Holiday Farm Fire on Hwy. 126, McKenzie River grows to 37,000 acres, destroys homes
It took until Tuesday afternoon to clear roads, help evacuees escape -- and free trapped firefighters
VIDA, Ore. (KTVZ) -- One of the major fires ignited during Monday's windstorm, the Holiday Farm Fire along the McKenzie River, grew to 37,000 acres Tuesday, having forced evacuations and destroyed an uncounted number of homes, burning on both sides of state Highway 126.
The cause of the fire has not been determined, an update from the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office said late Tueday.
The fire was moving west from about milepost 47 and by late Tuesday was two miles past Vida.
At 2:33 a.m., Gov. Kate Brown declared the fire a conflagration, one of three in the state. This allows local resources from across the state to help, though firefighting resources are extremely scarce due to the large number of fires burning in Oregon and along the entire West Coast.
A number of residents were unable to evacuate due to roads blocked by fire and debris. After several roads were cleared, firefighters helped 46 people escape the evacuation zone Tuesday afternoon.
Three Lane County Task Force teams responded around 8:30 p.m. Monday night to help fight the fire. But they were blocked in due to fallen debris on roads. The crews were in a safe area and no firefighters have been injured.
As of 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, the road was cleared and the firefighters were able to return to the firefight. Rescue, evacuation work and road clearing continue throughout the area.
Despite the hard work of firefighters, the fast-moving flames have destroyed homes and structures Monday night and Tuesday, officials said. Crews were diligently working to find anyone still trapped in their homes and will assess the damage over the coming days.
This fire also damaged communications towers throughout the area. Communications are limited along the Highway 126 corridor. Teams are actively working to reestablish effective communications.
Additional wildland fire suppression resources, including an Oregon Department of Forestry Type 1 Incident Management Team, are continuing to arrive. These personnel will be looking for every opportunity to attack the fire directly.
Weather/Fire Behavior:
Conditions will make rapid fire spread likely for at least the next two days; a red flag warning remains in effect until Thursday. Winds are blowing smoke and ash from the Holiday Farm Fire throughout the area.
Evacuations:
Evacuations remain in effect due to this fire, impacting the communities of Vida, Blue River, Mohawk, McKenzie Bridge, Leesburg, and Waterville.
The Lane County Sheriffs' Office is the lead agency for all evacuation-related information.
Resources for Evacuees:
The updated evacuation point is Thurston High School for those in Blue River and west of Blue River. People east of Blue River are encouraged to travel east to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond (3800 SE Airport Way).
William has opened the Bob Keeper Center (250 S. 8-M St., Springfield) and William Adult Activity Center (215 W. C St., Springfield) as temporary rescue shelters for community members who have been evacuated or lost power.
| Quick FactsIncident Summary | |
| Approximate Acreage | 37,000 |
| Fire Containment: | 0% |
| Start Date and Cause: | September 7, unknown |
| Incident Commander: | Ian Yocum, Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Red Team |
For Additional Information
Facebook: facebook.com/Holiday-Farm-Fire-118457783322010
E-mail: Holiday@gmail.com
Lane County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.facebook.com/LaneCountySheriffsOffice
Lane County Emergency Services: lanecounty.org/cms/one.aspx?paged=17035134
