A fire burning in a remote section of southeastern Lane County continues to grow, and new estimates show it covers 9,054 acres.
The Emigrant Fire is located roughly 20 miles southeast of Oakridge in the scar from 2009’s Tumblebug Fire. Mapping shows a portion of the fire has also spread into northeastern Douglas County.
The placement in the scar is providing a number of factors that enhance the fire’s ability to grow, said fire managers.
“That’s a lot drier site, a lot of heavy, dead/down fuels in an area that just supports fire behavior in a big way. We’ve got very poor overnight humidity recovery, which extends the burn period and makes the fire active for more hours of the day," said Fire Behavior Analyst Miles Pollack in a video update on the fire.
Pollack and others in the update noted weather conditions are also aiding the spread of the Emigrant Fire, though those conditions will likely cool over the weekend.
The Incident Management Team also announced it will hold a meeting Friday evening to update to update the public. It will take place at 6:00 p.m. at Oakridge Junior/Senior High School at 47997 W 1st Street.
