Archie Creek and Thielsen Fires Update October 2, 2020 Unified Incident Commanders Mike Dueitt and Tim Keith Hours: 8 am-8 pm

Archie Creek Fire Thielsen Fire Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: 971-334-7674 Phone: 541-625-0687 InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7176/ InciWeb:https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7195/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArchieCreekFireInfo/ Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThielsenFire

Special Notes: As hunters gear up for the opening of deer season tomorrow, all forest users should be cautious as fire season continues. It is important to know what fire restrictions are in place before heading to the woods. Fire restrictions may vary between different agencies and districts. Locally, on the Douglas District of the Douglas Forest Protective Association, public use restrictions remain in effect on all private, county, state, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands that are protected by DFPA with a fire danger rating of Moderate. For more information, see www.dfpa.net or call DFPA’s 24-hour information line at 541- 672-0379. The fire danger rating on is also Moderate. For more information on Umpqua National Forest fire restrictions, please call 541-957-3200 or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/umpqua/.

The State University Extension Forestry program is compiling resources for forestland owners affected by the Archie Creek Fire. If your woodlot was damaged due to this fire or any of the 2020 wildfires in Douglas County, please contact Alicia Christiansen, OSU Extension Forestry Agent for Douglas County at (541) 236- 3002 or [email protected] for information about salvage logging, soil erosion mitigation and financial or technical assistance.

Warm and dry weather may cause unburned pockets of live and dead vegetation, needle cast and piled logs and stumps throughout both fires to burn and produce smoke. Firefighters are keeping an eye out for flareups from the ground and from the air and will cool any threats to firelines. No fire growth is expected. Smoke from California fires may be visible.

Archie Creek Fire: The Archie Creek Fire is east of Roseburg in the North Umpqua corridor on state, private and federal land. It has burned 131,542 acres and is 79 percent contained. There are currently 716 personnel assigned. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Personnel and Equipment: 17 Type 2 hand crews, 4 helicopters, 1 fixed wing air attack, 43 engines, 20 bulldozers, 14 water tenders, 3 masticators, 3 skidgines, 16 excavators, 5 chippers and 4 dump trucks.

Upper level smoke from California fires shaded the fire again yesterday and may do so again today. Firefighters will continue mopping up some areas, but are mostly transitioning to patrol status. Areas of patrol include homes and other buildings around Little River Road, Glide, Idleyld Park, Rock Creek and the Scott Mountain Area to Susan Creek. The largest remaining task is removing hazard trees along Rock Creek Road, Wright Creek and the Cool Water area to make these areas safe. As work is completed, firefighters and equipment are being released from the fire.

Crews will continue with suppression repair, which is almost complete in many areas. Chippers, excavators and dump trucks are being used to repair damage caused by fighting the fire, not for damage from the fire itself. Examples of suppression repair work in progress are installing water bars on firelines for proper drainage, especially on steep slopes. On Umpqua National Forest and Bureau of Land Management-managed Oregon & California (O&C) lands, crews are chipping brush along drainage ditches and hauling out trees felled to construct firelines. Suppression repair work is done in concert with agency resource advisors to meet resource protection standards. Smoke from the Archie Creek Fire will persist, mostly from scattered points of heat in the interior.

Thielsen Fire: The Thielsen Fire is located five miles north of Crater Lake near Diamond Lake Resort. It has burned 9,975 acres and is 69 percent contained. There are currently 227 personnel assigned. Cause: unknown.

Personnel and Equipment: 4 Type-2 hand crews, 1 helicopter, 7 engines, 3 bulldozers, 6 water tenders, 2 skidders, 1 masticator, 4 excavators, 1 tub grinder and 5 dump trucks.

The fire continues to smolder in large stumps and deep duff. Yesterday fire crews conducted mop up and suppression repairs along containment lines. Today, mop up and suppression repairs will continue, and firefighters will continue improving contingency lines along Forest Service Road 60.

Help for Fire Victims: Information on disaster aid and organizations helping victims of the Archie Creek Fire can be found at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7176/57029/

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 Douglas County Fairgrounds has full RV spaces, electric hookup spaces and dry camping available. They also have stalls and arenas for livestock and farm animals. Contact Ciera Keith at (541) 440-4394. Air quality: See the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality at http://www.oregon.gov/deq Closures: • Roads – Highway 138E is open, but delays should be expected. The route to Miller Lake via FS Road 9772 remains closed from the intersection with Hwy. 97 to the intersection with FS Road 110 due to firefighter traffic. Drivers are being directed to take FS Road 9774 to connect with FS Road 110 as an alternative route. See www.tripcheck.com for updates on highway closures. • Bureau of Land Management – All BLM-managed lands in the Swiftwater Resource Area east of the Willamette Meridan, Range 3 and 4 boundary line, and north of Little River Road are closed. This includes Rock Creek Road from the end of Douglas County road maintenance to the boundary of the Roseburg and Northwest Oregon BLM District line, and all BLM recreation sites in the closure boundary, including Rock Creek, Lone Pine, Millpond, Scaredman and Susan Creek campgrounds, and all BLM day use areas within the closure area. Falls Campground is closed for the season. For more information, see https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7176/57115/ • Umpqua National Forest – sections of the North Umpqua (North Umpqua Ranger District ORDER NO. 06-15-01-20-425) and Diamond Lake Districts (Diamond Lake Ranger District ORDER NO. 06-15-01-20- 424) remain under a fire closure order. Umpqua Hot Springs, fire lookouts, cabins and group picnic sites remain closed. See https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7176/57090/ More information on Forest Service closures are available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/umpqua/alerts-notices The Umpqua National Forest is currently at Industrial Fire Precaution Level I. The fire danger is Moderate. Temporary Flight Restriction: There are temporary flight restriction for aircraft, including drones, for the Archie Fire and the Thielsen Fire. Wildfires are a No Drone Zones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/