07:54 AM PDT on Monday, August 23, 2004

By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN, TERESA BELL and JIM PARKER, kgw.com Staff

DAYS CREEK, Ore. -- Rain and dying winds over the weekend helped lessen the threat to homes at a large wildfire near Roseburg and the fire near Crater Lake is finally out, officials said.

KGW Plumes from the Bland Mountain Fire are seen in Canyonville, Ore.

The Bland Mountain Fire near Roseburg was 60-percent contained Monday morning after growning to about 4,000 acres.

Strong winds blew the head of the fire southeast toward Stouts Creek Lane over the weekend. About 1,200 firefighters were battling the blaze Sunday afternoon, said Chris Friend, a spokesman with the Oregon Department of Forestry.

"The fire is not real active today...it's been moderated by rain," Friend said Sunday. Crews hope the weather will continue to cooperate with firefighting efforts over the next few days.

So far, it had consumed two unoccupied structures and three outbuildings.

Meantime, fire officials have declared the Bybee Fire Complex in Crater Lake National Park to be 100 percent contained. Rain settled over the park Sunday, dropping a substantial amount of precipitation on the 82-acre complex, capping the mop-up efforts of fire crews.

Estimated cost of the Bybee Fire management so far is $1.7 million.

Back at the Bland Mountain Fire, a total of about 40 structures, including 14 homes and dozens of outbuildings in the Stouts Creek Lane area, remained threatened by the fire, officials said. An evacuation advisory was in effect from milepost 11 to Stouts Creek Lane, which includes the Milo area.

The Red Cross has closed its emergency shelter in Days Creek that was set up for evacuees from the Bland Mountain Fire.

The Oregon Pacific Chapter of the charity opened the shelter Friday, after fire officials urged about 100 residents to voluntarily evacuate their homes.

But only one family stayed at the shelter Friday and nobody showed up yesterday.

The Red Cross says it will stay in touch with fire officials and is ready to reopen the shelter if needed.

The blaze, which sparked Friday, flared up Saturday afternoon. About 100 homes were threatened at that time.

"The Bland Mountain Fire rested quietly most of the day Saturday under a thick smoke inversion. The blanket of smoke enabled fire crews closer access to the fire, but kept aircraft on the ground. Shortly before 2 p.m., the smoke lifted and the fire came alive," said Tom Fields of the Douglas Forest Protective Association.

Tiller Trail Highway has been completely reopened.

The ignition point of the current fire has been located and the cause is under investigation.

Five helicopters and four large airtankers were deployed to help battle the blaze. The fire has cost approximately $1.2 million, Fields said.

KOBI The Bland Mountain Fire casts an orange glow in the night sky.

Centered about three miles east of Days Creek, the blaze burned on both sides of the South Umpqua River, said Oregon Dept. of Forestry spokesman Rod Nichols.

The fire area was also east of Canyonville, which is about 40 miles south of Roseburg. The blaze was burning out of control on private land in steep terrain with plenty of timber, brush and grass.

It's burning 12 to 15-year-old trees that were planted following the last devastating fire on Bland Mountain in 1987. That fire occurred during one of the worst fire seasons in Oregon history, burning 10,000 acres while destroying 14 homes. Two loggers were killed in the 1987 fire when trying to retrieve equipment.

(The AP contributed to this report.)