New wildfire east of Sweet Home burns 165 acres on Willamette National Forest; Level 2 ‘Be Ready’ evacuation notices
(Update: New acreage figure, Wednesday afternoon update)
SWEET HOME, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 2-day-old wildfire burning six miles east of Sweet Home on the Willamette National Forest has grown to 165 acres and prompted the Linn County Sheriff's Office to issue Level 2 “Be Ready” evacuation notices for area residents.
The Wiley Fire “continued to make significant runs” Tuesday and had grown to 165 acres by Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
Green Peter Reservoir has been closed to all boating, to allow for Forest Service “scooper” planes to take on water. Other air assets in the fight include helicopters and large retardant air tankers, helping ground and bulldozer crews.
The fire is burning near private land protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry, so ODF is involved in an interagency management team, Public Information Officer Jessica Prakke said.
Dry conditions and steep terrain will continue to be a challenge for firefighters, officials said. Incident Commander Chad Calderwood said he anticipates the fire perimeter to grow as firefighters work to get a foothold in a safer area.
“Firefighter safety continues to be our top priority,” Calderwood said. “With steep terrain, snags, and high fire activity, we are strategically attacking this fire while making sure our firefighters are not put in a dangerous situation.”
According to Wednesday afternoon's update, crews are working to secure the fire at the south and west edges. A dozer line has been placed on the south end and is currently holding. Aviation resources are assisting in holding the fire south of Little Wiley Creek.
Snags—standing dead trees that pose hazards to firefighters—debris rolling down slopes, cliffs and steep terrain are challenging firefighting efforts. Crews are reassessing access points to attack the fire safely.
The U.S. Forest Service and a Type 3 incident management team from the Oregon Department of Forestry are leading the efforts. More aviation, personnel, and equipment have been ordered to help contain the fire. Aviation resources are ordered based on the operational tempo of a fire.
The closure order for Green Peter Reservoir remains in effect. Please respect all closures so that firefighters can focus on the containment of this fire and continue to check emergency notifications from the Linn County Sheriff’s office. https://www.linnsheriff.org/.
It’s the newest of three large fires burning on the Willamette National Forest. The Bedrock Fire, which began on July 22, has grown to over 14,000 acres and is still just 5% contained. The Salmon Fire, reported Sunday, has topped 102 acres and is still at zero containment.
In southwest Oregon, meanwhile, the nearly 34,000-acre Flat Fire southeast of Agness has grown to nearly 34,000 acres and is 39% contained as of Wednesday. More than 800 personnel are battling the human-caused fire.
