Garner Complex Fire has 1,000 out of homes

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) – A large wildfire burning in southern Oregon continues to keep about 1,000 people out of their homes.

The Garner Complex fire grew to 49 square miles (about 29,000 acres) on Sunday and was only about 30 percent contained.

Fire officials say the fire grew by more than 10 percent overnight and is being fought by some 2,600 firefighters.

No structures have been damaged, but about 1,000 people are under mandatory evacuation notices.

Here’s the Sunday morning update from InciWeb on the fires:

Smoke from the Klondike Fire cast shade over the Taylor Creek Fire on Saturday, providing some relief from high temperatures and lowered the active fire behavior. The Klondike Fire is burning in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness about 9 miles southwest of the Taylor Creek Fire.

Firefighters were able to hold and strengthen all Taylor Creek Fire lines, for the first time in several days. The weather trend will continue today, which means hot and dry conditions could stimulate the fire. However, smoke from the Klondike might provide some relief again today. Conditions remain difficult for firefighters because of steep topography coupled with the weather conditions.

On the Grave Creek Fire, on the east side of the complex, structure protection and mop-up work continues.

The Josephine County Sheriff’s Office continues to adjust evacuation orders. Mandatory evacuations ( Level 3–GO!) have expanded. More than 1,000 people are now subject to the evacuation orders. Information on evacuations is available from the Southern Oregon Joint Information Center (541-474-5305).

The Bureau of Land Management today issued a closure order for recreation areas along portions of the Rogue River. The order does not affect river operations, however access to the river is limited in the closed area. Information is available from http// www.blm.gov/or/districts/medford/newsroom/index.php.

Management of the Garner Complex will be changing on Monday. The Oregon Department of Forestry IMT 2 is transitioning management of the fire to two incoming teams. The Taylor Creek Fire will be separated from the complex and designated as a separately managed fire. The Garner Complex will comprise the Grave Creek Fire and the Pleasant Creek, Spencer Creek and King Mountain Fires. Fire management teams typically work 14-day assignments. Transition after a 14-day assignment is normal. Incom ing teams are fully briefed and prepared before the transition is made final.

FIRE ACREAGES BY FIRE:

Taylor Creek

22, 774

Pleasant Creek

835

Grave Creek/Section 14/Ditch Creek

7,817

Spencer Creek and King Mountain

234

Oregon Department of Forestry IMT 2 Chris Cline, Incident Commander Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Blue Team Scott Magers, Incident Commander