Highway 97 reopens south of La Pine after Jackpine Fire grows to 180 acres; dozer line built around blaze

(Update: Highway 97 reopens; fire 180 acres, update on Wickiup fires)

Kelsey McGee will have an update at Six)

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – U.S. Highway 97 reopened south of La Pine Saturday morning as crews working through the night completed an initial, bulldozer line and most of a hose line around the 180-acre Jackpine Fire, helped by a nighttime cooldown. A Level 2 BE SET evacuation alert was still in place.

ODOT said a four-mile stretch of the highway  from milepost 169 to 173, had reopened, but advised drivers that "wildfires are still active in the area, affecting visibility. Travelers are advised to use caution. Crews will continue to monitor and will close the highway if necessary. Watch out for crews working in the area." Get the latest conditions on our TripCheck page.

Kelsey McGee is talking with a Forest Service official to learn more about this fire and our current status overall. Her report will be on NewsChannel 21 at Six.

Here's the Saturday morning update: (including the Wickiup and Round Mountain Fires)

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Update – July 20, 2024

Central Oregon — Yesterday, firefighters responded to the Jackpine Fire approximately one and a half miles southwest of La Pine, south of Masten Road and west of Highway 97.

Responding resources included engines, dozers, 10-person hand crews and overhead personnel from La Pine Rural Fire Protection District and neighboring fire departments, Oregon Department of Forestry, Walker Range Fire Patrol, Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. Firefighters on the ground were supported by air attack, air tankers and helicopters.

Firefighters completed preliminary dozer construction around the perimeter of the fire last night. They conducted burnout operations to bring fire to the dozer line in places where they constructed indirect dozer line during initial attack due to significant fire activity. Firefighters have completed hose lays around 75% of the fire and will continue plumbing operations this morning.

Today. firefighters will continue to improve and secure line around the perimeter of the fire and cool hotspots to keep the fire within its current footprint. The fire remains on the west side of Highway 97. The fire is 180 acres after more accurate mapping and fire activity and is 0% contained.

Firefighters construct control line around a fire to establish a barrier to keep it from spreading. Containment is based on their confidence that a portion of the fire is secure, and the fire will not move beyond the control line. Firefighters may have control line around the perimeter of a fire, but until they are able to decrease fire activity along the edge of the control line and cool down hotspots, they do not consider that portion of the fire contained.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 2 (Get Set) evacuation notices west of Highway 97 and south of Masten Road to the county line. Stay up-to-date with Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office evacuations using their interactive map available here. Klamath County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 1 (Be Ready) for both sides of Highway 97 south of the Deschutes County line including Long Prairie. Visit Oregon Department of Transportation’s TripCheck.com for current information on Highway 97.

The fire is currently burning on the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Firefighters are also continuing suppression efforts on the Round Mountain and Wickiup Fires burning on the Deschutes National Forest. The Round Mountain and Wickiup Fires are burning approximately seven miles northwest of La Pine and just north of Wickiup Reservoir. The Central Oregon Type 3 Team is managing both incidents.

Yesterday, firefighters on the Wickiup Fire made good progress completing preliminary dozer line around the perimeter of the fire. Today firefighters will work to secure and strengthen lines to keep the fire in its current footprint. The Wickiup Fire is currently mapped at 200 acres and is 5% contained.

The Round Mountain Fire is currently mapped at 50 acres and is 5% contained. Yesterday, engines and crews on the ground were supported by aircraft to limit fire spread. Firefighters are continuing to prioritize keeping the fire as small as possible while also protecting the Round Mountain Lookout and associated infrastructure.

Resources on the Wickiup and Round Mountain fires include 4 handcrews, 11 engines, 4 dozers, 4 skidgeons, 3 water tenders, 4 fallers, and overhead resources. Firefighters on the ground continue to be supported by aerial resources. Both fires are under investigation.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 3 (Go Now), Level 2 (Get Set) and Level 1 (Be Ready) evacuation notices north of Wickiup Reservoir. An interactive map of evacuations is available here:

• Level 3 (Go Now): National Forest area north of Wickiup, Forest Service Road 4262 and Forest Service Road 4380 and south of Forest Service Road 42 (South Century Drive)
• Level 2 (Be Set): National Forest area between Road 4380 and the Deschutes River including Bull Bend and Wyeth Campgrounds and private inholdings along the west side of the river at Haner Park
• Level 1 (Be Ready): Haner Park subdivision east of the Deschutes River

The Deschutes National Forest has issued area emergency closures for both the Wickiup Fire and the Round Mountain Fire. Bull Bend and Wyeth Campgrounds and Tenino Boat Launch are currently closed. North Twin Lake Campground remains closed and is being used to support firefighting operations. The incident management team is in coordination with local officials in the event of potential fire growth.

Visit the official source for wildfire information in Central Oregon at centraloregonfire.org for wildfire updates or follow fire information on X/Twitter @CentralORfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire.

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Earlier info:

"Firefighters are making good progress constructing dozer line around the perimeter of the fire. Resources will work on the Jackpine Fire throughout the night," officials said in a 9:40 p.m. update

Incident 465, later named the Jackpine Fire, was reported around 12:30 p.m. south of Masten Road, east of Deer Forest Drive and west of Jackpine Loop, about 1 1/2 miles southwest of La Pine, Central Oregon fire officials said in their X/Twitter feed.

Officials said around 6:25 p.m. that the fire was estimated at 50 acres "with active fire behavior" and back down from 30% to 0% containment.

ODOT TripCheck showed Highway 97 had been closed near milepost 169, a mile north of the intersection with Oregon Highway 31. The agency said a four-mile stretch of the highway was closed, between mileposts 169 and 173.

"Delay your travel or use alternate route," they said. "Use caution; watch for crews working in the area."

Crews from the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District, Sunriver Fire, the Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry and Walker Range Fire Patrol were called initially to the scene in the early afternoon for joint efforts to stop and put out the blaze. La Pine Fire Chief Erick Holsey said the first crews arrived to find single-tree torching and spot fires.

By 2 p.m., the fire was about 5% contained and a bulldozer was putting in control lines, Holsey said.

Homes on Deer Forest and an adjacent ranch were first put on a Level 1 evacuation notice, the fire chief said, adding that the fire's cause was under investigation.

Around 3 p.m., after the fire flared up again and jumped Jackpine Loop, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office issued a Level 2 BE SET alert for all residents west of Highway 97 and south of Masten Road to the Deschutes/Klamath County line. The latest map can be seen at http://www.deschutes.org/emergency.

Responding resources included engines, bulldozers, 10-person hand crews and overhead personnel from the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District and neighboring fire departments, the Oregon Department of Forestry, Walker Range Fire Patrol, BLM and Forest Service. Firefighters on the ground were supported by air attack, air tankers and helicopters.

Firefighters engaged in dozer line construction throughout the afternoon while using aircraft to slow the fire's spread. Fire behavior was active during the afternoon’s high temperatures.

"At this time, fire activity has moderated with the cooler evening temperatures," officials said in a 9:30 p.m. update. "Firefighters are making good progress on constructing dozer line around the perimeter of the fire. The fire remains on the west side of Highway 97 at this time. Resources will continue working on the Jackpine Fire throughout the night."

Holsey had said in a 5:30 p.m. update the fire was 30% contained (later dropped to zero). They had moved to a second alarm for structural protection,, bringing in two task forces from resources around the county, and the Level 2 evacuation notice was still in effect.

Central Oregon fire officials said shortly before 6 p.m. the fire had grown to an estimated 20 acres, and later to 50 acres, burning on Prineville District BLM and private lands.

"Firefighters on the ground continue to use helicopters and air tankers to slow the fire's spread while they work on constructing dozer line around the perimeter of the fire," they said.

To the south, the Klamath County Sheriff's Office issued a Level 1 BE READY evacuation notice for both sides of Highway 97 south of the county line, including Antilope Meadow and Long Prairie.