Rain, snow prompt Forest Service to reduce Red Fire closure area; Little Lava Fire still putting up smoke
(Update: Adding Saturday update on Bachelor Complex, Little Lava Fire)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes National Forest on Friday further reduced the temporary emergency fire closure area on the Crescent Ranger District for the 3,060-acre Red Fire due to decreased fire activity and moderating weather conditions, including nearly a half-inch of rain and snow in the area.
The closure reduction is meant to increase recreation access in the area while maintaining public safety where active fire operations are still occurring, Forest Service officials said.
The closure remains in place for portions of Forest Service Road 60 until fire suppression efforts conclude and firefighters achieve containment adjacent to the road.
Fire managers and forest officials have worked closely together to reduce the closure area as much as is reasonably possible at this time. They will continue to evaluate additional changes commensurate with fire activity and safety concerns.
Red Fire | Temporary Emergency Fire Closure
The emergency closure order for the Red Fire has been updated and currently includes the following closed locations, as well as the general forest area within the closure.
The following trails and trailheads are temporarily closed:
- Metolius Windigo Trail from Windy/Oldenberg Trail Jct. to Crescent Lake SnoPark
- Fawn Lake Trailhead
- Whitefish Creek Trail
- Meek Lake Trailhead
- Snell Lake Trailhead
- Emigrant Pass Trailhead
- Crater Butte Trail
- Yoran/Trapper Creek Trail
- Pretty Lake
- Stag Lake
The following campgrounds, recreation sites and resorts are temporarily closed:
- Crescent Lake Campground
- Whitefish Creek Horse Camp
- Crescent Lake Day Use Area
- Tandy Bay Day Use Area
- Tranquil Cove Day Use Area
The following roads in the area are temporarily closed:
- Forest Service Road 60
- Forest Service Road 200
- Forest Service Road 201
- Forest Service Road 6010
Other closures include:
- Crescent Recreation Residences 1-73
For information regarding temporary emergency closures on the Deschutes National Forest, visit fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices.
--
Bachelor Complex Quick Facts – Oct. 19, 2024
Size: 15,525 acres
Containment: 63%
Personnel: 171
Start Date: September 8, 2024
Location: 20 miles SW Bend, OR
Fire activity on the 15,522-acre Little Lava Fire has moderated with cooler temperatures and precipitation early this week; however, some smoke is still visible.
Firefighters are patrolling and chipping debris along portions of the fire perimeter to further strengthen lines. Resources are starting to backhaul excess equipment like pumps where no longer needed. Hazard tree mitigation is underway along portions of Forest Service Road 45.
--
Red Fire Quick Facts – Oct. 18, 2024
This will be the final update for the Red Fire unless significant fire activity occurs. Updates will be provided for any changes to the temporary emergency closure order.
Size: 3,060 acres
Containment: 15%
Personnel: 46
Over the past 48 hours, the Red Fire has received .4" of rain and snow, moderating conditions and fire activity. This morning at 9 a.m., command of the fire transferred from a Type 3 incident commander to a Type 4 organization. Firefighters continue to patrol the perimeter and extinguish hot spots.
A map of the current closure area and the order can be viewed here: fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices/?aid=89091
--
Rail Ridge Fire Update
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Central Oregon Wildfire Information: centraloregonfire.org
Email: 2024.railridge@firenet.gov – Phone: 541-208-7111
Social Media, Evacuation and Closure Information: https://linktr.ee/RailRidgeFire
Acres: 176,383 – Containment: 90% – Detection: 09/02/24 – Cause: Lightning – Personnel: 516
Operations Section Chief Morning Briefing on Facebook
Special Notes: USFS and BLM fire area closures are still in effect. To stay informed on any changes to fire closures and Wheeler County and Grant County evacuation levels, visit https://linktr.ee/RailRidgeFire. Please remain out of closed areas for your safety and the safety of the firefighters. Fire managers are meeting daily to assess the closure areas and to discuss the upcoming hunting seasons.
Firefighting and suppression repair is a very dangerous job with many hazards. Some of those hazards on the Rail Ridge Fire recently include slick roads and adverse driving conditions due to cold weather and precipitation, fire-weakened hazard trees, heavy equipment operations, long drive times to the fireline and operating chainsaws. NW Team 2 has successfully mitigated the risks of these hazards and has experienced zero accidents and only one illness.
Fire Behavior & Weather: After a chilly start, Friday afternoon temperatures ranged from low to mid-40s at high elevations, to upper 50s in the warmer valleys. Minimum humidity dropped to 30-40 percent in the driest locations. Winds from the south-southwest 5-10 mph with a few gusts to 15 mph turned out of the west-northwest late in the afternoon. Fire behavior will be minimal until sufficient drying occurs. Primary fire behavior characteristics include smoldering ground fuels with very limited creeping and possibly some flare-ups when there is alignment between an ignition source, sunshine, aspect, wind, and elevation. A warming, drying trend is anticipated over the next few days.
Operations Yesterday: Between the Incident Command Post and the Rager Forward Operating Base there are more than 500 personnel assigned to assist with the Rail Ridge Fire. Today, the Situation Unit Leader along with Geographic Information System (GIS) professionals created a computer application called the Rail Ridge Fire Suppression Repair Dashboard so the team can track the work being done on the ground. To date, firefighters have built 22 miles of handline, 85 miles of dozer line, 48 miles of other fireline, and have used 99 miles of road as containment line to protect the values at risk.
Operations Today: The shaded fuel break at FS Road 3850 is expected to be complete by end of shift today. The main objective there is to ensure that the community of Dayville and other unincorporated areas are protected now and in the event of future fires. A shaded fuel break is a strip of land where the vegetation is altered to reduce the amount of fuel available for a fire. This is done by removing or modifying the understory vegetation while keeping the canopy intact. Shaded fuel breaks help to improve fire safety, enhance forest health, and reduce the intensity and severity of wildfires.
