Firefighters continued to build line Monday on the Kelsey Peak Fire, located on Bureau of Land Management land approximately 15 miles west of Glendale.
According to the Oregon Department of Forestry, their Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) 1 was assigned to the incident, as well as the ODF Southwest Oregon District and BLM Medford District.
Changes in the weather were felt in the late afternoon, with cooler temperatures, showers, and thunderstorms over the fire and across southern Oregon. While the rain is helpful in naturally slowing fire growth, it won’t extinguish it.
Firefighters are capitalizing on the decreased fire activity and pushing forward in their work. Rain and thunderstorms remain in the forecast in the coming days, creating the potential for new lightning-caused fire starts.
The fire is burning north of the Rogue River along the Kelsey Creek drainage on steep terrain with dense vegetation, limited road access, and numerous hazards. Public and firefighter safety are top priorities on this incident.
The Rogue River Trail is closed from Horseshoe Bend to Flora Dell. A temporary closure of a portion of the Grave Creek to Marial Backcountry Byway was implemented by the BLM Grants Pass Field Office.
The Curry County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 3 – GO NOW evacuation order for the area of Rogue River Ranch, Tucker Flat Campground and the nearby area of Marial. The Josephine County Sheriff's Office and Josephine County Emergency Management issued a Level 1 – BE READY evacuation notice Zone JCU-801.
