New wildfire, the Salmon Fire, burns about 40 acres in steep terrain 5 miles east of Oakridge

OAKRIDGE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Initial attack fire crews were called out Sunday afternoon to tackle a new wildfire burning in very steep terrain about five miles east of Oakridge on the Willamette National Forest.

The Salmon Fire was reported to have burned about 40 acres by Sunday evening on the forest’s Middle Fork Ranger District, the forest reported on its Facebook page.

A module of tree-falling sawyers, a Type 2 hand crew, two engine crews and two helicopters, one “heavy,” were involved in the initial attack aimed at trying to hold the fire’s spread.

An investigator was on scene to begin work on determining the fire’s cause.

A Type 3 incident management team was called in, which had been pre-positioned in Roseburg due to the weekend fire three. Two more 20—person hand crews and a water tender also had been ordered up.

Officials said a forecast of good overnight humidity and Monday morning cloud cover should help reduce fire behavior and allow crews to get closer to the blaze.