Better News From Lines of Warm Springs Fire

A good, quiet overnight on the lines of the Upper Dry Creek Fire on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation meant a few dozen residents in the fire’s path were allowed to return home Friday morning, as new mapping reduced the size estimate to 1,303 acres.

“Last night was very quiet, and crews were able to get a line around the fire,” said Warm Springs fire spokeswoman Juanita Majel.

The incident commander inspected the area Friday morning and allowed residents to return, although some residents urged to evacuate as the fire threatened refused to leave and stayed to keep watch and protect their homes.

Officials said Friday the fire was 60 percent contained, with full containment expected by Saturday. Two more crews arrived, putting the total firefighting force at about 250, who were busy Friday continuing mop-up, extinguishing spot fires and patrolling populated areas for possible fires.

No injuries have been reported, though one firefighter was treated for exhaustion.

Only two people checked into a Red Cross shelter set up for evacuees, Majel said, adding that the shelter was now closed.

Calmer winds and cooling temperatures gave about 200 firefighters some welcome help Thursday night after the fire raced across the reservation, burning two homes (one vacant), threatening dozens more and prompting road closures and evacuation of two neighborhoods.

The Upper Dry Creek Fire broke out shortly before 1 p.m. at the subdivision of the same name on the reservation, northwest of Highway 26 and the town of Warm Springs, Majel said.

Deputy State Fire Marshal Brian Huff told NewsChannel 21 late Thursday night the fire was sparked by a couple burning weeds and debris near their home when the wind picked up and the fire took off.

Northwest winds gusting to 40 mph pushed the fire over steep terrain, sending flames southeast over a butte toward the Miller Heights subdivision and the town of Warm Springs itself, she said.

Two homes burned among about 30 directly threatened, a house in the Upper Dry Creek subdivision and an older, vacant home in Miller Heights, she said.

Residents in both neighborhoods were urged to evacuate, although some refused and stayed behind to defend or keep watch over their homes.

There was no firm containment estimate, but Majel said firefighters were making progress as winds died down and temperatures fell. The evacuation order remained in effect for the Upper Dry Creek area within the burn perimeter until mop-up operations were complete.

The Oregon Mountain River Chapter of the American Red Cross set up a temporary shelter at the Community Wellness Center in Warm Springs for affected families.

Crews worked throgh the night to mop up hot spots and protect homes in those subdivisions. Two more crews are expected to arrive Friday morning to help about 200 personnel already on the lines.

Along with Warm Springs Fire Management and Warm Springs Fire and Safety, agencies involved in the effort include the BLM?s Prineville District, Deschutes and Ochoco national forests, Oregon Department of Forestry, Jefferson County Fire District, Jefferson County EMS and contract crews.

Earlier, after an hour-plus of conflicting information about a possible closure of Hwy. 26, Warm Springs Fire and Safety spokesman Clay Penhollow said they might not need to shut the road for back-burning operations, if it can be done from a nearby side road. And indeed, the road remained open through the night

The fire burned in grass, sagebrush and some juniper, near Highway 9 to the Miller Heights area, a half-mile from Highway 26, logistics officer William Wilson said.

ODOT, meanwhile, reported high winds and heavy smoke in the area. Motorists were advised to drive with caution.

By late Thursday afternoon, Penhollow said the fire was moving to the northwest, “up the hill back into the wind, mostly because there’s a hill there.”

?We have evacuated our Forestry and Natural Resources compound? threatened by the fire, Wilson said. ?The industrial park was in the path of the fire,? but that danger has eased, he added.

Majel said Warm Springs tribal workers also were being sent home due to the heavy smoke and critical situation, while pre-evacuation advisories were issued for the Miller Heights neighborhood and along Bishop Frank Road.

Radio station KWSO in Warm Springs said “back burns” were being set along Highway 3 and the Bishop Frank Road in a bid to stop the fire’s advance toward Miller Heights. No injuries have been reported, they said, but tribal officers were closed due to the heavy smoke.

The Oregon Mountain River Chapter of the American Red Cross also sent a volunteer Disaster Action Team to assist the evacuated families, offering food, water and support to those affected.