According to reports from the Oregon Department of Forestry, despite having responded to approximately 50 reports of fire in a 13-hour period across Jackson and Josephine counties, firefighters were able to hold the majority of containment lines on Thursday.
There are currently 56 total fires across the district following Wednesday night thunderstorms across the region, breaking down to eight in Jackson County, named as the Westside Complex, and 48 in Josephine County, called the Lightning Gulch Complex. These incidents vary in stages, from active operations to 100% lined and mopped up, affecting both private and Bureau of Land Management land.
In Josephine County, the Hog Creek Fire, located north of Merlin, and the Rum Creek Fire, located near Rum Creek north of Galice, are both estimated to be 30 acres in size. The Granite Hill Fire is estimated to be 14 acres in size, located north of Grants Pass and east of Colonial Valley.
Weather conditions aided firefighters on the line, as temperatures remained cooler than expected and predicated thunderstorms did not materialize Thursday, prompting the US National Weather Service Medford Oregon to cancel a red flag warning. These milder conditions contributed to slightly decreased fire behavior, allowing resources to hold containment lines and complete mop-up operations on some incidents.
As of late Thursday evening, no homes are threatened, and no evacuation orders have been placed.
