Fire officials held an update Wednesday afternoon in Gold Beach Oregon on the Chetco Bar Fire burning to north and west of the Brookings area. Officials credited cooperation with the weather for the relatively low advancement since the windy events of the past weekend. Since Monday evening, the fire has significantly slowed since the last report on Monday of just over 90,000 acres. Today’s update estimated the blaze at just under 100,000 acres, and all previous evacuation levels remain in tact.
While heavy smoke and fog have continued to keep air efforts grounded for safety reasons, fire crews were able to work closer to the fire line in the southern sector these past two days. The better weather conditions have allowed for the building of hand lines and bull dozer lines to create a more defensible perimeter. Officials also indicated that there are resources working their way down the north and western sector attempting to secure a defensible perimeter in the Carpenterville and Pistol River areas.
Reportedly at around 4:00 PM Wednesday afternoon, air reconnaissance was able to finally take advantage of a small window of relatively clearer skies to get a better survey of the giant wildfire. Unconfirmed reports from eyewitnesses later stated that helicopters were making water drops on unspecified areas of the fire line. Again, these reports of water drops are as of yet, unconfirmed.
The Sheriffs Department stated that although there are reports that properties have been damaged or lost, they have not been in those regions to assess the damage or confirm those reports for safety reasons. Sheriff officials spoke to reports of looting taking place within evacuated areas, stating that there have been minimal reports and that they were specifically placing personnel in those areas to patrol and discourage any opportunity for looting to take place. The Sheriff’s Department is also preparing strategies in the event that evacuations should need to take place once again.
Fire officials reiterated the importance of being ready to evacuate, and that being allowed back into previously evacuated areas does not mean that an evacuation will not, or cannot reoccur. Although Fire crews have been working feverishly during the past 6 days, this wild fire still remains at zero percent contained and will continue to be a serious concern within these communities for the next several weeks.
Weather conditions are predicted to remain favorable to fire containment efforts through Thursday afternoon, only to deteriorate Thursday evening as a Chetco Effect event is forecast to bring 30 mph gusts to the peaks with higher temperatures throughout the weekend. Citizens should remain cautious and prepared to cooperate with authorities in the event such changes occur.
