It’ll take fall rains to put out the Middle Fork Complex fires north of Oakridge, officials say

(Update: Adding Bull Complex Fire update)

Area closures remain, but Level 1 'Be Ready' evacuation notices lifted in Oakridge, Westfir

WESTFIR, Ore. (KTVZ) – Although good progress is being made, the Gales and Kwis Fires, part of the Middle Fork Complex, will not be contained until significant fall rains occur, and area closures could remain in place for some time, fire officials said Wednesday.

The Middle Fork Complex, a dozen fires reported just over a month ago nine miles north of Oakridge, have burned 20,593 acres and are 20% contained, officials said. The latest estimated containment date is Oct. 15.

“This is a long-duration incident,” said Incident Commander Brian Gales of Northwest Incident Management Team 13, which is overseeing the suppression efforts. “We expect firefighters to be on the ground actively working to suppress the fire until we get heavy, season ending rains, which could be all the way out into October.”

Both fires are burning in complex terrain in heavy fuels that can hold heat and fire for long periods of time and will require consistent, significant moisture to extinguish, officials said. Some areas may not be safe to enter for months to come.

For the past several days, fire activity has consistently picked up in the afternoons in the Briem, Buzzard Creek and Portland Creek drainages, and fire resources have concentrated on holding and reinforcing lines in those areas. Firefighters are also working to check spot fires in the Purdue and Delp Creek drainages.

Due to the decreasing threat to homes from the Kwis Fire, Lane County Sheriff's Office has lifted a “Level 1 – Be Ready” evacuation notification in Oakridge and Westfir. Willamette National Forest closure orders remain in place. Firefighters on Kwis continue to walk the fire perimeter inward to detect hot spots and extinguish heat.

Weather: Cool temperatures and high humidities. Tuesday made for moderate surface spread and overall calm fire behavior. A drying and warming trend will begin today that could lead to increased fire behavior later in the week.

Closures: Willamette National Forest area closures are in place as safety measures and aren’t correlated with evacuation levels being lifted. Overhanging trees, smoldering material, and firefighting operations and traffic continue to be hazards within the fire closure area. Full text of these orders and maps of closed areas on the Willamette National Forest can be found at https://go.usa.gov/xFEP2.

Hunting: No hunting is allowed in fire closure areas. Check current closures before you go: https://myodfw.com/articles/hunting-and-fire-danger-oregon Private land accessibility can be found at this website: http://www.ofic.com/private-forestland-closures/

Bull Complex Fire Update
Wednesday, 1 September 2021
Contact Fire Information: 971.277.5075 or 2021.Bull@firenet.gov
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7773/
#BullComplex
https://www.facebook.com/mthoodnf or https://twitter.com/mthoodnf

The Bull Complex grew about 300 acres yesterday.  Because the fire has crossed Forest Road 4696, contingency plans have been made to utilize the Humbug Creek Road as the next possible fireline.  Working directly along the fire’s perimeter in that area is not effective or safe, given the thick, continuous timber stands and single route in and out with active fire on both sides of the road.  Firefighters are removing some vegetation adjacent to the road to reduce fire intensity along the road’s edge and improve its use as a containment line.  The fire is spreading minimally on the north and east sides of the fire perimeter.  The containment has increased near the junction of the Collawash River and Elk Lake Creek. 

The Bull Complex, sparked by lightning a month ago 12 miles northeast of Detroit, has burned 10,716 acres and is just 4% contained. It's estimated it won't be fully contained until Oct. 30.

All assigned helicopters were dropping water on the fire yesterday afternoon to minimize spread and support firefighters working on the ground.  Additionally, firefighters were flown into Bull of the Woods Lookout to clear some of the trees and brush from around the lookout to make it more defensible as the fire approaches it.  Structure protection measures are also being planned for the Breitenbush Hot Springs area.  Evaluations are being conducted to ensure the appropriate resources are used to protect the area should the fire threaten it.

Fire behavior is likely to increase over the next few days as another warming trend begins today.  Temperatures will rise to the 70s and relative humidity will drop into the low 20s.  Winds will shift from the north/northeast then back to the northwest but will remain light.  There are no indications of a large wind event for the area.

Evacuations:  The Marion County Sheriff's Office has issued a Level 1 “Be Ready” evacuation advisory only for Breitenbush Hot Springs. Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media, and make an action plan should the evacuation level rise. The advisory can be viewed at:  https://www.flashalert.net/id/MarionSheriff?alert=1.

Closures:  For the safety of wildland firefighters and the public, the National Forests have enacted area closures that prevent the public from being upon National Forest System lands in the vicinity of the Bull Complex where uncontrolled fire and fire suppression activities are occurring. All Forest lands that are south and west of Forest Road 46, and east of the Riverside Fire perimeter are closed. The entire length of Forest Road 46 is closed. Lands within the 2020 Lionshead and Beachie Creek Fire areas are also closed.  See the closure orders and maps at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/closures/7773/

Contractors approved by the Forest Service through a permit system are allowed through the closure order, as are vendors and others working on recovery efforts related to the 2020 area fires.  If the fire continues to grow to the south, some operations may be put on hold.

Smoke:  For information on air quality and related health concerns, visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ or https://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/.