GALICE, Ore. (AP) — The Rum Creek Fire in remote southwest Oregon continues to grow and is expected to remain active overnight into Thursday because of heat, low humidity and very dry fuels, fire officials said.
The blaze has burned about 20 square miles (52 square kilometers) since it was sparked by lightning Aug. 17 and was pushed by wind. The fire is burning on both sides of the Rogue River and is threatening houses and other structures in the towns of Galice and Rand.
One home and two structures have been destroyed. Firefighters on Wednesday worked in locations where fire crossed lines that were built on the blaze’s eastern edge.
“This is rough country,” said Joe Hessel, incident commander for Oregon Department of Forestry Team 1. “Every foot, every chain, every mile of line we complete is a big deal.”