree fallers are clearing hazard trees on the north side, where conifer mortality has slowed progress. Firefighters are also working to extend hose lines across the fire’s perimeter to support suppression efforts.
A small spot fire crossed the line this evening due to wind but was quickly contained. All Level 3 evacuation orders have been downgraded, and area roads have reopened. The shelter at Jacksonville Elementary School has closed.
UPDATE: Thursday, June 19, 7:39 a.m.
Firefighters held the line overnight on the Upper Applegate Fire, tracing containment around roughly 70% of its perimeter by early Thursday. Hose now snakes along half the fire’s edge, giving crews a critical advantage in dousing lingering heat and keeping flare-ups in check.
The Oregon Department of Forestry said an updated aerial survey put the size of the fire at about 470 acres—a revision due more to better mapping than active spread. The footprint remains largely unchanged from late Wednesday.
More than 200 people are working the fire, supported by bulldozers, helicopters, engines, and water tenders. Their toughest work lies ahead. Gusty afternoon winds—forecast at up to 25 miles per hour—threaten to test fire lines, especially along the rugged northern edge.
Evacuation orders remain in effect across parts of the Upper Applegate Valley. Jacksonville Elementary School continues to serve as a shelter for displaced residents and their pets, while the Jackson County Expo grounds are open for livestock. Upper Applegate Road is still closed to the public.
Original story:
Crews working the Upper Applegate Fire in Jackson County kept the wildfire from growing overnight, holding it at roughly 350 acres after a fast-moving grassfire erupted Wednesday afternoon.
The fire broke out just after 12:30 p.m. along the 2000-block of Upper Applegate Road and quickly climbed hillsides thick with dry grass and brush. What started as a five-acre blaze expanded tenfold within two hours, pushed by gusty winds and triple-digit temperatures.
By dusk, the Oregon Department of Forestry reported little additional growth. The fire’s most active edge remained on its eastern flank, where crews planned to focus their efforts Thursday. Retardant lines and water drops from helicopters helped firefighters slow the fire’s advance on the north side. Ground crews reinforced containment lines overnight.
“Our goal is to stop forward progression as much as possible and hold the fire in its current footprint,” the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office said in a statement late Wednesday.
Task forces from Lane and Marion counties arrived to support local firefighters with structure protection. Crews from the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service also joined the response.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation warnings throughout the afternoon and evening, including Level 3 “Go Now” orders between Ruch and Buncom. A shelter is open at Jacksonville Elementary School, where residents can also bring small pets. Large animals are being housed at the Jackson County Expo in Central Point.
Upper Applegate Road was closed to the public, though residents are being allowed through. Firefighters asked people to avoid the area if possible.
More than a dozen engines, bulldozers, water tenders and 20-person crews were scheduled to take over fire lines Thursday morning. Aircraft are expected to resume operations at first light.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
For updates on evacuation zones, visit www.rvem.org. For fire information and current restrictions, go to www.swofire.com.
