Terwilliger Fire grows fast, tops 3,200 acres

The Terwilliger Fire was very active Wednesday and grew to more than 3,200 acres by Thursday morning on the Willamette National Forest, which banned most campfires across the forest later in the day.

The fire sent smoke billowing eastward and was a major cause of the very smoky skies over much of Central Oregon.

Here’s the 9 a.m. Thursday update on the fire.

https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6160/

Thursday, August 23, 2018, 9:00 a.m.
Terwilliger Fire Information Phone Number:
Public Information (541) 719-8135

Email: terwilligerfireinfo@gmail.com

Size: 3,209 acres
Containment: 1%
Cause: Under Investigation
Location: 5 miles SE of Blue River
Structures Destroyed: 0

Total Personnel: 195 including 5 hand crews, 7 engines, 3 dozer, 6 water tenders, and 2 helicopters
Incident Commander: Alan Sinclair with the Southwest Area Type 2 Incident Management Team #3

A community meeting is scheduled for Friday at McKenzie High School, located at 51187 Blue River Drive, Blue Finn Rock, in the old gym beginning at 7:30 PM.

Summary: Southwest Area Incident Management Team #3 is utilizing a full suppression strategy and developing tactics that minimize impacts to important values at risk. Firefighter and public safety remain the highest priority.

The Terwilliger Fire has established on both the west and east sides of Cougar Reservoir. To the west near Terwilliger (Cougar) Hot Springs and across the reservoir to the east in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Wednesday morning crews, went direct on the western portion of the fire. When the smoke inversion lifted and winds increased, fire became very active and moved to the west across Forest Road 115 and north of Boone Creek.

Crews disengaged from the line and began scouting for new line locations as fire activity continued well into the evening. The eastern portion of the fire moved to the east toward Tipsoo Butte within the Three Sisters Wilderness. Resources assigned to the Terwilliger fire assisted with a new start at the request of Oregon Department of Forestry.

Firefighters will resume direct line construction Thursday from Forest Road 19 west to hold the fire north of Forest Road 266 and east of the Forest boundary, minimizing impacts to private lands to the west. Heavy equipment will continue to open existing roads and fire managers will scout out areas with the highest probability of success to hold the fire on the west and northeast sides of the fire.

The fire did burn through Terwilliger (Cougar) Hot Springs. Damage assessments will begin as soon as it is safe to enter the area.

Closures: Willamette National Forest has implemented Closure Order # 06-18-01-18-17 see the closures tab on Inciweb for more details, map and a pdf of the original Forest Order.

Restrictions: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire stove fire, or a charcoal fire, including in all wilderness areas of the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame. Operating an internal combustion engine; specifically generators and chainsaws, except in areas devoid of vegetation and those located inside of buildings.
Possessing or using a motor vehicle off National Forest System roads, except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation for 10′ around the vehicle. For further information and exemptions on Forest Order 06-18-00-18-14 Public Use Restrictions see the Willimette National Forest website at https://bit.ly/2w5HI7e.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: Temporary flight restrictions (TFR) are in effect around the entire fire area. Remember, that temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (drones). If you fly, we can’t!
For smoke monitoring information, see Oregon Department of Environmental Quality https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map or https://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
For further information, please visit the following links:
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6160/
Facebook: @WillimetteWildfires
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Springfield, OR (Aug. 23, 2018) – Willamette National Forest fire managers are banning fires forest-wide, including at developed sites, effective at 12:01 a.m. Thurday. This ban includes fires in wilderness areas and use of charcoal briquettes. Camp stoves that run on propane or liquid fuels and have an on/off switch are acceptable.

“The weather has been consistently hot and dry in this area, and we continue to see illegal and unattended fires,” said Forest Supervisor Tracy Beck. Safety of our neighbors and employees is our first priority, and the decision has been made to ban all campfires.” This year, 26 human-caused fires have been reported on the Willamette National Forest. Several other fires are under investigation.

Under current fire restrictions, smoking is not allowed, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, or a developed recreation site. Generators are permitted only in areas devoid of vegetation, such as a paved area or developed campsite. Motorized vehicles may operate only on designated trails and roads. Santiam and Huckleberry OHV areas remain open but riders are cautioned to park in areas devoid of vegetation for 10′ around any vehicle.

Conditions are conducive to new ignitions and rapid spread of fire. Please, obey these restrictions and encourage others to do the same; no one should set the spark that becomes a wildfire.

Nationally, 111 large fires have burned more than 2.1 million acres in 12 states. Fourteen large fires are currently burning in Oregon. The National Preparedness Level is currently at 5 – the highest level, and the Pacific Northwest is currently experiencing a very challenging fire year due to both the number and size of active fires and the current shortage of firefighting resources (like crews, aircraft, and supplies) to meet this high demand.

For fire information, visit our website www.fs.usda.gov/willamette/ and follow us on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/willamettenf/ , and Twitter https://twitter.com/willametteNF .

Forest Order 06-18- 00-18-18 Public Use Restrictions: https://go.usa.gov/xUumg