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Crews make progress on fires in southwestern, central Oregon

By Associated Press
Published: August 23, 2017, 11:05am

BROOKINGS, Ore. — Cooler temperatures and coastal moisture allowed fire crews to make progress Wednesday fighting a large blaze in southwest Oregon and keep another conflagration in the central part of the state in check, authorities said.

No new evacuations were ordered for the 156-square-mile blaze in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest near Brookings, just north of the California border, said Zach Ellinger, a fire spokesman. The blaze is burning the scars of a notorious fire from 2002 that scorched 800 square miles.

After smoldering for more than a month, the lightning-caused blaze was listed as the top firefighting priority in the nation Tuesday after rapid growth last week.

“The weather is absolutely cooperating today. We have cool marine moisture coming in off the Pacific Ocean and that’s keeping fire activity down and allowing our fire crews to go in and put down those containment lines that they’ve been wanting so badly to do,” Ellinger said.

In central Oregon, fire crews reported no significant growth overnight on a blaze about six miles west of the tourist town of Sisters. About 600 people who had been under mandatory evacuation orders were allowed to return to their homes, but could be asked to leave again if conditions change, said Ronda Scholting, a fire spokeswoman.

Crews were able to light a backfire overnight to help contain the fire’s spread and by Wednesday morning it was cool, with a very light rain falling for a brief period, she said. There was some concern that afternoon winds could push the flames to the east, where Sisters is located, she added.

That blaze is now 19 square miles in size and is 23 percent contained.

August is typically the worst month for wildfires in Oregon and resources are mobilized around the state to help contain them.

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