Devils Butte Fire in Gilliam County held to under 2,900 acres, now 75% contained as crews begin to leave
(Update: Wednesday evening update)
CONDON, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fire crews continued to mop up hot spots and watched over the Devils Peak Fire on Wednesday. Very few hot spots were found within the fire, and local Type 4 IC Team will be taking over command of the fire Thursday. As of Wednesday evening, the fire was 75% contained and remained at 2,865 acres.
Resources will begin to transition off the fire Wednesday night and Thursday morning, returning to their home units.
But three engines and one Interagency Hotshot crew will remain on the fire with the incoming ICT4. Firefighters will continue to watch for hot spots and mop up the fire area within 50-100 feet of the containment lines. Air resources remain available to assist ground crews, if needed.
The power company is still planning to have power restored to properties on Thursday.
Motorists are urged to please drive carefully on Highway 206 through the fire area, as there will continue to be fire resources on the roadways.
Officials said the fire was "very quiet" Wednesday, with no "smokes" showing and firefighters finding "very few hot spots."
Resources working the fire Wednesday included 4 hand crews, 10 engines, a dozer, a water tender and miscellaneous overhead.
As needed, updates on the Devils Butte Fire will be posted on Twitter @CentralORFire.
"Thank you to the firefighters for your tireless work the last two days -- landowners, local cooperators and emergency management groups for your dedication and support, stopping this fire in its footprint," officials said Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the 1,551-acre Alder Creek Fire near the John Day River in Wheeler County has reached 65% containment, officials said Wednesday, six days after it was first reported. Firefighters are still on scene, mopping up hot spots and securing the fire's procedure.
Crews stopped two more small fires south of Bend on Tuesday. Incident 447, three-quarters of a mile south of Knott Road and a half-mile west of Forest Road 18 (China Hat Road), was held to a quarter-acre and was contained and controlled. Incident 450, south of Horse Butte, burned 1/10th of an acre and was contained. The cause of both fires was under investigation.
The Boulder Fire, 25 miles southwest of Dufur on the Mt. Hood National Forest, broke out Saturday and has burned about 240 acres of dead and downed debris in steep, rugged terrain, officials said. About 230 personnel have been called on that fire. The cause of that fire also remains under investigation. Several campgrounds remain evacuated and forest roads closed.
