LATE UPDATE: Some evacuation orders boosted for fire south of Ashland

Published 9:04 pm Tuesday, July 8, 2025

By Rogue Valley Times staff

Editor’s note: To find your evacuation zone and for critical updates, go to protect.genasys.com/search?z=14&latlon=42.323011%2C-122.87.

ODF Southwest Oregon website: SWO Fire News

Update 9:02 p.m.: New evacuation orders are in place from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for the Neil Creek Road Fire outside Ashland:

“ASHLAND Neil Creek Fire UPDATE: East of I-5: Existing Level 1 Upgraded to Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate. New Zones Activated to Level 2. Zone JAC-543 is being upgraded from Level 1 to Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate. Zones JAC-546 and JAC-559 are being activated at a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate. Zones JAC-536, JAC-542, JAC-558 are still under Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate.”

To find out what zone you live in, go to https://protect.genasys.com/

Update 8:42 p.m. Tuesday, July 8: The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District reports the following:

“The Heppsie Mountain Fire, located south of Highway 140. Firefighters made excellent progress on this incident today, lining 50% of the perimeter. Firefighters now estimate the fire to be closer to 40 acres. Engines, bulldozers and aircraft have been assigned to the fire and continue to fight the fire aggressively. The Jackson County Sheriff‘s Office and Jackson County Emergency Management have issued a Level 1 – BE READY for a possible evacuation from the following areas: JAC-325-B Heppsie Mountain Road south of Highway 140 and the zone immediately to the south, JAC-326. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/

• The Poole Hill Fire, located south of the Heppsie Mountain Fire. Firefighters are estimating the fire has grown to 12-15 acres, however they have made significant progress on the incident, lining 80% of the fire’s perimeter today. Numerous resources have been ordered for this incident tonight, including two 20-person crews, a water tender and additional engines. Evacuation notifications for the Heppsie Mountain Fire apply to this incident as well.
• The Pompadour Fire, located in the hills east of Ashland off of East Nevada Street and Pompadour Drive. Firefighters caught this fire at 38 acres and have completed lining and mopping up the entire incident. The resources assigned to this fire have been dispatched to new fire reports.
• The Deming Gulch Fire, located northeast of Buncom, is currently estimated at 350 acres. Numerous resources are engaged on the fire, including engines and bulldozers. Firefighters are working to line the fire. There are currently no evacuation notices on this incident.
• The Neil Creek Road Fire, located west of I-5 mile marker 10 and south of Ashland. Firefighters are holding the fire at 35 acres with several successful retardant drops this afternoon. (The Watch Duty app reported Tuesday night that the fire was at 70 acres). Traffic to I-5 is not being impacted by this fire. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Management have placed Zone JAC-543 under Level 1 – Be Ready to evacuate notice and zones JAC-536, JAC-542 and JAC-558 under a Level 2 – Be Set to evacuate notice. More information on current evacuations can be found here: https://protect.genasys.com/
• The Jim Me Peak Fire, located in a remote area south of Applegate. This fire is estimated to be 30 acres and resources are engaged in an aggressive initial attack. Multiple 20-person crews, engines and bulldozers are being ordered to work on this fire overnight and continue progress on lining the fire’s edge.
• The Palmer Peak Fire, located to the southeast of the Jim Me Peak Fire. Currently estimated to be 20 acres, firefighters are continuing an aggressive initial attack. Engines, a bulldozer and aircraft have been working on this incident.
Numerous additional fires have been stopped at a small size and are 100% lined and mopped up this evening. All other staffed fires are estimated to be between 1/10 of an acre and 10 acres in size. Numerous reconnaissance flights have provided invaluable information throughout the day, allowing firefighters to be strategic about resources needed, helping to prioritize where the greatest needs are. The majority of these fires are located on steep slopes high in elevation where lightning naturally strikes, creating the added challenge of navigating to and accessing the fires. Aircraft has played a vital role in slowing the spread of numerous fires, allowing firefighters to gain access and begin initial attack. The ODF Southwest Oregon Detection Center has also been monitoring cameras in these strike areas today and helped to confirm smoke or fires found across the district when aircraft was unable for reconnaissance.
ODF resources are continuing to work with our federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in response to these fires, as well as local and county structural fire departments. This teamwork is a direct reflection of the complete and coordinated fire response system in place here in southern Oregon.”

Update 6:36 p.m.: The Oregon Department of Forestry has deployed Incident Management Team 3 (IMT 3) to the ODF Southwest Oregon District to assist district personnel following Monday night’s lightning, a news release Tuesday evening said.

“Over the last 24 hours, the ODF Southwest Oregon District has confirmed over 72 known fires across Jackson and Josephine counties and been actively engaged across the board, straining all resources in the district.  ODF IMT 3 will support the district by relieving the local resources and allowing them to focus on suppressing smaller fires and initial attack on new fires.

“Our firefighters have been working around the clock to keep these fires as small as we can, but resources are becoming limited, especially with other incidents across Oregon and the country competing for the same emergency response professionals,” ODF Southwest Oregon District Forester Dan Quinones said. “Bringing in ODF IMT 3 will allow us to regain our strength locally, handing some of these fires off to firefighters who hold the same drive to take them off the map as quickly as possible. Protecting our communities and putting out fires remain our top priorities.”

The release said ODF resources continue to work with federal partners at the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM), as well as local and county structural fire departments. “This teamwork is a direct reflection of the complete and coordinated fire response system in Southern Oregon,” officials said.

The team will in brief at 12 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, and take command of the complex at 6 p.m., according to the release.

High fire danger is currently in effect on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties. As firefighters work to extinguish these natural fire starts, help prevent new human-caused fires from sparking by following all regulations currently in place: https://swofire.com/public-fire-restrictions/.

For current fire information, please follow ODF Southwest Oregon’s Facebook page.

Update 3:54 p.m.: The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing two structural task forces from Benton and Lane counties to the Rogue Valley through Immediate Response, a Tuesday afternoon news release said.

“The agency is surging capacity as local structural and wildland firefighters have been busy responding to wildfires on Tuesday. The request for additional aid was made by the Rogue Valley Fire Defense Board Chief.

“Much of Oregon is being challenged by recent heat, Red Flag Warnings, and more lightning in the forecast,” Chief Deputy Travis Medema said. “The local fire agencies in Southern Oregon are stretched, and we are using the power of the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to bring in extra help.

“The Oregon State Fire Marshal is continuing to monitor the situation and adjust aid as needed. Immediate Response allows the agency to send resources without having the Emergency Conflagration Act invoked. The goal of this response tool is to surge resources to keep fires small and away from communities, preventing costly wildfires,” the release said.

“With the forecast calling for more lightning and hot temperatures in the extended forecast, the Oregon State Fire Marshal is asking all Oregonians to do their part in preventing human-caused wildfires.”

Update: 3:52 p.m.: The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has issued a “Level 1- BE READY TO EVACUATE” order for Zone JAC-543 south of Ashland as a fire burns on Neil Creek Road west of Interstate 5.

Update 3:30 p.m.: “The Neil Creek Road Fire west of I-5 and south of Ashland is estimated to be 25 acres at this time,” according to the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest District.

“Two retardant drops recently made are helping to slow the fire’s progress as ground crews continue to engage in an aggressive initial attack. Type 1 helicopters are conducting water tank drops strategically over the fire to slow progress as well.

“While this fire isn’t impacting traffic on I-5, it is near the road. Please use caution when driving in the area. ODOT is on scene to provide assistance to fire crews if needed,” a post said.

See previous coverage below

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has issued a “Level 2 – BE SET TO EVACUATE” order for several zones south of Ashland as a fire burns on Neil Creek Road west of Interstate 5.

The affected zones are JAC-558, JAC-536 and JAC-542. For more information on the evacuation notice, visit protect.genasys.com/search?z=14&latlon=42.323011%2C-122.87674.

The fire is listed at 3 acres on the Watch Duty app.

A post from the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest District Facebook page said: “We’re on scene of a fire with numerous spot fires near the 1000 block of Neil Creek Road, south of Ashland and west of Interstate 5.

“The main fire is estimated to be three acres but growing with the wind. Numerous air tankers have been ordered and other aircraft are being diverted from nearby fires. Ground resources are engaged in an aggressive initial attack.”

Air resources include 2 LATS (Large Air Tankers), 1 VLAT (Very Large Air Tanker), and a lead plane for the incident, Watch Duty posted.

According to Watch Duty, “Winds are blowing away from Ashland at this time. Fire crews from Ashland, Fire District No. 5, ODF and a number of air resources are engaged and fighting the fire. Due to the wind direction, blowing away from Ashland, there is no immediate threat to the City of Ashland.”

“Because of (the) Zone JAC-536 (BE-SET evacuation order) anyone using the trails in the Ashland Watershed south of Ashland should be made aware of the Level 2 Be Set evacuation notice and the fire,” a post said.

Updates for local Ashland information can be accessed via the radio station AM1700 and the Ashland Wildfire Hotline 541-552-2490. As the majority of this fire is on ODF lands look to ODF Southwest Oregon website for further information: SWO Fire News

Reach Rogue Valley Times Editor Troy Heie at troy.heie@rv-times.com

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