Closed Warm Springs mill’s log decks spontaneously combust, spark 500-acre wildfire

Two regional firefighting task forces called in

(Update: New details, revised acreage)

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Three old log decks at the former Warm Springs Forest Products sawmill spontaneously combusted late Thursday afternoon, the fires merging in a wind-driven wildfire that burned nearly 500 acres, closed U.S. Highway 26 for a time and prompted camper evacuations and call-up of structure-protection task forces, officials said.

Fire information officer Javin Dimmick said three of the old log decks north of the former mill, closed five years ago, spontaneously combusted due to years of decomposition and flared up in the wind.

The first small fire was reported just before 4:30 above the former Warm Springs mill site and behind the Composite Products Enterprise building. Two other small fires were reported a short time later.

As Warm Springs Fire Management responded, the fires grew and merged together on the reservation, west of the Deschutes River.

The wind-driven Lower Log Deck Fire spotted to the east side of the river, then ran up a ridge and spread to the southeast and northeast along the canyon walls. Some of the land that burned was BLM.

The fire prompted closure of U.S. Highway 26 for about two hours, until one lane was reopened, with ODOT flagging through backed-up traffic in alternating directions.

Crews made good progress on building a line to stop the fire’s southern flank and protect structures off the reservation, on the east side of the Deschutes River, Dimmick said Thursday. Campers at Trout Creek on the east side of the Deschutes were notified to leave. Some residents near the southern flank were informed of the fire but not evacuated.

“It rolled through so fast, they sort of just fortified the houses,” Dimmick said.

The fire was burned to the north Friday evening in grass on the canyon, but air and ground crews had kept it from reaching the plateau above, the spokesman said.

Three helicopters dropped water on the fire Thursday evening, along with two SEAT (Single-Engine Air Tanker) planes and retardant drops from a heavy air tanker, Dimmick said.

The highway fully reopened before 9 p.m., and officials said both the north and south flanks of the fire were contained, but crews were on the site through the night and on Friday to monitor containment lines and mop up hot spots.

Earlier, Jefferson County Undersheriff Marc Heckathorn said the fire cut off access to Mecca Flats Campground, which was under a Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation order.

 Friday morning, Heckathorn said, "Due to the fantastic work by fire personnel, we’re comfortable opening Mecca Flats campground back up with no restrictions."

Jefferson County Fire District No. 1 activated two regional task forces, bringing in crews from across Central Oregon.

The two firefighting task forces from Marion and Washington County, called to Central Oregon Monday in advance of expected thunderstorms, are helping back-fill at Central Oregon fire stations where crews were sent to help fight the Warm Springs blaze, said John Hendricks, public affairs officer with the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal.

Heckathorn said Highway 26 was closed earlier at Warm Springs, blocking eastbound traffic. To the east, the highway was closed at the top of the grade near Danube Drive.

“Please avoid the area and let our first responders fight this fire,” Heckathorn said.

ODOT’s TripCheck page showed a seven-mile stretch of the highway had been closed between mileposts 103 and 110, five miles south of Warm Springs, and urged travelers to use an alternate route.