BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Although containment is close to 40% on the 2-week-old Bachelor Complex, including the Little Lava Fire, officials said Monday that a warmup in coming days is likely to mean a pickup in fire activity and the smoke seen coming from the blaze. Central Oregon Interagency Type 3 IMT Bob Sjolund –
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Two weeks after a rash of lightning-sparked wildfires around the region, there were new signs of progress Sunday, as the three largest remaining blazes on the Deschutes National Forest are returning to local management. Officials said command of the Bachelor Complex would transition at 6 p.m. Sunday from the Northwest Complex
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By Evan Watson, KGW PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Forestry needs emergency funding to pay for the most expensive wildfire season in state history, with record-high costs of $250 million and counting, KGW reports. As of mid-September, more than 1.9 million acres of land had burned across Oregon — nearly double the acreage
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon firefighters saw more progress Friday in containing the remaining large wildfires in the region, despite some warmer and windier conditions that burned more fuel within the fire perimeters, officials said Saturday. Another sign of progress came Friday at 6 p.m., when Highway 126 west of Sisters and south of
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With multiple fires still burning across Oregon, such as the Bachelor Complex, Wiley Flat and Flat Top blazes, NewsChannel 21 deep-dives into how fire retardant used in aerial firefighting complements efforts on the ground to stop and contain blazes.
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Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies have arrested a Wasco County fugitive on a warrant for failing to appear in court on an arson charge, accused of starting the Larch Creek Fire that burned more than 18,000 acres in July. He later was released after posting bail.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nearly two weeks after lightning sparked a rash of fires in the Cascades and points east, the more than 450 firefighters battling the Bachelor Complex southwest of Bend, including the Little Lava Fire, has reached 37% containment, while the Firestone and Flat Top fires are now 87% contained, officials said Friday.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Due to improved weather conditions and fewer fire starts, the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management will move into Stage 1 public use fire restrictions on Friday, and Industrial Fire Precaution Level I. The fire danger rating is currently “moderate.”
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — After close consultation with fire management officials, the Ochoco National Forest said Wednesday it has reduced the Paulina Complex Fire Area Closure, due to significant progress in containment and improving safety conditions. The reduction comes after thorough assessments of fire behavior, successful containment efforts, and careful consideration of public safety, officials
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(Update: Wednesday’s fire update, containment at 84%) PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Following significant progress in firefighting efforts, the Ochoco National Forest, in consultation with fire management officials and the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, said Tuesday it has reduced the Wiley Flat Fire Area Closure in the Maury Mountains. “This decision comes as containment lines have
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — No evacuation notices remain in place, but area closures are still in effect as hundreds of firefighters continue mop-up work, bulldozer lines are built and burnout work planned to ensure the Little Lava and other fires don’t spread. It’s a similar situation on the Firestone and Flat Top fires to the
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With the continued recent success of fire operations and improved conditions, and at the advice of fire managers, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday dropped all evacuation notices on the Little Lava/Bachelor Complex, Flat Top and Firestone fires.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — More than 7,700 firefighters are still working on the 20 large fires still burning across Oregon, but Oregon Department of Forestry authorities said Monday they are “optimistic” the cooler weather means we’ve turnedg the corner on a fire season in which nearly 2 million acres have burned. ODF Incident Management Teams
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About 800 firefighters kept busy in Sunday’s cool, cloudy weather building and securing containment lines and conducting burnout operations on the Little Lava, Flat Top and Firestone fires, officials said.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest said Saturday it has updated and decreased the temporary emergency fire closure area on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District for the Bachelor Complex. The Bachelor Complex includes Little Lava Fire and Backside Fire as well as 30+ smaller fires within the area around Mt. Bachelor. Bachelor Complex
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Continued progress on the Little Lava Fire led to some reduced evacuation levels for nearby residents and businesses on Friday, with Mt. Bachelor being placed in “normal” status, allowing fall operations to resume Saturday, a week after the lightning-sparked fire began.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest announced Thursday it has updated and enlarged two temporary emergency fire closure areas on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District due to the Bachelor Complex, Flat Top Fire and Firestone Fire. The Bachelor Complex includes the Little Lava Fire and Backside Fire, as well as 30+ smaller fires within
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Mt. Bachelor, which evacuated and halted fall operations when the Backside Fire arose west of the resort last weekend, will hold off until at least Saturday to reopen, continuing to review the firefighting situation on a daily basis, officials said Thursday.
Continue Reading After five days of the Little Lava Fire racing across 10,000 acres and advancing miles a day toward populated areas, evacuation zones are being held steady for now, but a favorable change in the weather has helped firefighters stop its forward progress, and that’s boosting hopes people won’t have to leave.
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The cooler, wetter weather has given firefighters on the previously fast-moving Little Lava Fire the upper hand, and that means downgraded or lifted evacuation levels for Sunriver and thousands of nearby homes in southern Deschutes County, emergency managers said Thursday.
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