Green Ridge, Frog fires fully contained; Lionshead Fire still growing to west
(Update: Green Ridge Fire update; some area closures lifted, FS Road 11 reopened)
Fire on Warm Springs Reservation tops 8,500 acres, at 30% containment
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Two of Central Oregon's largest lightning-sparked wildfires, the Green Ridge Fire northeast of Camp Sherman and the Frog Fire southeast of Prineville, are now 100% contained, officials said Wednesday.
The fires were among dozens sparked by lightning from thunderstorms that rumbled through the area on Sunday, August 16.
The Green Ridge Fire grew to 4,338 acres, burning 12 miles northwest of Sisters, on the Deschutes National Forest and on private lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
The Frog Fire was contained at 4,020 acres burning in the Maury Mountains on the Ochoco National Forest east of Prineville.
Green Ridge Fire final update:
Area closure lifted and FS Road 11 opened; some closures remain
Sisters, OR. – Today the Type 1 Oregon Department of Forestry Team 3 (IC Smith) handed the Green Ridge Fire over to a Type 4 Incident Management Team managed jointly by the Oregon Department of Forestry (Connoly) and the Deschutes National Forest (McPhee).
The fire remains at 4,338 acres and is 100% contained. Approximately 200 firefighters are on the fire, down from of a high of about 750 personnel. The Type 4 team will reinforce handlines and mop-up the fire. Crews will also repair and restore areas impacted by fire suppression activities.
People may continue to see smoke coming from the fire area as interior pockets of unburned fuel are likely to burn over the next several days. Fire personnel will contend with warming temperatures throughout the week ahead and will work to make sure hotspots on the fire are extinguished.
As of today, the area closure on the fire has been lifted and Forest Service Road 11 is open to through traffic. Closures remain in place on Forest Service Roads 1130, 1140 1150 and the Green Ridge trail.
“There has been an incredible amount of hard work done to this point on the Green Ridge Fire. The local organization that is staying with this fire through its completion will continue that great work and put the final touches on closing this fire out,” said Mike Shaw, District Forester for the Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry.
“The expertise and efforts of the incident management teams on the Green Ridge Fire made a tremendous difference in protecting our local communities and the important natural resources of the Metolius Basin. I want to extend my sincere appreciation for their work and the continuing work of firefighters to protect the area,” said Holly Jewkes, Forest Supervisor for the Deschutes National Forest.
While suppression work on the fire continues, a Burned Area Emergency Restoration team will begin Thursday assessing national forest lands for resource damage and restore areas to prevent resource damage such as erosion and invasive weed infestation on public lands.
Any additional public information about the fire can be found at centraloregonfire.org or by calling 541-316-7711.
One of two large fires on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, the P-515 Fire, is nearly fully contained, but the Lionshead Fire is only at 30% containment.
Here's Wednesday's update on those blazes:
Quick Facts
Incident Summaries
P-515 / Lionshead
Approximate
Size in Acres: 4,609 ac. / 8,518 ac.
Fire
Containment: 95% / 30%
Incident
Commander Eric Knerr
Resources on
the fire:
Crews: 16
Helicopters: 8
Engines: 27
Water Tenders: 13
Dozers: 8
Total
Personnel: 749
Jurisdiction:
Confederated Tribes
of Warm Springs
Oregon Smoke Blog
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InciWeb
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7050/
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/
Update-Tuesday September 2, 2020
Incident Commander: Eric Knerr, Northwest Team 7
Fire Information: 971-277-5075
Warm Springs, Oregon - This update is for the P-515 Fire and Lionshead Fire burning on the Warm Springs Reservation. Both fires are being managed for full suppression. The P-515 Fire is in patrol status.
Today, Eric Knerr’s NW Team 7 will transition management of the fire at 6:00 p.m. to incoming NW Team 10 (Alan Lawson). Northwest Team 7 would like to thank the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and Madras community for their support during this incident.
Current Status:
The Lionshead Fire is now 8,518 acres and 30% contained. The fire continues to burn to the west and southwest, moving up the White Water River and Milk Creek drainages. Air resources are engaged on the northwest and southwest corners of the fire. Dozers and masticators constructed the fire line further west on both areas.
Lionshead:
The Lionshead Fire continues to push on the NW and SW corners, spotting and slopping-over daily. Every day the firefighters have lined and secured those areas under difficult conditions. The north, east, and south flanks of the fire continue to be more and more secure. We continue to look for opportunities to successfully contain the difficult west flank of the fire. The terrain, weather and record dry forest fuels have made this a challenge but the fire fighters have done an excellent job, and Incident Management Team 7 wants to thank them for all of the hard work.
Weather and Fire Behavior: A gradual warming trend is expected, with decreasing humidity. Temperatures will increase into the upper 80’s to around 90. Abundant dry fuels, difficult terrain and persistent burning conditions are expected. Rapid heat buildup is expected, with the potential for torching on slopes, that can produce upslope finger runs and downwind spotting.
Closures: Trout Lake Road at pavement end; Road B140 at Potter’s Pond; Road B210 and Road P-500. All trails south of Trout Lake, west of M-120 Metolious Bench, east of Mt. Jefferson, and north of J-195 will be closed to the public. Tenino Road (P-200) is closed to the public, with only fire personnel and residents are allowed.
Evacuations: There are currently no evacuation orders associated with the P-515 or Lionshead Fires.
COVID-19: Precautionary measures have been implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 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.
Prevention Message: Breathe easy, prevent wildfires.
