By Amy Sienicki & Faris Tanyos
 
September 19, 2008
 
NEAR BUTTE FALLS, Ore. -- Weather conditions have helped firefighters control the lines on the Doubleday Fire burning near Butte Falls.
 
The fire, which was sparked by lightning Tuesday night and quickly grew, came within 1.5 miles of the town. Wednesday night and earlier Thursday Butte Falls residents were told to prepare for possible evacuations. However, thanks in part to cooperating weather condition, crews were able to control the fire by Thursday night. While the blaze is still visible from the town, officials say it no longer poses a threat.
 
The fire is now 75 percent contained. To date it has scorched over 1,200 acres. Fire crews used six air tankers and five helicopters to battle the fire, which is the largest on ODF protected land since 2005 in either Josephine or Jackson counties.
 
"They made really great progress on it yesterday, and they're getting a pretty confident feeling about it. Fire lines are holding. The fire behavior is what they expected," says Jamie Paul with the Oregon Department of Forestry.
 
Fire managers say the only problem area now is the northeast corner of the fire, where they are concentrating most of their efforts. They hope the fire will be 100-percent contained by Sunday night. However, that will depend on the weather.
 
Meanwhile, confusion was created Thursday night when an Emergency Level One Advisory notice was handed out to many town residents, and even faxed to NewsWatch 12. The notice stated that residents needed to prepare for a possible evacuation. However, ODF later said the notice was not meant to be sent out.
 
Parts of TouVelle State Park in White City are temporarily closed while it serves as a base camp for firefighters battling Doubleday. The upper section of the park is expected to remain closed for at least a week as the ODF uses it for a communication center, equipment staging, and helicopter operations.
 
However, the boat ramp and the downriver section of TouVelle remain open for public use.
 
For updated information about the fire call 541-865-4383.