South Obenchain Fire

South Obenchain Fire Update

September 27, 2020

Quick Facts

Incident Start: September 8, 2020

Acres: 32, 671

Containment: 95%

Cause: Under Investigation

Fire Information

Wildfire Information Center: (458) 206-3043 https://southwestoregonwildfireinformation.blogspot.com/

Jackson County Emergency Management: (541) 776-7338

Email: SouthObenchainFire@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthObenchainFire

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7185

Air Quality: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/

Update: Containment and control lines are holding well on the South Obenchain Fire. Crews are patrolling all edges of the fire and using a “seek and destroy” approach to search for remaining heat near the fire perimeter. Firefighters are removing water handling equipment and hose lays on sections of contained line. It is a priority to solidify lines before the winds shift and temperatures build starting this evening.

Fire Weather and Activity: Humidity is roughly 30 percent lower than yesterday, with much drier and breezier conditions. Light winds from the east will gradually increase and turn northeast. A red flag weather warning is in effect starting at midnight tonight through Monday evening. These warmer, windier, and drier conditions increase the chance of building fire behavior. Stump holes and large diameter fuels will continue burning, and duff in the pine layer is smoldering.

Resources: 393 total resources. 12 type-2 crews, two light helicopters, two medium helicopters, one fixed-wing air tanker, 21 engines, six dozers, nine water tenders, and three skidgens.

Evacuations: Properties east of North and South Obenchain Roads within the burn area are reduced to Level 1. All other areas impacted by the Obenchain fire are no longer under an evacuation order. Visit the Jackson County Emergency Management page: https://jacksoncountyor.org/emergency/News/News-Information for a map of evacuation levels and updates.

Evacuee Resources: The evacuation shelter remains located at the Jackson County Expo Center, 1 Penninger Rd. in Central Point, Oregon where care and services are available such as food, medical care, bathrooms and showers. Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARC) are now open in Medford with smaller satellite offices operating in Talent, and Phoenix. All four MARC locations will be available from 8 am – 8 pm, seven days a week.

Medford: Central High School, located at 815 S. Oakdale Avenue (541) 842-3669

Talent: Talent Elementary School, located at 307 Wagner Creek Road (541) 535-1531

Phoenix: Phoenix Civic Center, located at 220 N. Main Street (541) 535-1955 ext. 303

Temporary Flight Restrictions: The footprint of the TFR has reduced in size and height. It remains in place for the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting the South Obenchain fire. Please consult the Notice to Airman for specifics.

Closure: The Bureau of Land Management Medford District has closures in effect near the Slater Fire and the South Obenchain Fire. Maps of the closure areas are available on the Bureau of Land Management’s website: http://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

Public and FireFighter Safety is The Number One priority

Please drive carefully. Firefighters are present and working through the area and along Butte Falls Highway.

Three images showing hazard tree removal, a road closure sign from earlier in the incident, and the launch of a drone doing IR mapping at night on the South Obenchain Fire. This Fire Update was produced by Northeast Interagency Incident Management Team 2.

• South Obenchain Fire Update September 27, 2020 (pdf 279 kb)