More firefighters bring good progress on Green Ridge, other C. Oregon wildfires
(Update: Frog Fire moves to 35% containment, control line around perimeter)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Sunday was not a day of rest for a growing army of firefighters on the lines working to contain several large Central Oregon wildfires. Here are the Sunday updates for the Green Ridge, Frog, Warm Springs and other fires.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center's daily situation report, Oregon has 15 active wildfires that have burned nearly 74,000 acres.
Central Oregon fire managers advised anyone who saw more smoke Sunday from the Green Ridge Fire likely were seeing that crews were burning out a small pocket of unburned fuel inside the fire line on the west side of the fire.
Green Ridge Fire
August 23, 2020 AM Briefing
| Size as of IR flight: | 4,169 |
| Containment: | 1 % |
| Start Date/Time: | August 16, 2020 5:05 p.m. |
| Location: | Camp Sherman, OR |
| Cause: | Lightning |
| Personnel: | 308 |
| Assigned Resources: Hand Crews: Engines: Dozers: Water Tenders: Other Heavy Equipment: | 10 8 8 8 2 |
| Assigned Aircraft: Structure Task Forces: | 3 0 |
| Injuries: | 0 |
| Structures Threatened: | 108 |
| Structures Damaged: | 0 |
| Structures Destroyed: | 0 |
| Evacuations: | Level 1 issued for areas on east and west sides of fire; Level 2 issued for area on the east side of fire |
| For the most current evacuation information, contact the Incident Management Team Information Section (541) 604 8461 staffed 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily |
https://www.facebook.com/Green-Ridge-Fire-Oregon
Green Ridge Fire Information: (541) 604 8461; staffed 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily
Web: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7012/ email: greenridgefire2020@gmail.com
Oregon Department of Forestry IMT #3
Link Smith, Incident Commander
Camp Sherman, Ore. - Firefighters took advantage of mild winds and lower temperatures yesterday to make significant progress on the Green Ridge Fire. The fire perimeter did not grow, and crews were able to focus on holding and improving the line. The fire remains 4,169 acres and 1 percent contained.
Firefighters will concentrate on improving the line today and beginning to mop up hotspots located near the line. Crews will grid around the fire perimeter to locate and suppress spot fires caused by embers landing in extremely dry vegetation outside the line. In addition, crews on the west side of the fire will continue to construct line for a small burnout operation that will remove unburned material on the western edge of the fire. The burnout will be conducted in the early evening when weather and wind conditions are the safest.
The Green Ridge Fire is now managed by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Team 3. This Type 1 Incident Management Team took over the fire today due to significant spread of the fire and increase in fire complexity. ODF Team 3 will continue to aggressively manage this fire to protect the public, state lands and private development.
Numerous wildfires are burning in the west, bringing a lot of smoke into Central Oregon. Currently, air quality in the Sisters area is moderate. For information about smoke and air quality, please visit https://www.centraloregonfire.org/ and look at the material under the smoke and your health tab. The site contains links to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Air Index Map and provides tips for dealing with smoke.
Frog Fire Update
Northwest Incident Management Team 8, Incident Commander, Doug Johnson
August 23, 2020 - 9:00 PM
The safety of the public and all wildland fire responders is always the number one priority for all wildland fire agencies. To keep firefighters and communities healthy and safe, all firefighters are asked to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce the spread of illness. This also includes limited entry into the incident command post and spike camp. Please see the websites below or contact the Frog Fire information center at 541-670-0812 for further fire information.
General Updates: Firefighters have completed a control line around the entire perimeter of the fire and will continue to reinforce and secure the line. Dry fuels, combined with hotter temperatures and wind may test containment lines in the northwest and northeast flanks of the fire over the next few days. On the southern flank, crews have begun working towards the agency-provided mop-up standards. These standards are intended to provide safety to the public, firefighting personnel and area resources by preventing wildfires from traveling outside of the established perimeter.
Northwest Incident Management Team 8 would like to thank the Brothers-Hampton and Post-Paulina Rangeland Fire Protection Association (RFPA) for their contributions to the suppression efforts of the Frog Fire. Cooperators and partners such as the RFPA resources have been released to be available to respond to any new starts.
Acreage: 3,997
Containment: 35%
Fire Information: 541-670-0812 (8:00 am to 9:00 PM)
E-mail: FrogWildFire2020@gmail.com
Information Websites:
Twitter: @CentralORFire
Blog Site: http://www.centraloregonfire.org
Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7036/
Smoke: oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Weather: Partly cloudy with areas of haze and smoke. Temperatures will range from 52-55 degrees with a relative humidity of 50-55%. Winds will be north to northwest at 4-7 mph with gusts up to 12 mph until 9 PM.
Air Quality: The rating is moderate in Prineville, Redmond and Bend. Moderate air quality is acceptable; however for some people who are unusually sensitive and may experience respiratory symptoms may need to take precautionary measures. Smoke sensitive individual are advised to stay inside whenever possible. A detailed smoke forecast for Oregon are available at oregonsmoke.blogspot.com
Resources-482: 1-type 1 hand crew, 3-type 2 initial attack crew, 10 -type 2 crews, 1- light helicopter, 1-medium helicopter, 1- heavy helicopter, 19-engines, 3-skidgine, 6-dozers, 9-water tender, 1 masticator and overhead.
Evacuations: None
Closures: Several road closures and an Area Closure have been implemented near the Frog Fire.
The Crook County Sheriff’s Office has closed the following roads:
On the south end:
· Roberts Road at Bear Creek
· Klootchman Creek Road at Bear Creek
· Salt Creek at Roberts Road
On the north end:
· Forest Service Road 16 at the junction of Forest Service Road 1610
A temporary Area Closure also has been implemented by the Ochoco National Forest. For a full description and map of the Area Closure, please see the above Inciweb link.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: For the safety of the firefighters and aircraft fighting the Frog Fire, a temporary flight restriction has been placed over the fire area. Please consult the Notice to Airmen for specifics.
Warm Springs fires update:
Update-August 23, 2020
For Immediate Release
Incident Commander: Eric Knerr, Northwest Team 7 Fire Information: 971-277-5075
Quick Facts
Incident Summaries
P-515 / Lionshead
Approximate
Size in
Acres:,
4,338 ac./2,109
ac.
Fire
Containment: 15% / 0%
Incident
Commander Eric Knerr
Resources
on the fire:
Crews: 15
Helicopters: 8
Engines: 21
Water Tenders: 3
Dozers: 3
Total
Personnel: 494
Jurisdiction: Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs
Oregon Smoke Blog
http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/
Inciweb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7050/
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/
This update is for the P-515 Fire and Lionshead Fire burning on the Warm Springs Reservation. Both fires continue to be managed for full suppression. The Quartz Butte Fire is in mop-up with no new fire activity to report. Four of the 8 helicopters assigned to the fires are Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopters.
Current Situation: The P515 fire is 4,338 acres and now 15% contained. Because of current favorable conditions crews are building fire line directly at the burning perimeter where feasible to better secure the line. Burnout operations are being utilized in the northern and southern flanks to secure indirect lines and remove unburned pockets of fuel between the fire and the fire line. The swing shift worked to continue securing the northern flank.
The Lionshead Fire has spotted over to the south side of the Whitewater River and is currently being held to 1 acre by aircraft. Yesterday, crews on the Lionshead Fire were able to hold lines south of P-440 road. Firefighters are clearing the J-100 and J-200 roads to prepare for future firing operations.
P-515 Fire: Today, crews along the northern perimeter will continue to secure and reinforce the fire line. Firefighters will conduct burnout operations as needed to secure the lines on the western flank.
Lionshead Fire: Firefighters will prep and hold the P-440 Road while looking for containment opportunities to secure the line on the south and west flanks. Crews will continue to improve the J-100 and J-200 roads to keep the fire north of J-200 and west of J-100. Aircraft will be monitoring the spot fire south of the Whitewater River and support firefighters on the ground, as weather permits.
Weather and Fire Behavior: Expect morning inversion in lowlands and valleys until late morning. For the next several days it will be warm and dry, likely hazy with areas of smoke. Fire behavior could include high rates of spread on steep wind facing slopes along with sustained backing and active sideways spread.
Road Closures:
· Trout Lake Road at pavement end;
· Road B140 at Potter’s Pond;
· Road B210 and Road P-500.
Evacuations: A level 1 Evacuation (Get Ready) is in effect for residents on Trout Lake Road east of US-26.
COVID-19: Northwest Team 7 Incident Management Team has implemented precautionary measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in both fire camp and the surrounding community. These measures include daily temperature screenings, mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing, and implementing more virtual work. Public and firefighter safety are a top priority.
Steet Mountain Fire/Laurel Fire
August 23, 2020 10:00am
Oregon Department of Forestry IMT 2
Chris Cline, Incident Commander
@ODF_COD
Email contact—SteetMtnComplex.LaurelFire@gmail.com
Public Information Line: (541) 604-8483
Steet Mountain Fire—https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7039/
Laurel Fire—https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7037/
Size:
Steet Mtn Fire
Laurel Fire
701 Acres
1,280 Acres
Containment:
Steet Mtn Fire
Laurel Fire
55% *combined
15%
Start Date: August 18th, 2020
10:00pm
Location:
Steet Mtn Fire
Laurel Fire
Near Monument
6 miles S of Spray
Cause: Lightning
Est. Cost: $890,000
Personnel: 358
Resources: 11 hand crew
19 Engines
7 Dozers
5 Water Tenders
2 Skidders
Aircraft: 1 - Type 1 Helicopter
1 - Type 2 Helicopter
2 - Type 3 Helicopter
Evacuations: None
Structures
Threatened:
4—hunting cabins on
Laurel fire
Structures
Damaged: 0
Structures
Destroyed: 0
Closures: None
Fire Summary:
Yesterday, excellent progress was made across all fires. Lighter winds,
cooler temperatures, and lower relative humidity allowed firefighters
to stop the spread of fire and hold fire lines. Today, fire crews will continue to strengthen control lines, extinguish hot spots, and mop up.
More accurate mapping has updated the Steet Mountain Fire to 701
acres, and the Laurel Fire held at 1,280 acres. The Laurel Fire is burning
on lands managed by Prineville BLM, the Wheeler County Rangeland
Fire Protection Association, and ODF protected private lands six miles
south of Spray in Wheeler County.
Air resources will continue to support ground crews with water today.
Narrow roads with dusty conditions has made access to water difficult
for firefighters on the ground.
Warmer temperatures, and increased afternoon winds are expected
today. These conditions will challenge fire crews as they continue to
make progress in holding and strengthening fire lines. There is a slight
chance of thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday, which could bring
gusty winds and lightning on Monday and Tuesday afternoon.
Continued support provided by the local communities has helped our
suppression efforts. Firefighter and public safety are our highest priority during this incident, including COVID mitigation. The incident command post and fire camp are closed to the public to ensure safety of
the public and the Firefighters.
