July 21, 2023 4:00 a.m.

Firefighters are continuing to secure the north section of the Flat Fire in Curry County, improving protection for the community of Agness.

The latest update from the U.S. Forest Service Northwest Incident Management Team 6, said in the northeast, falling modules and feller-bunchers are being utilized to cut down trees. On the west, firefighters have been able to tie control lines from the Illinois River to Wildhorse Lookout.

The update said there has been minimal spread to the north with the most active part of the fire being the west flank. In the southeast where the fire is burning in the Klondike Fire burn scar, fire activity is more moderate. This includes two spot fires that occurred earlier in the week.

Small areas of burnout operations were scheduled to occur Thursday night in the western flank.

The fire is burning in just over 15,000 acres with slightly over 900 personnel assigned to the incident.

The Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation notices Thursday from Agness to Quosatana Creek.

Marine air has moved in and is expected to continue for a few days.

The closure order for the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest continues to be in place. It includes trails, roads, and a portion of the Illinois River in the fire area.

More information on fire restrictions and a link to current fire updates are posted:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou

https://www.facebook.com/flatfireoregon2023

The cause of the Flat Fire remains under investigation.