Update for Swawilla and Bridge Creek Fires                                   July 24, 2024

IMPORTANT!

Evacuation Level 2 (SET) for:

• The Town of Keller and surrounding community

• General vicinity of Buffalo Lake and Lake McGinnis

See Inciweb Site for exact locations and evacuation boundaries 

PUBLIC MEETING Wednesday July 24, 7 PM at KELLER COMMUNITY CENTER

FIRE ACTIVITY: Wednesday, the winds will be 5-9 mph from the SW starting about 10am. Gusts will be up to 20 mph after 10 am. Thursday, there will be cooler temperatures, however 7-13 mph winds will be westerly and increase to 16-21 in the afternoon with gusts up to 35 mph.

Fire Behavior Analyst Eric Trimble said “Due to the forecasted weather, dry fuels, and topography, there is a high probability that the fire will impact the communities in and around Keller Washington.”  Based on computer modeling, this may happen in the next two or three days. 

Swawilla Fire

The Swawilla Fire has progressed down to State Highway 21 but is holding on the Old Swawilla Road on the west shoulder of the fire. The fire remains active on the east side and has made it to French Johns Lake.  There will be a focus on structure assessment and protection along the affected Hwy. 21 corridor.  On the north and west side of the fire, firefighters will try to extend existing roads and older firelines, which will reduce the amount of new fireline. 

Air support has been limited because of low visibility due to smoke. However, when visibility allows, a Type 1 and Type 3 helicopters have been used to assist with fire suppression. In addition, an infra-red flight was conducted, which assists with mapping the fire perimeter.  

Night crews conducted a swing shift Tuesday night and will be conducting full night shifts as long as it is needed, and fire weather makes it necessary to do so. 

An evacuation center has been opened at the Lake Roosevelt High School gym in Coulee Dam. 

With the increase in people and resources to fight the fire, the firefighters will be moving some of their equipment from the camp in Keller to Owhi Flats near the intersection of Cache Creek Road and the Agency Cutoff Roads. Fire suppression crews will continue efforts in the Keller area.

Bridge Creek Wildfire

Firefighters are monitoring the line on the Bridge Creek fire, improving the fire line where snags may fall on Bridge Creek Road and conducting priority structure protection. 

Additional Information and Maps at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/, https://www.facebook.com/CCTENV,https://www.facebook.com/CCTBroadcasts

Start Date & Location: July 22, 2024, Butler Creek Road, Missoula
Cause: Human caused          Size: 307 acres          Containment: 70%

KEY MESSAGE
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the Missoula area from Wednesday 12:00pm- 9:00pm on July 24th. Firefighters will remain vigilant as these conditions can create rapidly changing fire behavior. Stage II fire restrictions remain in effect. All open burning and campfires remain prohibited. Please go to MTfireinfo.org to review fire restrictions in your area.

CURRENT STATUS
Containment on the Butler Creek fire is at 70% and suppression efforts continue. Containment is a measure of confidence that the control line around the fire will effectively halt fire spread. The incident has transitioned to a local Type 4 organization. There are 31 personnel on the fire, including 3 engines, 1 dozers, and 1 skidgen. Crews will continue “mop up” operations along the fire perimeter, systematically patrolling to detect and extinguish any residual heat sources. Firefighters will continue to focus on securing line and keeping fire in established footprint. Public and firefighter safety remains the top priority for operations. Crews may remain in the area for many days to come completing their mop up operations.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
A Red Flag Warning is in effect and fire danger remains extreme. A Red Flag Warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger. Wednesday will see a high of 103 degrees, low humidities, and high winds from the west predicted in the afternoon and evening to reach 30mph. There is a chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms and dry lightning with light precipitation. A cold front will be moving into the area Thursday bringing high winds and sustained pockets of thunderstorms. Hazey conditions will continue in the area. Current air quality can be found at fire.airnow.gov.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
All evacuation orders, warning, and road closures in the area have been lifted. Area residents should remain vigilant and are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts at Smart911.com. Continue to monitor the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office for evacuation updates and information as conditions can change rapidly, especially with the Red Flag weather conditions. Drivers are urged to reduce speed around the fire area to eliminate conflicts with emergency traffic.

Please visit Inciweb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-news/mtmts-butler-creek-fire for fire information.

Good Progress on the Boneyard Fire Near Monument, Courtrock Fire Nearly Lined Overnight Ahead of Predicted Wednesday Thunderstorms 

MONUMENT, Ore. – Firefighters were able to make good progress overnight, completing bulldozer and handline on the southern portion of the Boneyard Fire closest to the town of Monument, as well as bulldozer line around the majority of the Courtrock Fire. This work is extremely important ahead of Wednesday’s day shift, with conditions once again expected to work against firefighters. 

Overnight, the National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warning for the southeast portion of the Boneyard Fire and all of Courtrock due to expected thunderstorms with strong winds and abundant lightning. This goes into effect at noon on Wednesday, and ends at 11 p.m. Winds may be erratic and are expected to influence fire behavior; firefighters are aware and prepared for the potential increase in fire activity and will respond to any new lightning-caused fire starts nearby.

Today, resources on the Courtrock Fire will be working to complete the last few portions of line, which will stop the fire’s growth. On the Boneyard Fire, work continues north and west of Monument, with line-strengthening. Fire hose will be constructed in these areas today to allow for better access to water. On the northwestern portion, much of the same work is continuing. 

To the northeast side, resources are engaged. On the southeast side, firefighters continue to build on line that has been established; a lot of work in these areas is providing protection to homes in the area. To the east, the Boneyard Fire continues to be on the path of merging with the Monkey Creek Fire; Team 1 is coordinating with ODF Team 3, assigned to that incident, as these fires close in on each other. 

For Wednesday’s day shift, 490 personnel are assigned to the Boneyard and Courtrock Fires, including 14 20-person crews, 13 bulldozers, seven tree fallers, eight water tenders and 24 engines, including three structural task forces from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM). Another task force from OSFM will be arriving later today, along with additional resources ordered by Team 1 that will be strategically placed on the fire line. For aircraft, one Type one, one Type 3 and two Type 2 helicopters are assigned to the fire, and they will be used as soon as visibility increases.

Closures: The Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands along the John Day River from Kimberly to Dale, and from Kimberly to Service Creek. More information here: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.

Closures continued: The Umatilla National Forest has implemented a closure for public lands within the Heppner Ranger District. More information here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umatilla/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1194462.

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, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423,  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/de78333b0d2544f7a3 20142174aa20ae

Shelters: An evacuation center has been set up at Grant Union High 

School (911 S Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845).

Crews on Tuesday completed significant work on the Mestenas Canyon Fire, which has grown to 716 acres with 40% containment. The fire’s heel on the south end is now completely contained.

Meanwhile, the fire’s head continues to slowly progress north toward Forest Road 312, which crews prepared as a potential containment line. Low-hanging branches, known as ladder fuels, have been removed and blacklining, where fuels are burned ahead of the approaching fire, is completed up to 100 feet off the road.

There are no evacuations, but oil and gas infrastructure, archeological sites, dispersed camping areas and inholdings may be threatened if the fire grows beyond planned control lines.

The lightning-caused Mestenas Canyon Fire was first reported July 11. It is in the canyon of the same name, about 14 miles southwest of Dulce, N.M., and two miles north of Highway 64, where smoke may cause limited visibility to drivers.

The public can keep updated on the fire by visiting InciWeb or calling a public information officer at 505-216-6793.

Falls and Telephone Fires Update for July 24, 2024  

Falls Fire Quick Facts:  

Size: 140,422 Start Date: July 10, 2024 Location: 13 Miles NW of Burns, OR 

Containment: 50% Total Personnel: 1,621 Cause: Human-caused, under investigation 

Structures Triaged: Residences: 347; Commercial: 104; Outbuildings: 605 

Resources Assigned: 49 hand crews, 94 engines, 23 bulldozers, 29 water tenders 

Aerial resources available to the fire: two helicopters, and single-engine air tankers (SEATS) 

Telephone Fire Quick Facts: 

Size: 9,000 Start Date: July 22, 2024 Location: 12 miles NE of Burns, OR 

Containment: 0% Total Personnel: Staffed by Falls Fire personnel Cause: Lightning/Natural 

*See Falls Fire Quick Facts for additional information on total resources assigned and structures triaged combined. 

Telephone Fire: The Telephone Fire started Monday, July 22, south of King Mountain on the Emigrant Creek Ranger District on the Malheur National Forest. The fire perimeter is approximately five miles east of Highway (Hwy) 395 and fourteen miles north of Hwy 20. Yesterday’s operations focused on establishing control lines around the fire and conducting tactical burnout operations intended to harden and secure control lines around the fire. Control lines included using FSR 28 on the eastern flank and tying a system of roads to the north and west, including FSR 480 and FSR 2020, over to FRS 28. Crews and dozers also worked in coordination to establish control lines along the southern perimeter of the fire. Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) resources have pivoted to assist with the Telephone Fire. These crews continue to identify and complete surface prep on homes north of Hwy 20 and along the drainages including Reed, Harney, King Mountain, Rattlesnake Road/FSR 28, and surrounding areas. 

Today, crews will continue to construct control lines around the fire and then strengthen and hold them. Aerial resources will be available to help with suppression operations. 

Falls Fire: Containment lines continued to hold along southern portions of the fire perimeter. Increased containment along the southern flank has allowed resources to be re-directed to more active areas of the fire. These areas include the upper northeast corner, near FSR 68 and FS 47, the areas in and adjacent to the community of Izee; the northern flank near the Gilbert Ridge area; and the upper southeast corner near the Myrtle Park Meadows and Gold Hill area. 

In the northwest corner of the fire, firefighters continued to hold and mop-up line below the western slopes of Burnt Mountain along FSR 4785 near Coral Creek south and east to FSR 47 near the junction with FSR 3150. Construction of secondary contingency (backup) dozer line has been completed to the northwest near Snow Mountain along FSR 4781 and also north and south off FSR 4781 in the Snow Mountain area. Crews continued to connect fireline back into FSR 3150 in the northeast corner of the fire. The road will be used as an anchor for conducting tactical burnouts. In the northeast corner, crews continue to hold and mop-up established control lines.  Work will also continue further east on the 3150 preparing it to use as a control line, including using it as an anchor for conducting tactical burnouts. Firefighters will scout for additional opportunities to establish a continuous secondary control line running east to west, north of the fire. In the northwest corner, crews will continue to hold and mop-up established control lines.  Yesterday, the majority of OSFM Task Forces remained in patrol status for a second day in the Izee and Red Hill areas. Reports from these crews are positive, noting a reduced threat to structures in these areas. Two OSFM engines will remain assigned to these areas to patrol and monitor fire line near structures.

The northeast corner of the fire remains active.  Firefighters will continue to hold and mop up areas adjacent to the FSR 31 south of Myrtle Park Meadows, and work on tying the fire back into the FSR 31. In the northwest corner of the fire, firefighters continued to hold and mop-up line below the western slopes of Burnt Mountain along FSR 4785 near Coral Creek south and east to FSR 47 near the junction with FSR 3150. Structural and wildland crews are coordinating to protect structures and mitigate risk to the Gold Hill and Silvies Valley areas. There are structural crews in placed along the Hwy 395 corridor, providing protection to structures on both the east and west sides of the highway.

Patrol and mop-up operations will continue along the south half of the fire perimeter – the area spanning from the southwest perimeter of the fire to near the upper northwest perimeter. One structure engine will patrol the Red Hill area. Further north, away from the fire perimeter, construction will continue on a planned secondary contingency line along FSR 37 just west of Hwy 395 in the Fisk Gulch area.  This secondary contingency line is part of an alternate plan and will run east to west using portions of FSR 37 and FSR 31.  

Thanks to the combined efforts of OSFM and wildland resources, the structural threat has gradually declined in stable areas of the Falls Fire. However, the threat remains present in portions of both the Falls and Telephone Fires. Structural protection needs will continue to be evaluated daily and resources will be shifted in alignment with the incident needs. 

Weather: Extreme fire weather is predicted for today.  A cold front will move over the fire today which will bring gusty westerly winds, thunder and rain. General winds will be the strongest that the fire has seen so far. Winds will peal after 3 PM. Thunderstorm chances are highest between 2-4 PM.  Outflow winds from thunderstorms could reach 50 mph.  These thunderstorms appear to be wet enough to cause debris flow-style flash flooding.  There is a 30% chance of wetting rain. Temperatures will range between 85-92 degrees. 

Evacuations: Evacuations remain in place in both Grant and Harney Counties due to the Falls and Telephone Fires. For the most accurate evacuation information, please visit the Harney County Sheriff’s evacuation map here: https://tinyurl.com/3zst4sjy, or the Grant County Emergency Management Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423.  

Closures: Due to active wildfires compounded by extremely unfavorable weather conditions, limited firefighting resources and County Resources, Malheur National Forest officials are temporarily closing lands within the Malheur National Forest. This closure means that the public is prohibited from entering lands, roads, trails and recreation areas, and facilities on the Malheur National Forest. A detailed map and description of the closure area is available on the Forest website and at any Forest office. Closure signs will be posted on the ground. 

Investigation: U.S. Forest Service fire investigators are seeking the public’s assistance with any tips or information pertinent to the start of the Falls Fire on the Malheur National Forest. Please submit any information that could assist fire investigation efforts to SM.FS.R6TipHotLine@usda.gov.   

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Falls-Fire-2024-61562126623985/ 

Falls Fire InciWeb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ormaf-falls-fire 

Telephone Fire InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ormaf-telephone-fire 

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4370, staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

Email: 2024.Falls@firenet.gov 

Harney County non-emergency evacuation questions: 541-589-5579 

Air quality questions: 541-573-2271  

Smoke Outlooks: https://outlooks.airfire.org/outlook 

RED FIRE UPDATE
July 24, 2024
Fire Information Line - 541-316-7711 

centraloregonfire.org    x.com/CentralORFire

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-news/ordef-red-fire

Size: 292 acres    | Location: 5 miles west of Crescent Lake Junction, Oregon   
County: Klamath | Start Date: July 17, 2024  | Containment: 0%   | Cause: Lightning   
Total Personnel: 156

Klamath County, Oregon — The Red Fire is located within the Diamond Peak Wilderness on the Deschutes National Forest, on the southwest slope of Redtop Mountain. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy.  The Southern Area Gray Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Fulton Jeansonne, assumed command of the fire on Friday, July 19, at 6:00 a.m. local time. Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority in managing this fire. 

The Diamond Peak Wilderness encompasses 52,500 rugged acres straddling the crest of the Cascade Mountains. It was designated in 1964 by the Wilderness Act, to be stewarded in its natural, undeveloped condition. Motorized equipment, motor vehicles, and aircraft are prohibited in Wilderness by federal law, with narrow criteria for exceptions. The USDA Forest Service has authorized the use of chain saws, portable pumps, fire retardant, and aircraft landings by firefighters on the Red Fire since initial attack.

A Red Fire Community Meeting was held on Monday July 22.  A recording is available here.

Yesterday’s Activities – Firefighters continued to assess and scout opportunities for control features within the Wilderness.  Construction of the shaded fuel break continued southwest of the Crescent Lake Junction community; along the west side of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks to the north, and along the north side of Forest Road 60 near Crescent Lake working southwest. 

Today’s Activities – Firefighters will continue to assess and scout opportunities for control features near the current fire footprint within the Wilderness.  Additional heavy equipment resources continue to arrive and, along with hand crews, resources will continue the construction of the shaded fuel break along the west side of the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and the north side of Forest Road 60, southwest of the community of Crescent Lake Junction.  Shaded fuel breaks thin dense tree stands to reduce a fire’s intensity while retaining enough shade to slow down ground fire.

    Heavy equipment working on the shaded fuel break along Forest Road 60 will cause periodic temporary traffic stoppages.  The public is encouraged to avoid travel on Forest Road 60 if possible.  In anticipation of a future forest closure for the area, the public is discouraged from recreating in the Crescent Lake area.

Weather – Mostly sunny today with haze throughout the day. Temperature 76-79 degrees, humidity 31-36 percent.  Light terrain driven winds in the morning will become west winds 10-12 mph in the afternoon, with evening gusts to 23 mph.  Overnight temperature will decrease to near 45 degrees, with humidity near 80 percent. 

Evacuation Notice – The “WILDFIRE! Level 1 – BE READY to Evacuate” notice issued by Klamath County Emergency Management for the Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, and Crescent Junction area remains in effect.  For information, or to sign up for alerts, visit: https://www.klamathcounty.org/300/emergency-management 

Klamath County Emergency Management. INCENDIO FORESTAL! Nivel 1 - ESTÉ PREPARADO para evacuar de las siguientes zonas: Crescent Lake, Odell Lake, Crescent Junction.

Red Fire Area Closures – An area emergency closure is in effect for the entire Diamond Peak Wilderness due to the Red Fire. For more information, visit the Deschutes National Forest website at:  https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices/?aid=89091 

Fire Restrictions – Public use fire restrictions are currently in effect for the Deschutes National Forest. Visit CentralOregonFire.org or the Deschutes National Forest’s website (fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/home/?cid=stelprdb5297376) for more information.

Smoke from the Red Fire and other area fires will continue to impact air quality.  Air quality information can be found at https://fire.airnow.gov/. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area. If you fly, we can’t. Unauthorized drone flights (UAS) pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger.

###

Pioneer Fire Update for July 24, 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: 30,914 acres  
Start Date: June 8, 2024  
Location: 31 miles NW of Chelan, WA  
Containment: 14%  
Personnel: 695 
Cause: Human-caused, under investigation  
Resources Assigned: 11 crews, 5 helicopters, 25 engines, 28 water tenders, 17 heavy equipment

There will be a community meeting in Manson Wednesday, 5:30 PM at the Manson High School. The meeting will be streamed live on the Pioneer Fire Information Facebook page. Please submit questions in advance to 2024.pioneer@firenet.gov or via Facebook Messenger. 

CURRENT SITUATION:  Firefighters continued to engage in suppression and containment work on multiple fronts of the Pioneer Fire yesterday. Helicopters dropped water buckets on the northern flank of the fire as crews started construction of check line south of Flick Creek drainage.  The check line is designed to incorporate natural barrier to slow the progression of the fire along the lake shore. The state mobilized strike team, which arrived on Monday, received their engines and trucks by barge. The additional equipment will enable them to further structure protection around private structures within Stehekin. UAS (drones) were flown over the Lone Fir drainage west of Manson to search for heat using infrared technology. No hot spots were found across the drainage. Road work and vegetation removal continued on contingency lines east of Manson along the Forest Service Road 8200 area. 

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES: Last night the fire began backing into the Flick Creek drainage but has not crossed Flick Creek.  Today firefighters will focus their attention on holding that section of the fire in the Flick Creek drainage. The state mobilized strike team will continue structure protection preparations in Stehekin. Lone Fir drainage will be monitored for heat spots.  While monitoring the Lone Fir drainage crews will be poised for action as needed. 

WEATHER:  Inversions on Wednesday morning will give way to afternoon sunshine and warm temperatures reaching the mid 80s. The air will not be as dry as previous days but humidity levels may drop to around 25% in the afternoon. Light winds are expected early in the day and into the early afternoon. Wind speeds are forecasted to pick up later in the early evening with gusts of about 10 mph but may get up to as high as 20 mph. The winds will continue through Thursday of similar speeds. 

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: https://bit.ly/PioneerClosure. 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 

Easy Fire Update for July 24, 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: 397 acres
Start Date: July 17, 2024
Location: 17 miles west of Mazama, WA
Containment: 0%
Personnel Assigned: 118
Cause: Lightning
Resources Assigned:  3 crews     3 engines

CURRENT SITUATION:  Cooler temperatures on Tuesday reduced fire behavior and overall fire growth on the Easy Fire in the morning. Fire activity increased Tuesday night producing single and group tree torching along with a visible plume of smoke. The fire is burning in extremely steep terrain with large dense timber, abundant dead trees and ground vegetation. The fire continues to move slowly down slope towards State Route 20 (SR 20) North Cascades Highway. 

Yesterday, helicopters continued to assist firefighters with water bucket drops to slow the spread of the fire. Crews set up structure protection sprinkler systems around Easy Pass Trailhead and established sites to provide water for containment line hoses. Firefighters also constructed containment lines connecting into a previous burn scar on the northern side of the Easy Fire. Rolling rock, falling trees, and active fire near the highway continues to necessitate a closure on SR 20 to protect the public from hazards associated with fire behavior and suppression tactics. Crews are felling dead trees between the active fire edge and SR 20 to reduce the fire spread toward the highway.

TODAY’S ACTIVITIES:  Firefighters will bolster the indirect fireline on the northern section of Easy Fire. Crews may conduct chipping operations to remove fallen trees across State Route 20. Additionally, firefighters will continue felling dead trees above and parallel to State Route 20 which will help with removing hazards to the highway. 

WEATHER: Temperatures tomorrow will continue to cool with highs in the high 80s and low 90s with mild Northwest winds around 6mph.  Today will be drier then yesterday, however it is expected cooler and moist air will move over the fire tomorrow. 

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. Please visit https://t.ly/QoH9w for more information about evacuation levels.  

CLOSURES: State Route 20 is closed in both directions between Granite Creek (MP 148) and Easy Pass Trailhead (MP 157).

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. 

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

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 – 10:00 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: This update covers seven wildland fires on the Willamette National Forest being managed by the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 (CIMT1). The Team assumed command of the fires on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. We thank the Willamette National Forest and initial attack firefighters for setting us up for success as we continue working to suppress these fires.

Current Situation: Suppression activities are underway on fires deemed the highest priority, namely the Chalk, Coffeepot, and Moss Mountain Fires. Additional resources have been requested to bolster suppression efforts, however, with 38 large fires in Oregon alone, resources for fire suppression are extremely limited and are being prioritized carefully statewide. An infrared flight occurred on Tuesday and has provided incident management staff a more accurate assessment of fire perimeters. Coordination of suppression activities with local, state, and industry representatives is ongoing. Information about the fires and our suppression activities is available daily through these updates, social media, InciWeb, and community information boards. The following fire information is listed in order of suppression priority.

Chalk Fire (2,427 acres, 0% contained) – Tuesday’s infrared flight shows that the Chalk Fire’s perimeter has grown by approximately 1,000 acres to its current 2,247 acres. The Chalk Fire is burning in a mixture of continuous fuel, all of which are receptive to fire. Existing roads and previous fire breaks are being used to build containment line. Mechanized equipment is being used to support control efforts on the main part of the fire. The Chalk Fire abuts the 2021 Gales Fire scar, which will slow its progress and assist with control.

Coffeepot Fire (613 acres, 0% contained) – Activity on the Coffeepot Fire increased on Tuesday due to strong winds aligning with steep, rugged terrain. An airtanker supported efforts yesterday on the Coffeepot Fire to attack the fire.

Moss Mountain Fire (168 acres, 0% contained) – The fire is threatening the Wolf Mountain communications site. Firefighters and heli-rappelers are working to contain the fire edge with some success. Firefighters will also tie the fire into existing fire footprints in the area will also be used to limit fire spread. 

208 Fire (112 acres, 0% contained) – This fire is entirely within the Diamond Peak Wilderness and while it is spreading with moderate growth, it does not currently present a threat to high values at risk. The Pacific Crest Trail, which runs near this fire, is closed within the Wilderness.

217 Fire (32 acres, 0% contained) – This fire is also within Diamond Peak Wilderness and is threatening to spread outside the Wilderness boundary on its north flank. The fire is being assessed for future actions.

Tire Mountain Fire (20 acres, partially contained) – This fire is in steep old growth timber on a north slope and is accessible to smaller engines by road. Firefighters have made good progress constructing fireline on the west and south sides. Containment is expected in the near term.

McKinley Fire (26 acres, partially contained) – In steep terrain south of the 19 Road. Containment is anticipated in the near term.

Weather and Fire Behavior:

A northwest air flow is establishing with seasonal temperatures. Nighttime temperatures are dropping to 45-55 degrees with relative humidity of 60-80%. An inversion over the area this morning has held smoke at ground level. The inversion will break around 1:00 pm, allowing temperatures to rise to 70-80 degrees and humidity to lower to 35-40%. These conditions will contribute to increasing fire activity in the afternoon, with potential for spotting and increased rates of spread.

Evacuations:

There are no evacuations in place at the present time.

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. For specific 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/alerts-notices/?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:

Size and Containment: See below

Total Personnel: Over 400

Location: N & S of Oakridge, OR

Reported: Various

Cause: Lightning

For More Information:

Information Phone:
(541) 208-1742

Email:
2024.mossmountain@firenet.gov

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

Facebook:

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

Whisky Creek Fire Community Meeting - Thursday, July 25, 7 PM @ the Marine Park Pavilion in Cascade Locks.

Whisky Creek Fire information update hosted in person and virtually by Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 6.

Recording available here: https://www.facebook.com/2024WhiskyCreekFire/videos/1193012498557631