Warm Springs fire burns 96 acres, 85 percent contained

(Update: Fire 85 percent contained, at 96 acres)

Amid a red flag warning, hot temperatures and windy weather, a new wildfire broke out west of the Deschutes River on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation on Thursday afternoon, quickly growing to nearly 100 acres and bringing out numerous tribal firefighting resources, with some outside assistance. But it was 85 percent contained by late Friday.

The Dry Hollow Fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. Thursday and was burning in sagebrush and grass, with some juniper trees also igniting, said William Wilson, tribal assistant fire management officer for logistics.

The fire burned on a small mesa and spread to the sides and it was pushed toward the northwest, in “pretty steep terrain,” Wilson said Thursday evening.

Wilson said Friday mapping put the fire at 96 acres and lines were holding with additional crews on scene and mop-up operations in full swing. He said crews expect to get full containment by the end of Sunday’s shift.

“Great work by resources on the line (who) stopped a potentially dangerous fire situation from becoming more complex and larger in acreage,” Wilson said Friday.

He also said one minor heat-related illness of a firefighter had been reported..

Among Thursday’s initial resources on the fire: two bulldozers, the Warm Springs Hotshot crew, a 10-person fire crew, five engines and an eight-person Warm Springs Forestry Squad. The Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center sent a Type 1 helicopter and air attack plane for a time. Wilson said numerous crews were being called up for Friday’s firefighting efforts.

The fire was burning northwest of the deregulating dam, located below Pelton Dam, and was “no more than a mile to mile and a half” southeast of Warm Springs, though not moving in that direction. In fact, no homes or roads were threatened and no evacuations considered in the early stages of the fire.

But the fire’s location made it very visible for travelers on Highway 26, as well as area’s residents.

“It’s right above Warm Springs,” Wilson said. “There’s a lot of people sitting in their cars or on their porches, watching the fire.”