Trout Fire: 22,660 acres - 25% containment

Long Fire: 9,204 acres - 35% containment

Borel Fire: 31,980 acres - 0% containment

Total Personnel: 1,059

Current Situation: Under red flag weather conditions, the Borel Fire has now burned more than 31,000 acres in less than three days. Hundreds of firefighters are fighting the fire and law enforcement officers are conducting evacuations. Our priority remains the lives and property of all affected. Evacuation warnings and orders don’t just increase the safety of residents, they allow emergency personnel to focus their efforts on stopping the fire. Know the status of your zone by viewing genasys Protect's interactive map (tinyurl.com/jcdv55f9). On Saturday morning, management of the fire changed to unified command between California Interagency Incident Management Team (CIIMT) 14 and Kern County Fire Department. Another federal incident management team—CIIMT 11—is gathering information from and transitioning with CIIMT 14 on Saturday and will be joining unified command of the fire Sunday morning.

Trout Fire: Fire growth was minimal on Friday despite persistent warm, dry, and windy conditions, allowing crews to make significant progress in suppressing hotspots along the fire’s edge. On the southern perimeter, crews that are staying near the fireline overnight in the Domeland Wilderness are extinguishing lingering areas of heat and constructing fireline with hand tools from Sirretta Pass toward Smith Meadow. An infrared flight detected mostly areas of scattered head with pockets of intense heat limited to the fire’s southwestern and northwestern sides.

Long Fire: Fire activity remains moderate, consisting primarily of creeping and smoldering flames. Some unburned vegetation in the fire’s interior may continue to produce smoke, but crews report no heat sources threatening existing containment lines. Today, members of the California National Guard arrived to support ongoing efforts with the Long Fire. Firefighters continue to make progress constructing handlines southwestward from the fire’s northeast side near the Pacific Crest Trail toward Palome Creek.

Borel Fire: The Borel Fire has grown at a pace similar to what one would expect during a severe Santa Anna wind event. After spreading more than five miles Thursday night, it advanced another six miles on Friday. With firefighters deployed around homes and dozers working to construct control lines, the fire swept through the community of Havilah and Piute Meadow Ranches. The northernmost edge of fire remains south of the Cleer Creek subdivision. The fire is spreading southward toward Walker Basin and southeastward toward Thompson Canyon. Today, the fire behavior is expected to be, once again, very extreme under long-term red-flag-warning weather conditions.

Weather & Air Quality: A Red Flag Warning is in effect through 11 p.m. Saturday for low relative humidity and elevated winds. Fire behavior on new and existing fires is expected to be extreme. Hot, dry conditions are expected today with wind gusts up to 35 mph possible. Westerly winds will remain elevated on ridgetops throughout Saturday night. A daily smoke outlook is produced for communities affected by wildfire smoke: tinyurl.com/452x2uzr.

Sequoia National Forest & BLM Closures & Restrictions: Sequoia National Forest lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites around the Trout and Long Fires are temporarily closed under Forest Order No. 0513-24-12.  Lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites around the Borel Fire are closed under Forest Order No. 0513-24-14. Fire restrictions are in effect under Forest Order No. 0513-24-10. All orders, maps, and accompanying appendices can be found on the Forest’s website: tinyurl.com/2en2d36k. The Bureau of Land Management’s Bakersfield Field Office has temporarily closed Long Valley Campground, Chimney Creek Campground, and portions of the Pacific Crest Trail. View the emergency closure order here: tinyurl.com/4mprcb9b. The PCT is closed between Hwy 178 at Walker Pass (mile 653) and the South Fork of the Kern River bridge (mile 717.7).

Evacuation Center: Residents under an evacuation warning or order can go to either the Tehachapi Education Center (126 S. Snyder Ave., Tehachapi) or the Lake Isabella Senior Center (6405 Lake Isabella Blvd, Lake Isabella). Animal services will assist with sheltering companion animals at the center.

Large-Animal Assistance: The rodeo grounds in Kernville (467 Scodie Ave., Kernville) is available for residents who need to move large animals or livestock. For more information, contact Orion, Kernville Chamber of Commerce, 661-340-0026.

Road Closures: State Route 178 is closed from 4.1 mi east of the junction of SR 184 to Democrat Springs. View the interactive Caltrans map for the most current road closure information: quickmap.dot.ca.gov/. Portions of Caliente Bodfish Road are also closed. Visit the Kern County Public Works Department website for the most up to date information on county road closures (tinyurl.com/z6crvp6t)

Evacuations: Everyone in areas of active fires should “Know Your Zone.” Go to genasys Protect (tinyurl.com/jcdv55f9) to identify the zone you reside in.

• Kern County has multiple evacuation orders and warnings in effect due to the Borel Fire. The following zones are under an evacuation order: KRN-403-A, KRN-403B, KRN-736, KRN-737, KRN-738, KRN-739, KRN-740, KRN-741, KRN-742, KRN-743, KRN-747-A, KRN747-B. The following zones are under an evacuation warning: KRN-734, KRN-735, KRN-748.

• Tulare County has evacuation warnings and advisories in effect due to the Trout and Long Fires. The following zones are under an evacuation warning: TLC-E274-B and TLC-E261-B. The following zones are under an evacuation advisory: TLC-E297-A, TLC-E250, TLC-E274-A, and TLC-E261-A.

Email: 2024.whiskycreek@firenet.gov

Incident Information Phone Line: 541-208-1743 – daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Whisky Creek Fire Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2024WhiskyCreekFire

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-news/ormhf-whisky-creek-fire

Smoke Report: https://www.airnow.gov/
 

Whisky Creek Fire

0% Contained

856 Acres

6 miles SE of Cascade Locks, OR

Burning in scrub oak, timber and grass 

Highlights

Yesterday, reduced wind speeds on the fire resulted in low to moderate fire behavior. Today, with the return of westerly winds, fire behavior is expected to increase with the possibility of more smoke. 

Operations

Crews continue to prepare containment lines, clearing roads and trails, to the southeast along the Rainy-Wahtum Trail #409 from Rainy Lake to Wahtum Lake and continuing to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) approximately one mile to the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burn area. Crews are clearing thick brush along roads with the assistance of masticators to create fire breaks. Firefighters are also digging line from Wahtum trail to the Eagle Creek burn to use as a containment line. A temporary reroute of the PCT to the Eagle Creek Trail is expected. To the east of the fire, crews continue to strengthen a containment line along the Gorton Creek Trail #408 and identifying potential contingency lines further east. 

Fire Behavior & Weather

The fire is burning within the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness and moving steadily along the eastern edge up Woolly Horn Ridge and west towards Waucoma Ridge. The fire continues to slowly back into the 2017 Eagle Creek burn. Moderate growth is expected to continue around the fire’s edges. Smoke will continue to be visible, especially in the afternoon, as fire consumes denser pockets of vegetation. Westerly flows return today along with temperatures in the 70s and relative humidity in the 40s. A remote weather station (RAWS) has been set up on Mt. Defiance to assist the incident meteorologist and fire behavior analyst make informed predictions specific to the fire location.

Evacuations, Road and Trail Closures, and Restrictions

The Mt. Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area have issued a joint emergency closure for the fire area. Closure information can be found on the Mt. Hood National Forest website Alerts & Closures page at: Whisky Creek Fire Closures in Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Hood River County has closures in effect for Kingsley Campground, Kingsley Road, Dead Point Road, and Green Point Road viewable on their website.

Total Fire Resources Assigned

• Approx. 301 personnel, 6 hand crews, 4 water tenders, 3 dozers, 5 masticators and 2 helicopters.

Courtrock Fire remains active overnight but containment increases

MONUMENT, Ore. – The Courtrock Fire stayed active during night operations as topography and record-dry fuels in the area prompted fire to spread to the southeast. The western perimeter also remained active, but did not make any significant runs.

Fire crews made progress on containment lines (an increase to 14% from 9%) and will continue expanding lines along the west and east flanks with the goal of meeting in the southeast corner of the fire around the Malheur National Forest and privately-owned land near Fox Valley.

Handcrews and bulldozers have been critical to control line construction around the Courtrock Fire, and aircraft resources will be available on Saturday to assist firefighters on the ground. This includes Type 1 and Type 2 helicopters capable of dropping hundreds of gallons of water in a single load. Aircraft will be used as long as smoke doesn’t impair visibility. 

Landowners operating bulldozers along the south and southeast perimeters in conjunction with Team 1’s operations section continue to serve as a major asset to firefighters working to stop fire spread.

“We need to remember why we’re here,” ODF Team 1 Incident Commander Joe Hessel said. “The landowners help us protect values at risk, and we serve them as firefighters assigned to this incident.”

The Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Green Team is unified with ODF Team 1 on the Courtrock Fire, and additional OSFM resources have been ordered to the incident. OSFM task forces specialized in structural defense are working to protecting homes threatened by the Courtrock Fire while ODF Team 1 resources are engaged with fighting the fire itself.

Due to fire activity in the area, the U.S. Forest Service has issued closures for the Malheur. Up to date information on Malheur National Forest closures can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/news/malheur/news-events

Information for Zone I of the Battle Mountain Complex, including the western portion of the Monkey Creek Fire (formerly Boneyard Fire) can now be found at: www.facebook.com/battlemountaincomplex2024 

Evacuations: Level 1 (Get Ready), Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect. For updated evacuation information:

• Grant County Emergency Management Office’s Facebook page, or sign up for the Grant County Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/825462649520134/login. Morrow County Evacuation information can be found at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/de78333b0d2544f7a320142174aa20ae

Shelters: An evacuation center has been set up at Grant Union High School (911 S Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845).

Clean air and cooling centers are located in the following locations in Grant County:

• Grant County Library- cooling & clean air, Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• John Day Senior Center- cooling & clean air, Monday & Thursday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday 12 – 4 p.m.
• Prairie City Public Works - clean air center, Monday -  Friday 12 – 7 p.m. 
• Dayville Community Hall- cooling & clean air, 24/7

Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team Two 
Jared Hohn, Incident Commander 

Current Situation:  

• The Badlands Complex has grown to 51,589 acres and is 0% contained with 179 personnel assigned.  
• Crews are taking advantage of cooler weather to aggressively engage the fires, using both direct and indirect tactics that have the highest probability of success. Additional resources are arriving on the fire and continue to relieve local resources. Three single engine air tankers modified for firefighting have been assigned to the fire. Nationally, there is a high level of fire activity demanding a limited supply of shared interagency firefighting resources.  
• On the Powder fire, firefighters continue to patrol, to address lingering areas of heat and are mopping up. 
• The Coyote fire is naturally filling in pockets of unburned fuel and moved up against the Snake River.   
• On the Thompson fire, firefighters continue to work aggressively to secure the fire’s edge and actively monitor the southwest edge while protecting structures. Crews continued to work toward the northeast flank of the fire, where the terrain remains steep and rough, and the fuels are changing from grass and flashy fuels to mixed conifers. On the north and west sides of the fire, crews reinforced yesterday’s work. Additional engines and dozers arrived on the fire and are supporting both sides of the fire. The Gila hotshot crew is working on the fire’s east side in timber with the support of helicopter bucket drops. 
• Hotter weather is predicted for next week, which is expected to increase fire behavior. 

Evacuations: Baker County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation orders for multiple areas of the fire. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064434892363. A temporary evacuation shelter has been established at the Baker City Church of the Nazarene Family Life Center located at 1250 Hughes Lane.  For questions about the temporary shelter, please contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. Sign up for Baker County emergency alerts at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1357  

Closures: Check for highway closures at https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions. All BLM Vale District Recreation Sites along the Snake River between Oxbow and Huntington and on Lookout Mountain are closed. This includes Spring Recreation Site, Swedes Landing, and Bassar Diggins Campground.  

Fire Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in effect. Get details at https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2024-07/orwa-fpo-val-071024.pdf. 

Weather & Smoke Information: Weather is expected to be increasingly cloudy with gusty evening winds up to 35 mph after 8 pm. 

An air quality advisory is in effect for Baker County due to heavy concentrations of wildfire smoke. For current Oregon air quality conditions, please visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map.  

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect over the fire area to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations. View a map of the TFR and details at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_7614.html. Fire aviation response is halted or delayed if an unauthorized aircraft enters the TFR. Temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems or drones. If you fly, we can’t! Learn more about how to use drones safely and responsibly at Home - Know Before You Fly. 

Fire Info Phone: 541-362-1507        Email: 2024.badlandcomplex@firenet.gov  Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Facebook: @BadlandsComplexFires2024   Media Line: 541-249-5894 

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orvad-badlands-complex-2024

Pioneer Fire Update for July 27, 2024 
 Incident Commander Lonnie Click   
Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 3   
(541) 861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov  

Quick Facts  
Size: 32,048 acres  
Start Date: June 8, 2024  
Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA  
Containment: 14%  
Personnel: 749  
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation  
Resources Assigned: 12 crews, 4 helicopters, 24 engines, 27 water tenders, 12 heavy equipment

CURRENT SITUATION:  There was limited growth of the Pioneer fire yesterday. Firefighters responded to fire activity in Fourmile drainage with helicopter water drops to slow fire spread. Crews continued to patrol and mop up hotspots along the lakeshore and firefighters worked into the evening around the mouth of Fourmile creek, successfully protecting structures in that area with strategic firing operations. In Stehekin, firefighters continued to widen and improve the fireline around the community. The fireline will allow firefighters to safely work to implement strategic firing operations, burning out vegetation between the fireline and active fire, should this become necessary. The southern edge of the fire has held in Lone Fir drainage for several days, and a reconnaissance flight yesterday confirmed no visible heat in the drainage. South of the fire, crews continued to clear and improve roads and indirect contingency lines. Should conditions change later in the season, firefighters may use these indirect contingency lines to prevent the fire from reaching Manson.

Stehekin is closed to recreational visitors while a level 2 evacuation remains in place. Fire management is coordinating with local businesses in Stehekin to provide meals and other support for fire personnel. The southern edge of the fire is approximately 23 miles northwest of Manson. The communities of Chelan and Manson remain open for business and tourism.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Firefighters will continue to patrol and protect structures along the lakeshore, implementing strategic firing operations where necessary. Helicopters will drop water where needed to limit fire spread. Fire crews will also continue improving the constructed fireline around the community of Stehekin, and completing other preparations like removing snags and installing hoses and sprinklers to protect Stehekin. Crews will also continue to improve roads and continency lines south of the fire and east of Manson.

WEATHER: Continued warm and generally dry weather is forecast for today, with high temperatures in the 80s. Winds will be light and mostly terrain driven, shifting to down lake in the afternoon and increasing in speed into the evening. There is a 10% chance for a light shower or brief thunderstorm.

EVACUATIONS: Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuation levels remain in effect around the Pioneer Fire. Please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information.

FOREST CLOSURE: Current closures for the North Cascades National Park: https://www.nps.gov/noca/index.htm
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has a closure order in place for much of the fire area: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest - Alerts & Closures (usda.gov). Campfires are prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080   
Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM  
Email: 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov 

Fire Update – Oakridge Lightning Fires

Chalk, Coffeepot, McKinley, Moss Mountain, Tire Mountain, 208, and 217 Fires

Saturday, July 27, 2024 – 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander

Information Phone: (541) 208-1742

Email: 2024.mossmountain@firenet.gov

Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Special Note: Fire camp is operational and has begun serving meals to firefighters working on the Oakridge Lightning Fires. Thank you to all the local businesses who experienced a surge while camp was being established.

Current Situation: Some growth was seen on the Chalk Fire on Friday, with little to no changes on the other Oakridge Lightning Fires. Weather will remain the same today as it has been for the last several days; an increase in afternoon smoke can be expected. Firefighters continue to build and strengthen line in high priority areas, including the Chalk, Coffeepot, and Moss Mountain Fires. The limited resources available to these fires are being mobilized to where they can be most impactful in meeting the objective of keeping the communities and infrastructure of Oakridge, High Prairie, and Westfir safe. The total acreage of the seven fires is 5,184 acres with 602 personnel assigned.

Information for each of the seven Oakridge Lightning Fires is provided below. Firefighting activities and suppression actions are described in detail for each double-lettered division on each fire.

Chalk Fire (3,072 acres, 0% contained) – The Chalk Fire increased by 156 acres yesterday. Small firing operations, with low to moderate intensity, were used by firefighters yesterday to strengthen containment lines. These low intensity firing operations will continue to be part of the suppression strategy for the Chalk Fire and may result in an increase in visible smoke.

Division AA: Friday’s successful firing operation will assist firefighters in holding the Chalk Fire in this   division. Firefighters will continue to strengthen line in this division in      preparation for future low intensity firing operations.

Division KK: Firefighting resources shifted to the Chalk Fire from lower priority fires have aided operations in this division. Firefighters are steadily using low intensity firing to increase containment. While smoke may increase in this part of the fire for the next few days, these slow burning firing operations are valuable in keeping the communities of Oakridge, High Prairie, and Westfir safe.

Division TT: Firefighters continue to build and strengthen line on the north side of the Chalk Fire in preparation for future low intensity firing operations to secure this division and tie it into divisions AA and KK.

Coffeepot Fire (1,687acres, 0% contained) – Fire management is directing crews to continue to build and strengthen line on the Coffeepot Fire with the objective of protecting highly valued resources near the fire. They are partnering with private landholders in developing a strategy to use available resources in protecting these prioritized assets.

Division PP: Fire has come down to the containment line in the southern area of the Coffeepot fire, where crews are in position to hold the fire. Firefighters have been successful in holding the fire within containment lines in this division.

Division RR: Crews are working east toward Division WW to connect containment line in this area of the fire. Existing line is being strengthened with the strategy of connecting RR to WW to keep the fire south of identified assets.

Division WW: As mentioned above, a strategy is in place to connect Division WW to Division RR. Crews are working to build and strengthen line to the east to connect this area with Division RR.

Moss Mountain Fire (201 acres, 0% contained) –

Division SS: This newly created division is scouting the area south of the Moss Mountain Fire to find areas with a high probability of success to hold the fire to the north. Resources are being mobilized to implement this plan in the coming days.

Division WW: Crews in this division are working in this northern division toward the Coffeepot fire to build containment line and connect it to Division RR.

208 Fire (138 acres, 0% contained) – Division YY: Fire is holding. There has been no growth over the past several days.

217 Fire (38 acres, 0% contained) – Division YY: Smokejumpers assigned to the 217 Fire are patrolling and mopping up the 217 Fire. Some resources from this fire have been mobilized to higher priority areas.

Tire Mountain Fire (20 acres) – Division TT: The Tire Mountain Fire is being patrolled but has not seen any growth in the past several days. Resources from this fire have been mobilized to higher priority fires in the Oakridge Lightning Fires area.

McKinley Fire (28 acres) – Division AA: The McKinley Fire is being patrolled but has not seen any growth in the past several days. Resources from this fire have been mobilized to higher priority fires in the Oakridge Lightning Fires area.

Weather and Fire Behavior: The trend of warm, sunny days will continue through the weekend with clear skies and temperatures in the 70s and 80s and relative humidity in the 30-40% range. There is some slight moisture in the forecast possible for late Monday night or Sunday. The forecasted moisture will not be significant though and clear skies are expected for next week.

Evacuations: For evacuation information please visit: https://www.LaneCountyOR.gov/2024wildfires To sign up for evacuation alerts please visit: https://www.LaneAlerts.org

Closures and Fire Restrictions: Area, road, trail, and recreation site closures are in place on the Willamette National Forest in the vicinity of many active fires. Temporary road barricades are in use to restrict traffic in the areas near High Prairie and Chalk Mountain.

For specific closure information follow this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029

Fire restrictions on the Willamette National Forest may be found at this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alertsnotices/?aid=81487

Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Fire Statistics

Total Personnel: 602

Location: N & S of Oakridge, OR

Cause: Lightning

For More Information

Information Phone: (541) 208-1742

Email: 2024.mossmountain@firenet.gov

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-oakridgelightning-fires-2024

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakridgeLightningFires2024/

Easy Fire Update for July 27, 2024  
Incident Commander Lonnie Click  
Complex Incident Management Team Northwest 3   
(541) 861-5808, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov  

Quick Facts
Size: 410 acres
Start Date: July 17, 2024
Location: 17 miles west of Mazama, WA
Containment: 0%
Personnel Assigned: 107
Cause: Lightning
Resources Assigned:  2 crews     5 engines

CURRENT SITUATION: After a multiday closure due to the Easy Fire, State Route 20 re-opened to through traffic yesterday afternoon. A pilot car will escort vehicles through mileposts 148-157 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily. Expect 30 minutes delays as firefighters continue removing trees and debris from the roadway and conduct full suppression tactics on the Easy Fire. Please do not stop or pull over between mileposts 148-157. With wildfire and firefighting operations still active, the highway may need to close again on short notice. Be sure to check https://wsdot.com/Travel/Real-time/Map/ for the latest information on State Route 20. 

Fire activity on Friday was minimal and within the current fire footprint. Firefighters continued to widen indirect firelines and successfully installed and tested sprinkler systems on both the south and north side of the Easy Fire. Additionally, crews scouted for opportunities to conduct strategic firing operations on the south side of the fire to burn out vegetation between the fire and constructed firelines.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Pending favorable weather conditions, crews may conduct strategic firing operations on the south east side of Easy Fire using aircraft. Air ignitions will use Plastic Sphere Dispensers (PSD) to conduct burning operations. Firing tactics utilizing aviation can reduce risk to firefighters on the ground working in steep terrain and can cover more ground than a human can on foot. Strategic firing operations create a more controllable slow-moving fire by reducing ground fuels, or vegetation. Crews will also continue working to bolster indirect firelines and check sprinkler systems on both the north and south side of the Easy Fire. 

The Easy Fire has a Temporary Flight Restriction in place for all aircrafts not involved in wildfire suppression operations. Do not fly a personal drone over or near the Easy Fire. Any incursions create a safety hazard to fire aircraft and require air operations to stop.

WEATHER: Temperatures today will cool slightly with highs in the low to mid 80s. Sky weather is mostly clear in the morning with partly cloudy conditions in the afternoon and a 10% chance of afternoon thunderstorms. Winds will increase slightly with a northwest direction around 10-14 mph.

CLOSURES: The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest has closures in place for trails within the fire area: https://bit.ly/EasyFireClosures. This closure includes a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. Campfires are prohibited. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the fire: https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6779.html. Unauthorized drone activity is prohibited under the TFR.

EVACUATIONS:  There are no evacuations in place for the Easy Fire. Anyone recreating in the area should be vigilant about being aware of surroundings and stay out of closed areas. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560760893080  
Fire Information Line: 541-861-5808, 8 AM to 8 PM  
Email: 2024.easy@firenet.gov

Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 assumes command of the Crazy Creek incident 

Daily Update July 27, 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 14,721; 498/Kitty Creek 73 Start Date: July 22, 2024 

Location: Crazy Creek:16 miles north of Paulina, OR Personnel: 232 total for both fires 

     498/Kitty Creek: 7 miles north of Mitchell 

Containment: 0% Fuels: Timber and short grass 

Highlights: Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5, under the command of Incident Commander Dave Gesser, took control of both fires at 6:00 pm Friday, July 26, 2024. Team 5 appreciates the hard work of the Central Oregon Type 3 Team on the Crazy Creek and 498/Kitty Creek fires. 

Fire Activity: Firefighters completed a hose lay around the 498/Kitty Creek Fire to secure a 10-15’ wide fire’s edge. Firefighters also spent Thursday night and Friday securing the northeast corner of the Crazy Creek Fire.  On Saturday, crews will focus their efforts on the Crazy Creek fire, working along forest roads 30 and 100 on the east and north side to reinforce firelines. On the southeast side of the fire, crews will work to prevent the fire from moving south toward Little Summit Prairie. Crews on the 498/Kitty Creek Fire will continue to patrol and secure the fire’s perimeter. 

Visit the official source for wildfire information in Central Oregon at centraloregonfire.org for wildfire updates or follow fire information on X/Twitter @CentralORfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire. 

Weather: Cooler temperatures and lighter winds decreased fire activity and allowed firefighters to make progress on both the 498/Kitty Creek and Crazy Creek fires.  Cooler temperatures and lighter winds are predicted to last through the weekend. 

Smoke: Smoke for both fires along with multiple fires in Central Oregon will cause fire behavior to be light until mid-afternoon. 

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. 

More Information: 

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

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

Ore Fire Update
Saturday, July 27, 2024 – 9:30 a.m.

Size: 1307 acres | Reported Date: July 16, 2024 | Cause: Under Investigation | Containment: 4%
Total Assigned Personnel: 304 | 8 engines | 5 hand crews | 3 dozers | 20 water tenders | 4 masticators | 4 feller bunchers

An Ore Fire Community Meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, July 28, 2024, at 2 p.m. in the McKenzie High School Gymnasium. A recording will be posted to the Ore Fire Facebook Page following the meeting.

(Blue River, Ore.) – Fire suppression efforts continue on the Ore Fire, which is burning 7 miles northeast of Blue River, Oregon. Challenges include steep and rugged terrain, rolling rocks and debris, and fire-weakened trees. Firefighter and public safety remain the number one priority on the incident. Fire managers are focusing on activities with a high probability of success while minimizing risk to firefighters and protecting values such as communities, infrastructure and forest, recreation and cultural resources. Progress is ongoing as firefighters implement carefully planned strategic actions and quickly adapt as conditions change. 

Yesterday, firefighters concentrated on extending hose lays and sprinklers adjacent to the fire’s edge along the FS 15 and FS 1509 Roads. With the use of heavy equipment, crews continued to remove vegetation from along the roadways. Chipping operations were ongoing, removing woody debris bordering the control lines. Fire activity increased again in the afternoon and wind carried embers across the FS 15 Road, starting a small spot fire between the Blue River and FS 143 Road. Resources were promptly redirected, and aviation support assisted with containment. Crews working late into the night successfully stopped the spread. Firefighters will focus on mopping up this area today.

Today, crews will focus on holding the fire along the FS 15 and FS 1509 Roads. Heavy equipment operations and plumbing (sprinklers and hose lays) continue. Efforts are ongoing to minimize the fire's spread to the north. Fire managers are assessing existing spur roads and other control features to gauge the feasibility of safely connecting them using a combination of handlines and dozer lines. 

Strategic actions are another element of the Incident Strategic Alignment Process (ISAP). During an evolving incident, fire managers and agency administrators work together to ensure everyone understands the strategies and rationale behind the decisions. One step of the process involves carefully developing potential strategies, utilizing the best scientific knowledge, observations, past experiences, and collaborative planning. It is essential to understand the proposed actions, locations, resources required, and how long it will take to complete the actions when evaluating strategic options. Visit the incident’s Facebook page to learn more about ISAP at https://www.facebook.com/OreFireInformation2024.

Weather: Seasonal weather conditions continue along the Cascades and Ore Fire area. A passing cold front Monday evening into Tuesday could bring a splash of rain into the area. A warming and drying trend will return later next week.

Safety: Forest closures are in place for the safety of everyone. The public is asked to remain clear of the fire area and allow firefighters to safely complete their work. Fire restrictions are in effect. For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Unstaffed Aerial Systems (UAS or drones) are prohibited within the TFR. If you fly, we can’t.

Smoke: Smoke from numerous wildfires burning throughout the region will affect air quality in many areas over the coming days. A daily smoke outlook can be found at https://wildlandfiresmoke.net. 

Forest Closures: Closures on the Willamette National Forest have been established around fire-impacted areas, including the following sites: Buck Mountain Trail, Tidbits South and West Trail, Gold Hill Trail, Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, and Saddle Dam Boat Launch. For a complete list of recreation and roads in the Ore Fire closure order, visit  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices.

Cougar Creek Fire Update for Saturday July 27, 2024 

CURRENT STATUS:  

A new lightning ignition in the Temporary Flight Restriction was detected yesterday approximately three miles west of Cougar Creek Fire.  A Type 3 helicopter was utilized to scout and confirm the location of the new start.  It then conducted five fuel cycles of water drops as rappellers directly engaged the fire in steep, rough terrain. The Air Attack assigned to the Cougar Creek Fire provided relief to other fires as community needs were assessed. All primary lines on the fire continue to hold, and indirect lines are still being developed on the western flank. 

Night operations continue in the fire area as Incident Officials monitor weather conditions and evaluate tactical firing options to connect containment lines. Structure protection efforts continue in the Grouse Flats area. 

An Unmanned Aerial System was used to detect heat signatures below the smoke layer in the valleys, which provided more accurate mapping capabilities.  Firefighters were then better able to plan and carry out supersession operations.  On the east flank of the fire, crews are mopping up from the fire’s edge into the black in order to find hotspots and secure against future re-ignition. 

FIRE BEHAVIOR AND WEATHER: 

No smoke column developed on the fire today, with no new fire progression on the southern end.  The fire advanced to west further into the National Forest at a rate of one tenth to one quarter of an acre per day. 

The winds will shift this evening and will be come from the west. Humidity levels have remained below average levels. Chances of thunderstorms will spike early next week, followed by an increase in temperatures and drying trends.  

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:  

Forest closure descriptions and maps are available online on the Umatilla National Forest Closure page. In Washington, evacuation notices are posted on the Asotin County Sheriff webpage and Asotin County Emergency Management  Facebook page. Grande Ronde Road is closed from Troy, Oregon to Highway 129 junction in Washington.  In Oregon, a level 2 evacuation is in effect for Wallowa County, including all of Grouse Flat from Bear Creek Rd north to the State boundary and the Garfield County line to Grande Ronde River.