Highway 58 reopens wth flaggers, pilot cars as crews tackle the Aubrey Mountain Fire near Oakridge
(Update: ODOT reports Highway 58 reopened)
OAKRIDGE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- One lane of Oregon Highway 58 between Central Oregon and Eugene reopened Friday, with flaggers and pilot cars directing traffic through the area of a day-old wildfire in a steep, wooded area just east of Oakridge. The Aubrey Mountain Fire has burned about 35 acres so far, officials said in Friday's update.
Here's ODOT's advisory that kTVZ News received Friday afternoon:
OR 58 has reopened between Oakridge and Willamette Pass following a closure for wildfire. Flaggers and pilot cars are directing traffic in one lane between mileposts 37 and 38, just east of Oakridge. Use caution; watch for workers and fire equipment along the roadway. Expect delays. Highways can open and close with little notice during active wildfires. TripCheck.com for updates.
Here's the full report from the Willamette National Forest:
Full suppression efforts continue on the Aubrey Mountain Fire located east of Oakridge off Highway 58 between milepost 37 and Dunning Road on the Middle Fork Ranger District. The fire is now estimated at 35 acres, burning in timber on steep ground. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Firefighters quickly engaged in aggressive, direct attack through a coordinated response from the USDA Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry and Oakridge Fire & EMS yesterday afternoon after the fire was first reported. Working into the night, they were successfully able to slow forward progression of the fire.
Today, crews will focus on line construction around the perimeter of the main fire as well as several spot fires that developed from the strong winds that fanned the fire yesterday afternoon. Resources currently working on the fire include nine engines, two hand crews, an interagency hotshot crew, and three helicopters. An additional interagency hotshot crew, hand crew and helicopter are en route with air tankers currently available as needed.
Warmer weather is forecast to return today with moderate to strong diurnal winds anticipated for the afternoon. Smoke from the fire will continue to be visible as crews work to mitigate hazards along Highway 58 to be able to restore access as quickly and safely as possible.
A Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation remains in place for Roberts Ranch Road and Dunning Road near Oakridge -https://www.lanecounty.org/.../2025.../dunning_road_fire.
The Oregon Department of Transportation also has a closure on Highway 58 from milepost 36 to 62 -https://tripcheck.com/.
Smoke and air quality information is available at https://www.oregonsmoke.org/ and https://www.lrapa-or.gov/air-quality-protection/current-aqi/.
Visitors are asked to avoid the area for public and firefighter safety.
Please remember to be check for and follow all fire restrictions when visiting the Willamette National Forest at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/willamette/fire. To report a new wildfire, call 911.
Thursday evening's story:
By KMTR and KTVZ News Staff
OAKRIDGE, Ore. (KMTR/KTVZ) August 7 — Level 3 GO NOW evacuation orders were in place Thursday evening as a growing wildfire broke out near Oakridge, also closing a 26-mile stretch of state Highway 58 from Central Oregon to Eugene, KMTR reported. To the north, another fire near the Columbia River Gorge caused evacuations and a highway closure near The Dalles for a time.
The Lane County Sheriff's Office issued the Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation for Roberts Branch Road and Dunning Road in Oakridge for what it's calling the Dunning Road Fire. Initial estimates were the fire was at 10 acres in size but growing fast.
"Do NOT take time to gather things. GO NOW!" LCSO urges. "This is an emergency notice from the LANE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. There is a wildfire in your area. The following areas and neighborhoods are being issued a Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation notice: ROBERTS ROAD, DUNNING ROAD in OAKRIDGE."
Entry to evacuated areas will be denied until conditions are safe, LCSO says.
Oakridge Fire & EMS says it's a large vegetation fire between Highway 58 at milepost 37 and Dunning Road.
Highway 58 was shut down roughly two miles east of Oakridge, between mileposts 36 and 62, ODOT said as of 5:45 p.m. on TripCheck.com.
"Use an alternate route or postpone travel," ODOT says. "Watch for workers and equipment in the roadway."
Around 5:15 p.m., the Willamette National Forest posted on Facebook:
On Aug. 7, a fire was reported one mile east of Oakridge off Highway 58 between milepost 37 and Dunning Road. A Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation is in place for Roberts Ranch Road and Dunning Road in Oakridge. The Oregon Department of Transportation also has a closure with a detour on Highway 58 from milepost 37-58.
The fire is currently 10 acres with active spread. The cause is unknown. USDA Forest Service firefighters including four engine crews, two hand crews and aircraft are responding. The Oregon Department of Forestry and Oakridge Fire & EMS are also on scene and responding.
Please avoid the area for safety."
Meanwhile, another new fire near The Dalles, the Steele Road Fire, broke out Thursday evening and also prompted Level 2 GET SET and Level 3 GO NOW evacuations. It also closed a five-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 97 three miles south of Interstate 84 for a time, but the fire was caught fast and in mop-up status, with Highway 197 reopened and only Level 1 GET READY evacuation alerts remaining.
