Crews get handle on Mecca Fire near Warm Springs

(Update: New figures from fire managers)

Fire crews were busy Tuesday putting out hot spots as the Mecca Fire near Warm Springs was held at less than 750 acres and brought to 90 percent containment.

The wildfire broke out Monday afternoon near the Warm Springs Forest Products mill site and quickly spread with high winds sending the fire across Highway 26, closing the key route for several hours.

Fire managers said in Tuesday night’s update that Monday night’s cooler weather helped firefighters finish containment lines despite the strong, gusty winds.

More than 200 personnel assigned to the fire worked Tuesday to strengthen those lines and mop up burning junipers and hot spots clsoe to the line. Officials said they would remain on the fire overnight, also patrolling along Highway 26 and in the Greeley Heights subdivision.

The Greeley Heights subdivision, which was threatened but lost no homes to the blaze, was reduced to a Level 1 (Be Ready) pre-evacuation notice. Portions had been on a level 3 evacuation order (Go Now) after the fire broke out and the rest at Level 2 (Get Set) alert.

Hand crews were out near the Deschutes River on Tuesday, cutting down dead trees and clearing brush.

“These guys are working their way, running their hands through the hot spots, making sure we are getting good solid perimeter — and the only way to do that is to get dirty,” said Bob Sjolund, fuels planner with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Fire Management.

Many resources are on the Mecca Fire and will stay in place during the Fourth of July holiday, in case any new starts happen in the Warm Springs area.

Sjolund said the Mecca fire began because of an old fire that happened last year near the old Warm Springs mill.

NewsChannel 21 asked why these fires tend to start near the mill.

“What we have are 30-, 40-year-old log decks that have sawdust, fuel that has been compacted over the years that where the loaded the logs and weight and last year’s fire got in there,” Sjolund said. “And what it’s doing is like a compost. Its going deep down underneath and it’s burning over and over again.

“Any amount of wind or any wind event that comes through the canyons heats it up, brings it alive again and the sparks come again, and than we’re off to the races,” he said.

Sjolund said they could just drench the fire area to help fix this issue, but the problem is the water runoff from the mill could contaminate the Deschutes River, which is a concern for the Warm Springs tribes.

Highway 26 was still open Tuesday morning, but down to one lane with a pilot car guiding traffic as crews cleared brush from the side of the road.

Rainbow Market was only accepting cash after the business lost power Monday afternoon due to damaged power poles along the highway.

The owner told NewsChannel 21 that she’ll have to throw out some products because of the outage.

The Central Oregon Fire Management Service Incident Management Team called in on the fore plans to return the fire to the Warm Springs Agency Wednesday morning. Ten engines, two crews and three water tenders will stay on the fire for continued mop-up and patrol.

Wednesday’s forecast calls for warmer and drier weather, with a potential for returned high winds in the afternoon and winds. With lower relative humidity and unseasonably dru fuels, residents and visitors are urged to stay vigilant in being fire-safe. “It only takes one spark to start a wildfire,” they said.

Three new, smaller fires were tackled around the region on Tuesday, the largest the 34-acre Coby Fire burning near Ashwood, about 30 miles east of Madras. Officials said crews were able to get a line around the fire, helped by air resources, and were working to secure it. Two other starts were reported near Prineville and Terrebonne, both about an acre