Exclusive: Officials for Pilot, Brewer, and Akawa Butte Fires provide update, explain conditions and resources
SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- An incident command post has been established at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds as crews continue battling numerous wildfires sparked by recent lightning storms across Central Oregon.
More than 2,000 lightning strikes hit Central Oregon on July 15th, which have now ignited around 85 wildfire fires in the region, according to Central Oregon Fire. Among them are the Pilot, Akawa Butte, and Brewer fires.
As of Sunday at 5:00p.m., the Pilot Fire has burned about 120 acres and is now in patrol status with 20% containment. Firefighters continue working to gain control of the much larger Akawa Butte and Brewer fires. The Akawa Butte Fire has grown to nearly 6,900 acres, while the Brewer Fire has expanded to about 17,900 acres. Both remain at 0% containment.
Fire officials say challenging weather conditions are fueling extreme fire behavior.
“It is extreme fire behavior out there on the fire line at all three fires,” said Whitney Tayer, deputy public information officer with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Complex Incident Management Team 2. “All three of these fires are extremely wind-driven. As the wind shifts, tactics are changing.”
Crews are working to build and reinforce containment lines, and additional help is now arriving from outside the region after several days of limited resources.
“Our national preparedness level is at a level five, on a scale of one to five,” Tayer said. “It means that our resources are extremely limited when we are placing orders to get resources from around the country.”
Tayer said only 10% to 20% of requested resources had been arriving in recent days, but that is beginning to change.
“Today, we’ve seen a lot more resources coming into the area,” she said. “We have a task force coming from California, additional task forces coming tomorrow, and resources from Nevada and Idaho.”
Fire managers are also urging residents to take evacuation notices seriously and be prepared to leave early if conditions worsen.
“If you are experiencing a Level 2 evacuation, take that seriously and pack up your belongings and get ready to leave ahead of time,” Tayer said. “There are large pieces of heavy equipment traveling on these roads, and we would hate for people to get stuck behind them.”
Officials stress that staying alert and informed is critical as fire conditions continue to evolve.
KTVZ News has dedicated pages for a general overview of wildfires currently burning in each of the following counties: Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson. Please note they are not updated in real-time and are not a substitute for emergency alerts or the most recent evacuation notices.
