UPDATE: All evacuation warnings lifted for Rueben Leigh Fire near Lowell
Zach UrnessUpdated at 1:30 p.m. Thursday
All evacuation levels have been lifted for the 20-acre Reuben Leigh Fire, in the Fall Creek and Lowell area, the Lane County Sheriff's Office said Thursday afternoon.
This includes the areas of Reuben Leigh Road, Forest Retreat Lane, Jasper-Lowell Road east of Unity Park, and the south side of Little Fall Creek Road from Jasper Road east to Lafon Lane.
Authorities are asking the public to be cautious of fire crews that may continue working and monitoring in the area.
Evacuation warnings for the Lowell area near Fall Creek Lake had been downgraded to level 1 - be ready - Wednesday night after a level 2 evacuation warning - be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice - had been issued earlier in the evening.
The Reuben Leigh Fire, southeast of Eugene in the Fall Creek area, is separate from the one currently burning in the McKenzie Bridge area — the W-470 Fire — which has not brought evacuation warnings.
Lane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Tom Speldrich described the area as rural and forested but with plenty of residences in the area.
Zach Urness has been an outdoors reporter in Oregon for 15 years and is host of the Explore Oregon Podcast. To support his work, subscribe to the Statesman Journal. Urness is the author of “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.