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Containment increases on the Crazy Creek Fire; Fire area inversion moderates fire behavior 

Daily Update August 8, 2024

Fire Information Phone:541-208-1768 (8am-8pm)

Media Information Phone:541-208-1770 (8am-8pm)

Email: 2024.crazycreek@firenet.gov

Acres: Crazy Creek – 78,495; 498/Kitty Creek – 73 
Acreage changes may occur due to overnight operations and infrared mapping.

Location: Crazy Creek: 5 miles north of Paulina, OR                      Start Date: July 22, 2024 

           498/Kitty Creek: 7 miles south of Mitchell, OR                     Personnel: 665 

Containment: Crazy Creek 28%; 498/Kitty Creek 100%                Fuels: Timber and short grass

Resources: 15 crews | 1 helicopter | 33 engines | 15 bulldozers | 14 water tenders | 3 masticators | 25 skid steers

Highlights: Containment increased on the western and southern perimeters of the Crazy Creek Fire. A heavy inversion remained across the fire area well into Wednesday afternoon, helping moderate fire activity. Pockets of unburned fuel will continue to ignite as hot, dry conditions and light winds persist and inversions lifts.

Fire Activity: On Wednesday, August 7, crews worked through the day and night, patrolling, monitoring and moping up hotspots along the western and northern perimeter of the Crazy Creek Fire. Further south, crews held containment lines fired by night shift. 

Today, ground and air resources remain at the ready as increased fire activity can occur where fuels, terrain and topography align amid the persistent hot, dry weather conditions. Lookouts will maintain a close eye on Forest Service Road 12 and constructed containment lines between Toggle Meadows and Cottonwood Pit Campground, securing firing operations that occurred overnight. Along the southern end of the fire, firefighters continue to secure Forest Service Road 5810 to protect the recreation infrastructure within the Sugar Creek Campground area and Salters Cabin.

Evacuations: Evacuation orders remain in effect for areas in Crook and Wheeler Counties for areas in or near the fire. Level 3 evacuations have extended from the Forest Boundary to Highway 380. Level 2 evacuations have extended south of Highway 380. For further information, please refer to the Crook County Office of Emergency Management evacuation map. 

 

Weather: The fire area will have hot, dry weather with light winds with temperatures in the high 80s-low 90s. 

Importance of Fire Prevention: All public lands in Central Oregon, to include the Ochoco National Forest are in Stage 2 Public Use (Fire) Restrictions. All open flames, including woodstoves and charcoal briquette fires are prohibited. In times of high fire danger, it is crucial for everyone to follow fire prevention measures to avoid additional strain on overburdened resources. The public's cooperation in adhering to fire bans and restrictions is vital to prevent new fires from starting and to help our firefighters focus on containing the existing fires. Learn more at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/ochoco/alerts-notices/?aid=89068. 

Fire Restrictions and Closures: The Ochoco National Forest has implemented a forest closure for the Paulina Ranger District. More information can be found at fs.usda.gov/alerts/ochoco/alerts-notices/?aid=89203. Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for public lands in Crook and Grant Counties. More information is available at https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2024-08/orwa-fpo-pri-paulina-080224.pdf. 

 

More Information:

InciWeb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orocf-crazy-creek

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5 

Central Oregon Wildfire Information: https://centraloregonfire.org/ 

Crook County Emergency Information Map: https://arcg.is/1ij0vb