Tumblebug Complex Fire
{{Short description|Wildfire}}
{{update|date=October 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox wildfire
| title =Tumblebug Complex Fire
| image =Tumblebug Complex Fire from space.jpg
| caption =
| cost =
| injuries =2
| fatalities =
| reference ={{cite news|title=Two firefighters injured fighting Tumblebug|url=http://www.kval.com/news/local/62459902.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002061055/http://www.kval.com/news/local/62459902.html|archive-date=October 2, 2011|work=KVAL News|date=September 28, 2009|location=Eugene, Ore.}}{{cite web|last=Barnack|first=Anthony|title=2009 Oregon Forest Fire Smoke Exceptional Event: Concurrence Request|url=http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/wildfires/exceptionalEventConcurrenceRequest.pdf|publisher=Oregon Department of Environmental Quality|accessdate=July 20, 2011|date=July 1, 2011}}{{cite web|title=InciWeb: Tumblebug Complex|url=http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/1894|website=inciweb.nwcg.gov|accessdate=20 October 2016}}
| date = {{Start date|2009|9|12}} – {{End date|2009|10}}
| location = Willamette National Forest, Oregon
| coordinates = {{coord|43.432|-122.241|type:event_region:US-OR|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map = USA Oregon
| pushpin_map_caption =
| area = {{Convert| 14,560 |acre|km2|0}}
| buildings = {{ubl}}
| cause = Lightning
| landuse = National Forest
| perps =
| motive =
}}
The Tumblebug Complex Fire burned {{convert|14570|acres|ha}} of Willamette National Forest land in Lane County, Oregon, United States, from September 12, 2009 to October 2009.{{cite web|last=Bailey|first=Tim|publisher=Middle Fork Ranger District|title=Tumblebug Complex Fire mortality assessment|url=http://westinstenv.org/wp-content/Tumblebug%20Mortality.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004182753/http://westinstenv.org/wp-content/Tumblebug%20Mortality.pdf|archive-date=October 4, 2011|url-status=usurped|date=December 2009}} The fire was located about {{convert|23|mi|km}} southeast of Oakridge, Oregon, and roughly {{convert|5|mi|km}} southwest of Crescent Lake.
Growth and containment
Fed by wind gusts of up to {{convert|35|mph}} and extremely dry conditions, 25 small fires caused by lightning strikes grew and spread quickly, combining to form larger fires. Firefighters had difficulty fighting them due to the remote location and the rugged terrain, such as basalt cliffs. The fires primarily burned trees ranging from 10 to 45 years old.{{cite news|last=Ramsayer|first=Kate|title=Smoke from wildfires to mar our skies awhile|url=http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090925/NEWS0107/909250410/-1/RSSNEWSMAP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328083808/http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090925%2FNEWS0107%2F909250410%2F-1%2FRSSNEWSMAP|archive-date=March 28, 2012|newspaper=The Bulletin|date=September 25, 2009|location=Bend, Ore.|url-status=dead}}
By September 16, the fires had combined into three fires that were about {{convert|30|acres|ha}} each in size. At that time, there were already 255 firefighters working to control the fires and the Willamette National Forest was forced to close several United States Forest Service roads.{{cite news|title=Trio of forest fires burning south of Oakridge|url=http://www.kpic.com/news/59544577.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930220538/http://www.kpic.com/news/59544577.html|archive-date=September 30, 2011|work=KPIC|date=September 16, 2009|location=Roseburg, Ore.}}
Nearly 600 firefighters were working to contain the fire by September 21, as the air became drier.{{cite news|title=Hot, dry weather fuels fires SE of Oakridge|url=http://www.kval.com/news/local/60048902.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002061102/http://www.kval.com/news/local/60048902.html|archive-date=October 2, 2011|work=KVAL News|date=September 21, 2009|location=Eugene, Ore.}} Two days later, on September 23, the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency rated the air quality in the "unhealthy" category for Eugene, and reported that the air quality was better in Oakridge. NASA satellite images showed that the smoke was being blown into British Columbia.{{cite news|title=The smoke is making it … all the way to Canada|last=Adams|first=Tom|date=September 23, 2009|url=http://www.kval.com/news/local/60698822.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002061131/http://www.kval.com/news/local/60698822.html|archive-date=October 2, 2011|work=KVAL News|location=Eugene, Ore.}}
The fire grew in size to {{convert|7700|acres|ha}} by September 24,{{cite news|title=Weather helps slow Oregon wildfires|url=http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_fb74a3fe-a963-11de-ba78-001cc4c002e0.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090927042222/http://gazettetimes.com/news/local/article_fb74a3fe-a963-11de-ba78-001cc4c002e0.html|archive-date=September 27, 2009|newspaper=The Corvallis Gazette-Times|date=September 24, 2009|agency=Associated Press|location=Corvallis, Ore.}} and had burned {{convert|9228|acres|ha}} by September 25.{{cite news|last=Guzik|first=Hannah|title=Smoke expected to linger|url=http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090925/NEWS02/909250316/-1/NEWSMAP|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323111115/http://www.dailytidings.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090925%2FNEWS02%2F909250316%2F-1%2FNEWSMAP|archive-date=March 23, 2012|newspaper=The Ashland Daily Tidings|date=September 25, 2009|location=Ashland, Ore.|url-status=dead}} The wind blew the smoke to the north, and created a hazy sky in Bend.
Firefighters had contained five percent of the fire by September 26, although it had spread to about {{convert|10500|acres|ha}}.{{cite news|last=Darling|first=Dylan|title=North state haze caused by Oregon wildfires|url=http://www.redding.com/news/2009/sep/26/north-state-haze-caused-by-oregon-wildfires/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413143918/http://www.redding.com/news/2009/sep/26/north-state-haze-caused-by-oregon-wildfires/|archive-date=April 13, 2010|newspaper=The Redding Record Searchlight|date=September 26, 2009|location=Redding, Cal.}} The fire continued growing, spreading to {{convert|11100|acres|ha}} by September 27. The 1,275 firefighters then working to put out the fire had it 12 percent contained, but predicted that it would continue burning until mid-October.{{cite news|title=Drier conditions won't help battle against Tumblebug fire|url=http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/20749187-41/story.csp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008003359/http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/20749187-41/story.csp|archive-date=October 8, 2011|newspaper=The Register-Guard|date=September 27, 2009|location=Eugene, Ore.|page=B1}} Two firefighters were injured as well.
By September 28, the fire had spread to {{convert|12000|acres|ha}} and was 18 percent contained. While wetter and cooler weather was forecasted, the fire continued to expand.{{cite news|title=Two Oregon fires now partially contained|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/two_oregon_fires_now_partially.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014141649/http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/09/two_oregon_fires_now_partially.html|archive-date=October 14, 2012|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=September 29, 2009|agency=Associated Press|location=Portland, Ore.}} It was finally brought under control in October after burning a total of {{convert|14570|acres|ha}}.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Oregon}}
- [https://archive.today/20130201164658/http://www2.registerguard.com/mm/index.php/slideshows/comments/tumblebug-fire/ Slideshow of photos of the fire] from The Register-Guard
- [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbm=vid&q=Tumblebug+Complex&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq= Videos related to the fire] from Google Videos
{{Oregon wildfires}}