Another cold front brings more favorable conditions for Oregon firefighters

(Update: Areas of Willamette, Mt. Hood national forests reopen)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Forestry said Friday it is still closely monitoring seven major fires in Oregon, down from 17 originally, as more favorable weather continues to assist containment efforts.

Fires are removed from the list when they are 100% lined and fire managers are confident in their progress toward containment. The South Obenchain and Brattain wildfires have both been dropped from this report.

There have been more than 7,500 personnel assigned to these fires, not including many of the government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day. There have been resources from 39 states and multiple Canadian provinces in this fight alongside Oregonians.

About 1 million acres have burned in Oregon since the start of this year, which is nearly double the 10-year average of approximately 557,811.

Fire name	Acres burned (est.)	Containment	Location
Lionshead	204,250	28%	20 miles W of Warm Springs
Beachie Creek	192,838	52%	15 miles N of Detroit
Holiday Farm	173,094	35%	3 miles W of McKenzie Bridge
Riverside	138,029	34%	2 miles SE of Estacada
Archie Creek	131,642	59%	20 miles E of Glide
Slater	44,205 in Oregon	25%	6 SE of Cave Junction (also in No. California)
Thielsen	9,971	31%	E of Diamond Lake

More information

• ODF wildfire blog and Significant Fire Potential Map
• Northwest Coordination Center – Regional Update and National Situation Report
• Inciweb (information on individual incidents)

The Willamette National Forest announced Friday that day use areas, trails, trailheads, boat ramps and more located OUTSIDE OF THE FIRE CLOSURE AREA have reopened as of Friday. Hoodoo remains closed, as it is currently being used as a fire camp. Additionally, all campgrounds remain closed.

For awareness, not all trails have been surveyed and cleared since the windstorm, so there is likely to be trees and debris across the trails.

Recreation sites WITHIN THE FIRE CLOSURE AREA that remain closed as of September 25, 2020

Middle Fork Ranger District

• All campgrounds
• Fall Creek Road and all adjacent sites

McKenzie River Ranger District

• All campgrounds
• Road 19 between Hwy 126 and Road 1980
• Terwilliger Hot Springs
• French Pete Trailhead
• Echo Boat Launch
• Bruckart Boat Launch
• Saddle Dam Boat Launch
• O’Leary/Castle Rock Trailhead
• Kings Castle Trailhead
• Olallie North Trailhead
• Lower section of the McKenzie River Trail (where it crosses Rd 2654 – Deer Creek Road to the southern terminus) and associated trailheads
• Frissell Boat Launch
• Paradise Boat Launch
• Big Lake Road, Ray Benson Sno-Park, and portions of the Santiam Pass OHV Area
• Pacific Crest Trail – Santiam Pass Trailhead
• Pacific Crest Trail north of Highway 20

Sweet Home Ranger District

• All campgrounds
• Hackleman Old Growth Trailhead
• Santiam Wagon Road, from west from the junction with Rd 2672
• Iron Mountain – Deer Creek Trailhead (Iron Mountain – Civil Road TH remains open)
• House Rock Day Use Area
• Gordon Lakes Trailheads (all three)

Detroit Ranger District

• All campgrounds
• All recreation sites
• All wilderness areas (Opal Creek and Mt. Jefferson)
• All trails
• Pacific Crest Trail north of Highway 20

Also, areas of the Mt. Hood National Forest will reopen Saturday, including most of the east side, except for the area near the White River Fire. On the west side, areas north of Highway 26 will reopen. More details on the forest's Facebook page.

---

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Lionshead Fire Update

Friday, September 25, 2020 – 10 a.m.

Damp Weather & Hard Work Bring Increased Containment

Special Notes: The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team will be sharing a pre-recorded Public Meeting message to discuss the fire situation and evacuation level changes in Marion County. Although it will be a pre-recorded, we will have Information Officers to monitor and answer questions. The recording will be available mid-day on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/events/1383001042049433/). Please see “Closures and Evacuations” section below for links to detailed information about these changes.

Current Situation:

The cold front that moved through the area yesterday brought rain to most of the fire. This slowed fire activity, but the east side of the fire dried out quickly with gusty southwest winds. Fuel moistures on the east side of the fire were still dropping Thursday afternoon. The wind and drying fuels resulted in some increased burning in green islands well within the fire’s perimeter. These islands may put up smoke during expected windy conditions today. Another cold front will bring more damp weather to the fire area today.

The combination of damp weather over most of the Lionshead fire and the continued hard work of the firefighters resulted in containment increasing to 28%.

Firefighting Efforts by Division:

Very little movement has occurred on the north edge of the fire in Division A over the past few days. The contingency line north of the fire’s active edge is secure. Plans are to go direct on the fire’s edge when it is safe and productive to do so. Division A increased containment on the burnout finger near Badger Creek. The containment line now surrounds the finger and will provide further protection should fine fuels dry out significantly during today’s predicted winds. Smoke will continue to be visible in the Divisions A and E as interior pockets of fuel dry out and burn. These interior pockets do not pose a risk to the containment line in the Sidwalter Buttes area. Division A, E, G, & I are being monitored and backhaul operations continue.

Division K, N, & R are being patrolled and mopped up. Some chipping operations are ongoing there. In the Jefferson Lake area, the fire is still hung up on the lava fields. The fire there hasn’t spread in the last few days.

In Division S and T, favorable weather conditions have allowed for direct line construction and mop up. New containment is noted on the map in this area. A hard closure will be maintained on Road 46 due to hazard trees.

Coordination with Beachie and Riverside fire operations over future plans for Division W continues. Spot fires in Division Z continue to be the focus of suppression efforts in this division.

Weather & Fuel Conditions: A strong cold front is arriving today with gusty winds along ridges and southwest drainages. Rain is expected to increase throughout the day. Temperatures will be somewhat cooler with high humidity. Saturday, a slow warming trend is forecast but some showers may linger through Sunday. Monday is forecast to be drier and warmer. Good air quality is expected today and tomorrow throughout the area.

Closures and Evacuations: Today at 9 a.m. evacuation level changes will go into effect in Marion County. The changes are being made following careful consultation between fire management officials and the Oregon Department of Transportation, Marion County Public Works, law enforcement, and many other partner agencies.

The evacuation levels around Detroit, Idanha, and the Elkhorn community along North Fork Road are being reduced to a Level 2 – “Be Set” evacuation level at 9 a.m. Crews have been working tirelessly to restore access to evacuated areas. While residents will be able to return to these communities under strict safety conditions, many hazards remain. Core services have not yet been restored.

“As our residents return to the cities of Detroit and Idanha, we are asking the media and other visitors to be respectful of our community members during this difficult time,” said City of Detroit Mayor Jim Trett. “This will be the first time many of our residents are seeing the extent of the damage following the wildfires. Please allow our residents an opportunity to grieve these losses privately.”

Due to the remaining hazards in the cities of Detroit and Idanha and lack of basic services, we request people who are not residents to refrain from traveling to this area. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office continues to coordinate with partner law enforcement agencies to maintain an enhanced presence in the Detroit and Idanha communities as residents return to the area. Community members who happen to reside in Linn County may find up to date information at www.LinnSheriff.org. A map of evacuations in Marion County is available here. There are no longer any evacuation notices for the Sidwalter/Miller flats area.

Roads and trails near the fire remain closed for public safety. The 12 Road and the 46 Road will remain closed to the public for the near future. This includes roads and trails on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Spring lands adjacent to the fire and a 40-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail between Santiam Pass and Olallie Lake. The Willamette National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and State lands around the fire remain closed to the public. Go to InciWeb.gov for more information about closures in the area. Deschutes NF Alerts Willamette NF Alerts Mt. Hood NF Alerts.

Temporary Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Lionshead Fire and surrounding fires. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone. If you fly, we can’t. Whenever a drone is spotted near the fire all aircraft are grounded until we can be sure the drone is clear of the area. For more information, visit knowbeforeyoufly.org.

Lionshead Fire Statistics: Size: 204,250 acres Containment: 28% Total Personnel: 1,515 Location: 14 miles west of Warm Springs Reported: 8/16/20, approximately 8:44 p.m. Cause: Lightning

For More Information: Information Office: 971-277-5075, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Media Inquiries: 541-904-0542 Email: 2020.lionshead@firenet.gov InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/ You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHSR6_yJRQkHyGjvvqX99gw Facebook: facebook.com/LionsheadFire