Nearly 500-acre Foley Ridge Fire still zero contained; Highway 242 closure, Level 2 evacuation notice continue

McKENZIE BRIDGE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The nearly 2-week-old, lightning-sparked Foley Ridge Fire on the Willamette National Forest has grown to nearly 500 acres and is still at zero containment, officials said Friday, but some weather improvements have eased fire activity.

Here's the full Friday morning update on the fire:

Start Date: 09/06/2025

Percent Containment: 0%

Size: 482 Acres

Cause: Lightning

Personnel: 372

Over the past few days, fire activity has moderated due to increased relative humidity. However, the most active area remains concentrated on the western flank, where the fire is spreading laterally down the canyon along Foley Ridge. Fire crews are actively assessing all flanks for potential opportunities to engage the fire directly.

Chipping operations are ongoing along Foley Ridge Road and Highway 242. Ground crews are also patrolling and securing hot spots along the southern and eastern flanks. Progress continues on the fuel break and structure protection efforts near the Foley Seed Orchard.

A strategic firing operation, near the southwest corner of the fire area, was conducted during the previous shift. This operation was carried out to eliminate unburned fuel between the fire’s edge and established containment line, a common practice utilized to ensure firefighter safety in hazardous terrain.  Ground crews are now engaged in mop up efforts and securing the burnout area.

An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) module remains on scene through the end of today’s shift, providing aerial imaging to support reconnaissance. Incident Management is also evaluating the potential use of aerial ignition operations with the UAS module.  

Evacuations- Lane County Sheriff has issued a Level 2 (Get Set) evacuation notices for HWY 242, Yale Camp, White Branch Youth Camp, Alder Spring Campground, Scott Lake Campground, and private residences off HWY 242. For more information on evacuation status, please visit:  https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/3293a4e0f6c1432f9d5b4e27380609fa/page/Wildfire-Evacuations

Closures - All areas, roads, and trailheads inside the boundary of this closure area are closed, including Foley Ridge Road (Forest Service Road 2643).

Closed campgrounds include Alder Springs Campground, Scott Lake Campground, Limberlost Group Campground. Closed Trailheads include Benson/Tenas Trailhead, Hand Lake Trailhead, Linton Lake Trailhead, Obsidian Trailhead, Proxy Falls Trailhead, Scott Trailhead, Rainbow Falls Trailhead, Separation Lake Trailhead. Inaccessible Trailheads include Foley Ridge Trailhead. For the complete Foley Ridge Fire closure order, including a map, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/alerts/foley-ridge-fire-closure-order.

Weather- Partly cloudy skies are forecast today. Temperatures are consistent with the past few days, in the upper 70’s, and a slight increase in relative humidity is expected. Westerly winds will be light 3-5 mph.

McKenzie River Highway (HWY 242)- HWY 242 is closed until further notice from HWY 126 intersection to MP 76. Please use an alternate route and expect delays. Visit Oregon Department of Transportation's webpage for additional information https://tripcheck.com. 

For more information, visit the incident website: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-foley-ridge-fire.