Air, ground crews stop new wildfire that burned 260 acres on Crooked River National Grassland, prompted evacuations
![Ochoco Fire Jeffco Fire-EMS 8-18](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-Jeffco-Fire-EMS-8-18.jpg)
![Ochoco Fire JCSO 818-1](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-JCSO-818-1.jpg)
![Ochoco Fire COFMS 8-18-1](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-COFMS-8-18-1-860x484.jpg)
![Ochoco Fire Mikayla Brennan 818-1](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-Mikayla-Brennan-818-1.jpg)
![Ochoco Fire Mikayla Brennan 818-2](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-Mikayla-Brennan-818-2.jpg)
![Ochoco Fire Alert West 8-18](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/Ochoco-Fire-Alert-West-8-18-860x479.jpg)
(Update: Monday morning info from fire officials)
CULVER. Ore. (KTVZ) – A new wildfire broke out Sunday afternoon on the Crooked River National Grasslands east of Culver and quickly grew to 260 acres as an air and ground fight ramped up and an evacuations and pre-evacuation alerts were issued for the blaze, which threatened Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines before forward progression was stopped.
The Ochoco Fire (Incident 675) was reported around 1:45 p.m. east of Highway 97, west of Highway 26 and north of Haystack Reservoir, Jefferson County Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Blake and Central Oregon fire officials said. Also involved in the firefighting efforts were the BLM and Forest Service, he said.
The Central Oregon Fire Management Service said in an X tweet shortly before 6 p.m. that the fire had grown to an estimated 500 acres, but confirmed a new estimate Monday morning of 260 acres, though officials said more accurate mapping will likely be available later in the day.
"Control lines were established around the fire and forward progression was stopped last night," they said. "Some resources remained on the fire overnight and all resources are back on scene again this morning. Firefighters will be working to establish containment throughout the day."
COFMS said Sunday evening, "A Type 3 Incident Commander has taken command of the fire. Air attack and multiple air tankers are now assisting the ground crews. Transmission lines are threatened."
While air tankers dropped retardant in a bid to slow the flames' spread, a firefighting helicopter drew water from nearby Haystack Reservoir to assist.
The cause of the fire was unknown, the Jefferson County sheriff's Office said in a Sunday evening Facebook note.
Thanks to crews' hard work to contain the fire, they said, a Level 3 GO NOW evacuation alert zone was reduced Sunday evening to an area north of Jericho Lane and east of Bear Drive. The agency said the top half of Jericho Lane and the west side of Bear Drive were at Level 2 (Be Set) and south of Jericho Lane was at Level 1 (Be Ready).
By 9 p.m., conditions had improved to the point where all areas were dropped to Level 1 through the night.
The revised Jefferson County Evacuation Zones map :
![](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2024/08/lgWeeuin-Ochoco-Fire-Jeffco-evacuation-map-8-18-2.jpg)
More information at: https://app.watchduty.org/i/31320