Archie Creek Fire Update for Monday, Sept 21 - 131,598 Acres and 41% Contained

Fire Update: The Archie Creek Fire has burned 131,598 acres and is 41 percent contained. There are currently 1,121 personnel assigned to the fire. Unified Commanders Mike Dueitt and TIm Keith For a printable version of this update, please visit Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/…/relate…/pict20200821-105904-0.pdf Special Note: A combination of recent rainfall, cooler temperatures and more favorable fire conditions have allowed the Douglas Forest Protective Association to lower fire restrictions for the general public and industrial operators. Effective today, all DFPA protected lands have a fire danger rating of moderate and Industrial Fire Precaution Level II. A detailed list of Public Use Restrictions can be found at www.dfpa.net/public-fire-restrictions. The Umpqua National Forest has lowered the Industrial Fire Precaution Level to Level III and the Fire Adjective Class from High from Extreme. For more information see https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7176/56514/ Fire Update: The Archie Creek Fire has burned 131,598 acres and is 41 percent contained. There are currently 1,121 personnel assigned to the fire. A low inversion over the fire yesterday morning helped keep fire behavior to smoldering, creeping and backing. Because of this, firefighters continued to make good progress building and strengthening firelines and mopping up. A forecasted frontal system arriving Wednesday is expected to drop another half inch of rain on the fire by the weekend, which will further aid containment. However, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” said Operations Chief Mark Jamieson, quoting baseball legend Yogi Berra. An infrared flight Friday showed many sources of heat scattered throughout the fire, some of them near containment lines. Yesterday firefighters flying over the fire discovered a new start outside the perimeter of the Archie Fire, about two miles north of its northeast flank in the Pass Creek area. The fire probably was caused from a lightning strike from a recent thunderstorm and flared up when conditions became warmer and drier. Crews from the Archie Fire responded and will continue to work on the holdover fire today. Helicopters are ready to make water drops if necessary. Firefighters will focus on cooling hot spots and continuing to build, connect and strengthen firelines. Specific areas of concern are on the south, east and northern edges of the fire. In the south, this includes areas around Little River and Thunder Mountain roads to Highway 138. Firefighters are assessing the area west of Thunder Mountain for retardant drops by helicopter and may make drops today, if needed. In the east, containment and mop up continues in three areas where the fire burned over containment lines in the Panther Creek (4714) Road area west of Highway 138. Yesterday hand crews made good progress there constructing firelines directly at the fire’s edge. Along the northeastern edge of the fire, mop up will continue along firelines and firefighters will begin to assess what actions are needed to repair areas damaged by building firelines. Fire hose placed all around the fire helps cool areas near containment lines. Hand crews continue to arrive to finish building, fortifying and mopping up firelines. The fire has backed down to the North Umpqua River on the east flank and firefighters are monitoring it there. Fire scars are helping check fire progression in the southeastern edge of the fire and firefighters are using old timber sale roads (600 series) to contain the fire in that area. Mop up continues around structures in Glide, Idleyld Park and Rock Creek and firefighters are protecting homes and other buildings from fire in all areas of the fire, including along Little River Road. They are assessing structure protection for the Bar L subdivision. Firefighters will work into the night to ensure structures are safe. Other areas of special protection include the Wolf Creek Job Corps, Susan Creek Bridge, communications equipment on Scott Mountain and the Big Tree area. The Big Tree is still standing and the area around it was not affected by the fire. Firefighters will continue to remove live and dead vegetation around the Job Corps to reduce fire risk. North of Highway 138E, in the Steamboat area, firefighters and heavy equipment continue to work along Canton Creek Road to Trapper Creek to improve contingency firelines in case the fire crosses primary firelines. Personnel and Equipment: 22 Type 2 hand crews, 6 helicopters, 1 fixed wing air attack platform, 61 engines, 49 bulldozers, 48 water tenders, 9 masticators and 6 skidgeons. Help for Fire Victims: The following agencies and organizations are helping those who were affected by this fire and are accepting donations. • Glide Revitalization Committee: https://gliderevitalization.com/ • Glide Helping Hands: 541-733-6860 • Glide Baptist Church: https://www.glidebaptist.org/ • Greater Douglas United Way: https://gduway.org/campaigns/fire-relief-fund/ • Roseburg Rotary: https://www.facebook.com/RoseburgRotary/ and https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr… • Douglas Timber Operators / Umpqua Fisheries Enhancement Derby: https://donorbox.org/2020-archie-creek-fire-relief-fund • Saving Grace: www.savinggrace.info 541-672-3907 • Red Cross: Located at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Check for current needs. • Oregon Department of Human Services: Check for current needs. Food items will not be accepted. Donations can be dropped off this week at the Roseburg Department of Human Services building at 738 W Harvard, Roseburg OR M-F, 9am-4pm through 9/18/20 Evacuations, shelter areas: An interactive map of the current evacuation area can be found at www.dcso.com/evacuations. For more evacuation information, visit the Douglas County Sheriff website www.dcso.com/evacuations and Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DouglasCoSO The Red Cross has services and a shelter at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. Call 541-672-6581 The Western Oregon Expo Fairgrounds in Cottage Grove has space for evacuees, livestock and tents. Contact Skye Hefner at 541-556-2727 for more information. Air quality: See the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at http://www.oregon.gov/deq Closures: • Roads – Highway 138E remains closed to all traffic except for firefighters and residents from Milepost 21 through Milepost 83. See www.tripcheck.com for updates on highway closures. • Bureau of Land Management – All lands east of Interstate 5, within the Swiftwater Resource Area are closed. • Umpqua National Forest – Maps and closure orders can be found on Inciweb at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7176/ . Additional information on the Forest Service closures are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices Managed lands east of Interstate 5, within the Swiftwater Resource Area are closed. • Temporary Flight Restriction: There is a temporary flight restriction in effect for the Archie Creek Fire.