Crews work the Upper Applegate Fire south of Ruch overnight Thursday in this still from a time-lapse video posted by ODF Southwest Oregon District Friday morning. The fire is currently mapped at 937 acres, 70% directly lined and 15% mopped-up.

The footprint of the Upper Applegate Fire has grown to 937 acres as of Friday morning, but fire officials say they have made continued progress in the fire’s containment and mop-up. 

And separately, the Oregon Department of Forestry will raise the fire danger level to “high” effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, July 1.

The Upper Applegate Fire has been considered fully lined since Monday, but direct containment lines around the fire reached 70% overnight for the fire burning in steep, rocky terrain in the Upper Applegate and Ruch area, according to the Friday morning update from ODF.

Fire officials say that 15% of the fire is mopped up, with most of that work being at the south end of the fire. Crews overnight Thursday used infrared cameras to identify hot spots on the fire that firefighters on day shift will tackle Friday to more thoroughly extinguish the fire.

Crews overnight were helped by cooler temperatures and higher humidity, which aided in strategic firing operations and the lingering indirect line at the north end of the fire. Fire officials say they are working to close the gap between the fire’s edge and the indirect line at the north in “small manageable sections,” which they say is providing “a much more secure buffer between the fire and homes in the area,” according to the update.

There are more than 370 personnel working the fire Friday, including 13 20-person crews, 10 tree fallers, 10 medical personnel, eight water tenders, five engines and four bulldozers. Aircraft on the fire include two heavy-duty Type 1 helicopters and two medium-duty Type 2 helicopters for bucket drops, plus a versatile Type 3 helicopter for air attack and other coordination from the sky. 

More aircraft is available on order if necessary, but fire officials say they have found the current air resources sufficient the past two days.

ODF protected lands in the Southwest Oregon District will be upgraded to “high” or yellow effective after midnight Monday, and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be upgraded to Level II.

The upgrade from the current “moderate” level largely focuses on when power-driven equipment can be used on the 1.8 million acres of ODF protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.

Starting Monday, chainsaws, mowers, weed eaters — not to mention the grinding and cutting of metal or use of other spark-emitting equipment —will be prohibited between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. 

Mowing green lawns is still allowed during the day under the upgraded restrictions.

For industrial operations under Industrial Fire Protection Level II, the upgraded restrictions impact power saws, feller bunchers with rotary head saws, cable yarding and welding, cutting or grinding of metal to after 8 p.m. or up until 1 p.m. daily.

For more information about fire season restrictions, call ODF’s Medford unit at 541-664-3328.