image: This natural-color satellite image was collected by MODIS aboard the Terra satellite on Aug. 19, 2014. Actively burning areas, detected by MODIS's thermal bands, are outlined in red. view more
Credit: NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team. Caption: NASA/Goddard, Lynn Jenner with information from Inciweb
The Beaver Complex is comprised of the Salt Creek Fire (20 miles northwest of Medford) and the Oregon Gulch Fire (15 miles east of Ashland), lightning-started fires that started on July 30-31, 2014. After it was first discovered on July 31, the Oregon Gulch Fire rapidly moved southeast from the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument into the Soda Mountain Wilderness Area, from Jackson County into Klamath County, and then into California. To date 35,302 acres have been affected. The wildfire complex is currently 100% contained. Per the Inciweb site total cost of this complex of fires is $20,311,646 for the Oregon Gulch Fire and $1,909,191 for the California fire. The Oregon Gulch fire burned 25,683 acres in Oregon and moved into California where it burned 9,464 acres. It is now 100% contained. The Salt Creek fire is 155 acres and is 100% contained. In this image, smoke still rises from several areas toward the top of the image, but it is thin and hazy. No hot spots (indicated by red dots) were found by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument so the smoke could be just the smoldering aftermath.
The July complex consists of the Whites, Man, Leef, and Rays incidents. The Log fire is being managed in conjunction with the July Complex and is the number one priority. The Log fire is located just north of the July complex and is obscured in this image by the smoke and clouds. The Leef fire is 100% contained and in patrol status, the Rays fire is 100% contained at 21 acres and in patrol status. The Man Fire is 415 acres and is 0% contained. Resources on the Whites fire have completed 16.5 miles of direct and indirect line of which 6.5 miles have been contained.
Whites Fire: 30,530 acres 18% contained Log Fire: 3,629 acres 95% contained Man Fire: 415 acres 0% contained Leef Fire: 17 acres 100% contained
Moderate fire behavior occurred over much of the fire area today (08/20) as a result of light winds combined with a smoke cap. The relative humidity is above the threshold for significant fire behavior. On slopes that were aligned with the wind, there was short range spotting, uphill runs and group torching.