Jack Fire Now 23,280 Acres, Growing Just 100 Acres Since Yesterday

Cooler weather and higher humidity should moderate fire activity across the Rough Patch Complex and Jack Fire, but fuels remain dry and will burn readily, fire officials said. “We had another good day, but it was challenging due to the wind picking up toward evening,” said John Spencer, operations section chief for Northwest 13, which is managing the Jack Fire, Rough Patch Complex and several small fires in the area. By Wednesday evening, the Rough Patch Complex had grown to 841 acres from 720 acres, while the Jack Fire grew less than 100 acres, from 23,182 acres to 23,280. Brush and woody debris are being removed along the 3821 Road and the 650 Road down to a dozer line at Lemon Dip. Coordinated efforts to remove logging equipment and log decks are going seamlessly, Spencer said. On the west side of the Rough Patch Complex, firefighters caught a 2-acre spot fire within the containment lines west and south of the 651 Road, with assistance from aerial water drops as crews cut line. Dozer and handline work continued across Lemon Dip. Firefighters spent much of Wednesday scouting the 200-acre Little Bend Creek Fire, which is in dense forest, making aerial observation difficult. To the east, crews were working to open access to the 10-acre 600 Road Fire, which was backing into Homestead Creek. Containment lines around the Chilcoot II Fire are holding and crews are now mopping up. On the southern end of the Jack Fire, dozer lines successfully checked a 100-acre fire on the 400 Road at Section 17, while crews finished cutting line and shifted to mop up around the 700 Road. In the Twin Lakes area to the northeast, firefighters were assessing handlines for potential burnout operations if conditions allow. Despite the cooler weather moving in, fuels remain critically dry due to drought and many fires will continue to grow, Fire Behavior Analyst Dean Warner said. Winds out of the northwest will also push smoke from fires in southern Oregon and California to the south and east, away from the fire zone, which should improve air quality. The Umpqua National Forest’s Horseshoe Bend Campground remains closed. An updated Forest Closure order and map can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umpqua/notices/?cid=FSEPRD935658. Via IC