In its final update on the Upper Applegate Fire, the Oregon Department of Forestry reported the 453-acre wildfire was 55% contained and crews were pushing forward with mop-up operations. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
After a short duration of heavy rain over the incident on Friday night, temperatures remained much lower than normal on Saturday with a light drizzle that helped crews mop up 100 feet into the fire's perimeter. The goal on Sunday was 150 feet.
On Saturday morning, the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Emergency Management cancelled all remaining evacuation notices in the area. Upper and Little Applegate roads remained open. However, firefighters were still working in the area so motorists were encouraged to be aware and cautious.
The Upper Applegate Fire was reported at 12:30 p.m. on June 18th as a grass fire nearly a year to the day of last year's 1,142-acre Upper Applegate incident. Both fires were located in the same general area, with similar weather and vegetation moisture levels -- but this year's fire started roughly three hours earlier in the day.
ODF fire managers attribute bringing initial attack firefighters on earlier as well as hazard tree mitigation work in the area completed by the BLM this year to the success of firefighters on the ground.
Along the fire's perimeter, work completed by the BLM Ashland Field Office over the winter helped to create safer access points for crews on the Upper Applegate Fire. The project focused on roadside hazard tree removal along Spencer Gulch Road, which ended up being parallel with the fire's northern flank. The results of the sale removed thousands of dead trees and the safety concerns related to them.
ODF recognizes the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, Jackson County Emergency Management, American Red Cross, Jackson County Expo Park, Jackson County Roads and the many agencies that aided in the response and effort on this incident.
