The Rum Creek Fire first reported Wednesday, August 17th, five miles northwest of Galice, OR, along the south banks of the Lower Rogue River, blew up Saturday and Sunday, adding an astonishing 9,000 acres since Friday, growing from the 1,256 acres reported Friday by the Oregon Department of Forestry, to over 10,709 acres reported early Monday morning.
Governor Kate Brown declared a conflagration on early Saturday morning for the Rum Creek Fire, clearing the way for the State Fire Marshal to mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire, prompting the Oregon Office of State Marshal to mobilize six task forces and one hand crew to relieve local mutual aid resources.
Official reports are that one residence and two other structures have been destroyed as additional swing shift task forces began scouting homes, focusing on fire protection near, in and around Galice and along Galice Road.
A second aviation base has been added, enabling more direct air support from the east and west flanks and authorities reported that helicopters had dropped more than a half‐million gallons of water on the Rum Creek Fire and fixed‐wing aircraft have dropped a quarter‐million gallons of retardant as of last Friday, August 26th.
Josephine County Sheriff’s office has issued several evacuation orders and notifications, however, no new evacuations have been ordered since Sunday evening.
The Rogue River is closed to boating from Hog Creek downstream, including Russian Creek and the wild section of the river. Recreational boaters will not be able to put in or take out starting at the Hog Creek Boat Ramp downstream to Grave Creek. Robertson Bridge County Park is the furthest downstream recreational river take-out. At this time, Bear Camp Road remains open.
Recreation sites along the Rogue River from Hog Creek to Russian Creek are closed. Josephine County Parks that are currently closed include Hog Creek County Park, Indian Mary Park and Campground, Ennis Riffle County Park, and Almeda County Park and Campground. Bureau of Land Management recreation sites that are currently closed include Hog Creek, Hellgate Overlook, Stratton Creek, Rainbow, Carpenter Island, Rocky Bar, Robert Dean, Chair, Rand, Smullin Visitor Center, Argo, and Grave Creek with additional public lands closures existing around the Rum Creek Fire.
