Warm Springs fire: Hwy. 26 reopens, small signs of progress

A few signs of improvement Saturday morning — reopening of Hwy. 26, a somewhat smaller size estimate and the first small containment figure — did little to mask the huge challenge ahead in containing the nearly 47,000 acre County Line 2 Fire on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation — the nation’s top firefighting priority.

The blaze was mapped overnight at 46,481 acres, down from the earlier estimate of 55,200 acres, and it was still 3 percent contained, according to the Saturday morning update.

About 560 firefighters have been called in so far, and desperately needed air support consisted of two helicopters Saturday – one heavy and one light.

U.S. Highway 26 reopened at 8 a.m., although ODOT advised travelers they would see lots of smoke, burned areas and possibly encounter firefighters. On the reservation itself, Highway 3 was still closed from mileposts 7 to 24.

Evacuation levels were unchanged from late Friday, though officials said they would be re-evaluated at midday.

A total of 72 people had spent the night at an emergency shelter at the Warm Springs Community Center, being run by Tribal Health & Human Services, which officials said has food and water available for anyone who would like to stop in.

The Red Cross shelter is set up at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Madras for those who have had to evacuate. When the Community Center moves out of Evacuation Notice Level 2 – to be ready to leave quickly — the Red Cross shelter will return, officials said.

An air inversion was holding smoke over the community of Warm Springs but expected to lift by late morning.

While a utility trailer’s tire rim showering sparks along the road Wednesday is still believed to be the cause of seven fires that merged into one, the fire’s cause officially was still under investigation.

“The County Line 2 fire is now the #1 priority fire in Oregon and the nation,” Saturday’s update said, though a blaze near John Day was drawing strong attention, having burned an estimated 20-25 structures. Four structures, mostly unoccupied, have been lost in the Warm Springs fire, but there have been no reports of injuries.