August 19, 2021 10:10 a.m.   

Firefighters have made significant progress on the Skyline Ridge Complex.

An update from the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 said all of the smaller fires are fully contained and containment for the complex has risen to 93 percent.  The fire size remains at 5,760 acres. The number of personnel on the fire is dropping rapidly as crews are reassigned to other fires, or sent home to rest.

The update said the northern part of the Poole Creek Fire and some areas near Stouts Creek did not burn clean. Known as “dirty burns”, these areas have enough vegetation remaining after a fire passes through them to continue to have small flare-ups. Slow, methodical work is needed to locate residual heat and cool it. While steep slopes and hazardous snags complicate the work, crews detect less heat in these areas each day.

The update said gusty winds are expected to increase the danger of falling snags and other hazard trees. Firefighters will stay out of snag patches during windy spells. The interior of the fire has some unburned pockets of vegetation which may burn in coming days. Firefighters will continue to monitor for interior flare-ups and will take action if necessary.

The public is asked to avoid driving on the roads being used by firefighters.

Management of the Skyline Ridge Complex will be returned to local fire managers on Friday. At that time the Incident Command Post near Myrtle Creek will close.