Full containment nears on 33,500-acre Gilliam County wildfire
Firefighters expect full containment Monday of a blaze that has burned about 33,500 acres of grass and brush nine miles northwest of Condon in Gilliam County.
Firefighters spent Sunday improving fire line on the Scott Canyon Fire and mopping up hot spots, officials said. With lines holding through Sunday afternoon winds, the 33,587-acre fire was 75 percent contained.
About 100 people were battling the fire, reported last Thursday, burning in moderate to steep terrain on BLM and Gilliam County-protected lands near the John Day River, between Arlington and Condon.
While full containment is expected Monday, officials said crews will be mopping up for the next several days. With unburned fuel in the steep, narrow canyons, are residents and visitors were advised to expect to see smoke from the interior for quite a while.
And there are risks beyond the fire and the rough, rocky terrain. Wildlife can pose a danger, as a crew on the blaze saw a rattlesnake come out into the warm ash.
Five single-engine air tankers and a “fire boss,” a small air tanker that scoops water from rivers and large lakes, assisted crews on the ground, along with three helicopters providing bucket droves.
The wind-driven fire prompted no evacuations, though some ranchers moved their animals as a precaution. The fire also threatened wheat fields on the flat ground above the canyon. Cottonwood Canyon State Park is open, officials said on the Central Oregon Fire Information blog.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
The southwest area of the fire was the most active Saturday,, in the Tenmile and Hay Creek Canyon areas, burning toward Highway 206. Fire officials said they expect a warming trend over the next few days, raising the potential for increased fire behavior.
Fire restrictions are in effect for the BLM and Gilliam County land. Campfires and charcoal fires are banned, and visitors were advised to use only gas or propane stoves. Officials also advised drivers to be aware of increased fire traffic and possible smoke impacts on Highway 206.
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