Updated Sunday, 8/11/24 at 8:00 a.m.:
A fast-moving wildfire near Tiller, east of Canyonville, has prompted Level 3 – GO NOW! – evacuation notices from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the fire on Saturday night, allowing the state Fire Marshal to mobilize state resources to the fire.
The Tiller Trail Fire is burning near the 28000 block of Tiller Trail Highway.
Level 3 - GO NOW! - evacuation notices have been issued for all homes on Crume Ranch in Tiller, Devil’s Knob, and John Hall road.
Level 2 - BE SET! - evacuation notices have been issued from Devil’s knob to milepost 31 on the east side of the Tiller Trail highway on the east side of the highway.
Level 1– BE READY! - evacuation has been issued for homes from milepost 31 to milepost 34, and homes on Pickett butte.
In a Facebook post, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Brad O’Dell told residents the Level 3 notice “means there is significant danger in your area and it is being advised that you leave your home immediately.”
He noted that, as of 3:56 p.m. Saturday, they were in the process of evacuating residents. Lt. O’Dell said the fire was being described as “fast-moving fire, according to fire personnel on scene.”
In the latest update from the Douglas County Sheriff's office, as of 9:15 p.m. Saturday night, Lt. O'Dell said "Several of the local fire agencies have been here and are engaging of working on structural protection, as well as coordination with wildland firefighters.”
The latest update from the Douglas Forest Protective Association at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, estimated the fire to be 1,000-1,500 acres in size. The press release from the Oregon State Fire Marshal later Saturday night increased that acreage to 3,000 to 5,000 acres.
The Trail Highway, Hwy 227, is closed from approximately milepost 45 to just west of Tiller.
DFPA reported that single engine airtankers were responding, as well as crews from DFPA, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Umpqua National Forest, Tiller Fire, Days Creek Fire Department, Milo Fire Department, South Umpqua Fire Department, Riddle Fire Department, Myrtle Creek Fire, Tri-City Fire, Central Douglas Fire, North Douglas Fire, and Sutherlin Fire.
The latest evacuation information is available on the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
According to the app Watch Duty, the fire was first reported at 2:43 p.m., Saturday.
Tiller, an unincorporated community east of I-5, has a population of 174 residents.
This story will be updated.
