Ochoco National Forest to begin 5,100 acres of pile-burning operations this week
With the recent snowfall on the Ochoco National Forest, firefighters will begin pile-burning projects on Wednesday, officials say.
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BLM’s Prineville District outlines fall prescribed burn projects planned across over 23,000 acres
As fall weather brings shorter days and cooler temperatures, fuels specialists with the Prineville District, Bureau of Land Management are preparing for fall and winter prescribed burn projects, starting as soon as next week, the agency said Monday.
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Welcome snow, rain fall on, cool Cedar Creek Fire; crews pulled off lines while area scouted for safety
Welcome, widespread rain and snow fell Saturday on the 127,000-acre Cedar Creek Fire near Waldo Lake, cooling the blaze and reducing fire activity, but also bringing potentially risky working conditions that prompted officials to pull crews off the lines until the area can be scouted for safety.
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Deschutes National Forest reduces Cedar Creek Fire closure, reopening areas around Cultus, Davis lakes
The Deschutes National Forest on Friday reduced the forest closure for the Cedar Creek Fire, opening up a portion of the area around Cultus Lake and all of Davis Lake.
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Oregon DEQ extends air quality advisory to Deschutes County due to smoke from Cedar Creek Fire
he Oregon Department of Environmental Quality expanded an air quality advisory Thursday to include Polk, Yamhill and Deschutes counties due to smoke from the Nakia Creek and Siouxon fires in southwest Washington and the Cedar Creek Fire near Oakridge.
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Washington wildfire caused by pyrotechnic, police seek tips
CAMAS, Wash. (AP) — A wildfire in southwest Washington state that ballooned in size Sunday, causing regional air quality issues, may have been started by a firework or firearm, officials said. The Nakia Creek Fire started Oct. 9 on Larch Mountain, northeast of Camas. Clark County Fire Marshal Dan Young said this week that someone
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After 2 1/2 months, nearly 126,000-acre Cedar Creek Fire reaches 50% containment; rain due
More than 2 1/2 months after being ignited by lightning, the nearly 126,000-acre Cedar Creek Fire reached the 50% containment mark Tuesday, still sending smoke streaming into the High Desert but with a major shift to more typical fall rain– even possible snow — on the way.
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Evacuation area shrinks near southwest Washington fire
CAMAS, Wash. (AP) — Some roads reopened and evacuation zones shrank near a wildfire fed Sunday by gusty winds and low humidity east of Vancouver, Washington, as fire officials got a better handle on fire activity amid weather changes. About 3,000 residents were told to leave their homes Sunday night as the Nakia Creek Fire
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Cooldown will help crews on nearly 126,000-acre Cedar Creek Fire, now 45% contained
Cooler temperatures and higher humidity will help the nearly 700 firefighters still battling the 2 1/2-month-old Cedar Creek Fire, which has grown to nearly 126,000 acres but also has reached 45% containment, officials said Monday.
Continue Reading Wildfire in southwest Washington prompts evacuation orders
CAMAS, Wash. (AP) — A wildfire fed by gusty winds and low humidity east of Vancouver, Washington, grew rapidly on Sunday, prompting authorities to order evacuations as the blaze sent up a plume of white smoke visible throughout the metropolitan area that Vancouver shares with Portland, Oregon. Dubbed the Nakia Creek Fire, the blaze in
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High wildfire risk forecast for this weekend around Cascades
SEATTLE (AP) — National Weather Service officials have issued weekend red flag warnings for Oregon and Washington around the Cascade Mountains because of east winds and low humidity contributing to critical fire weather conditions. Officials said east winds will increase late Friday night. The National Weather Service in Portland predicts east winds to reach up
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Fire destroys La Pine home, threatens neighbors, prompting evacuations; cause under investigation
A fire that destroyed a manufactured home in La Pine Tuesday afternoon was spreading toward nearby homes and the forest when the first crews arrived, prompting Level 3 evacuation notices for residents in the immediate area for over an hour, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said.
Continue ReadingUS sued for pollution from retardant drops on wildfires
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — An environmental group filed a lawsuit Tuesday against U.S. Forest Service officials that alleges they polluted waterways during their campaigns against wildfires by inadvertently dropping large volumes of chemical flame retardant into streams. Government data released earlier this year found aircraft operated or contracted by the Forest Service dropped more than
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Oregon DEQ issues air quality advisory for Deschutes, other counties due to Cedar Creek Fire smoke
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Lane Regional Air Protection Agency issued an air quality advisory Tuesday due to continuous smoke impacts in Lane County and intermittent smoke impacts in Clackamas, Deschutes, Douglas, northern Klamath, Lake, Multnomah and Washington counties from the Cedar Creek fire and fires in Washington.
Continue ReadingWildfire smoke affecting air quality in Oregon, Washington
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon officials have issued an air quality advisory for several counties, including Portland, as stale, unseasonably warm temperatures and stagnant air have caused wildfire smoke to linger. Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Douglas and northern Klamath will be under the advisory through at least Friday, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Department of Environmental Quality officials
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Warm, dry weather pushes Cedar Creek Fire past southern containment lines, prompting air attack
Continued warm, dry fall weather helped push the nearly 2 1/2-month-old Cedar Creek Fire past containment lines on the southern end on Sunday, prompting an aerial attack by water-dropping helicopters and planes dropping air retardant, officials said.
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Cedar Creek Fire containment figure slowly climbs to 38%, despite lingering critical fire conditions
The firefighting force that once topped 2,000 has dropped to about 600 on the 121,529-acre Cedar Creek Fire, and above-average temperatures for October has meant more critical fire conditions testing lines, officials said Saturday.
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Deschutes National Forest trims Cedar Creek Fire closure; campgrounds, Cascade Lakes Highway reopen Saturday
Some campgrounds west of highway remain closed; 121,000-acre fire now 38% contained BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The forest closure for the Cedar Creek Fire on the Deschutes National Forest will be reduced Saturday, opening up the Cascade Lakes Highway. The forest closure will be adjusted at 12:01 a.m., opening up recreation areas on the eastern
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Deschutes National Forest lifts public use restrictions; ODF to end regulated-use closures in much of C.O. district
Despite some above-average early-fall temperatures, all public use restrictions on the Deschutes National Forest were lifted Wednesday, officials said.
Continue ReadingWashington wildfire human caused, evacuation orders lifted
SKYKOMISH, Wash. (AP) — The Bolt Creek Fire burning northeast of Seattle near Skykomish was human-caused, the Western Washington Incident Management Team has confirmed. According to authorities, the fire started Sept. 10 and as of Monday had grown to approximately 19.5 square miles (50.5 square kilometers) and was 36% contained, KING-5 reported. It will likely
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