With the Stouts Fire still active, the local Sheriff’s office has expanded its evacuation order, as emergency response teams continue to work to get the 6,500 acre wildfire under control. First reported on July 30, efforts for containment are ongoing from the Douglas Forest Protective Association and numerous volunteer fire departments, according to KTVZ.com.
To assist in response, Governor Kate Brown invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act, so as to allow the state fire marshal to mobilize statewide resources to protect homes from the blaze.
“The Stouts Fire has grown very quickly since beginning early Thursday and is already putting homes at risk,” said Brown. “As temperatures rise across Oregon this week, the Stouts Fire has explosively grown amid record-setting fuel conditions and extreme drought. This declaration allows us to quickly dedicate more resources to the fire in the effort to save lives and property.”
To protect those in the area, the Federal Bureau of Land Management has announced a fire area closure through the Douglas District, resulting in forest road closures, and restrictions on forest operations. Additionally, limitations on campfires, mowing of dry grass and off-road driving have been tightened.
Additional information as to the Stouts Fire is available from InciWeb, the Incident Information Service first launched in 2004 by the United States Forest Service.
InciWeb initially acted as a central database for information on emergencies related to wild land fires. Since launch, however, it has expanded to include information on additional natural emergencies, including earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes, with the intent of providing accurate and up to date information on both the emergency, and the surrounding effects. Updates to the status and scope of emergencies are made available regularly on the website, as well as on Twitter, and via RSS feeds for subscribers.
Sources:
http://www.ktvz.com/news/new-sw-ore-wildfire-explodes-to-6000-acres-forces-evacuations/34456456
