Chilly night on the lines as crews work to contain 6,500-acre fire west of Lakeview
Also: Wednesday update on Middle Fork Complex on Willamette National Forest north of Lakeview
LAKEVIEW, Ore. (KTVZ) – Overnight temperatures dropped down to 36 degrees as fire crews worked hard to plumb and strengthen lines around the Patton Meadow Fire 10 miles west of Lakeview, now mapped at more than 6,500 acres.
With dry and windy conditions gusting up to 32 mph, some fire crossed the line on the northwest corner of the fire at Patton Meadow, but quick response by crews kept the fire from spreading any further.
Operations Section Chief John Pellissier was upbeat at Wednesday morning’s briefing, saying, “Everyone’s happy with where we’re at right now" and that lines are "very secure.” Crews are preparing for burnout operations to further secure the fire line on the north side.
On the south side of the fire, crews continue mop-up operations from the current 50 feet up to 100 or 150 feet into the perimeter to keep the fire from crossing containment lines. “Lines are in and water is flowing,” added Pellissier, in regard to perimeter lines along Highway 140 on the fire’s south side.
Most of the remaining heat on the fire is along the north perimeter, burning in steep, rugged terrain towards Cottonwood Road. Dozers working along Cottonwood Road have completed a contingency line and crews are now working to develop a perimeter closer to the fire’s north front.
OSFM will be sending two task forces home Wednesday, since the risk to structures has reduced. There are still eight structural task forces available for structure assessment, building defensible space, and assisting wildland crews where needed. As of Wednesday morning, 88 structures have been assessed.
An overnight infrared flight showed Patton Meadow at 6,538 acres and Willow Valley at 824 acres. The fires are 30 percent and 65 percent contained respectively.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office evacuation details can be found by visiting https://www.facebook.com/Lake-County-Oregon-104435824529906.
The team will again provide a personal update during a Facebook Live informational meeting tonight at 7pm. Click here for more information https://fb.me/e/1dM4zde6c.
More information: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7798/
Middle Fork Complex Fire Update – Tuesday, August 17, 2021 – 9:00 am
Clear skies on Monday allowed aviation resources to support crews on the Kwis, Gales and Ninemile Fires as they checked fire spread with bucket drops and performed reconnaissance flights.
Kwis Fire: The Kwis Fire is 51% contained and has stayed within its footprint for the past few days. Yesterday’s clear skies afforded an opportunity to get in and take a closer look to identify areas of heat within the fire perimeter. There was some active burning inside the fire perimeter. Firefighters have completed the alternate fire line along Forest Road 5871 and those resources are being repositioned to work on constructing and preparing fire line to the southeast of the Gales Fire. Crews remain vigilant as they systematically search for areas of heat that could pose a threat to containment lines and extinguish or remove any burning material. Hazardous trees along roadways are being identified and felled.
Gales and Ninemile Fires: Burnout operations on the west end of the fire were aided by favorable winds. Crews are working down toward the Rumble Creek Drainage as they tie in to Forest Road 18. Slope alignment, burning moss, lichen and wind were all factors in the spot fire that contributed to Gales Fire’s northeast spread into the Falls Creek drainage yesterday. The smoke column generated as the fire established in heavy fuels was visible to many people in Lane County. Today, firefighters will assess access to Forest Road 1832 and capitalize on any opportunities to safely re-engage in that area to tie containment line back in to Road 18. Crews and heavy equipment are continuing preparation of containment lines along key road systems today.
Weather & Smoke: Humidity recovery overnight and cooler temperatures today are expected to be favorable for firefighting efforts. The small amount of rain overnight was not enough to penetrate the tree canopy. It would take several days of wetting rain to make an appreciable difference in fuel moisture.
Structure Protection: Yesterday Oregon State Fire Marshal Task Force firefighters triaged the US Forest Service Clark Creek Organizational Camp, a historic group campground constructed during the 1930s. Fire-resistant structure wrap was used to protect 10 structures, including a large picnic gazebo. Wrap is intended to protect structures from embers or heat and decrease the risk of fire ignition.
Today, Clackamas County Task Forces are shifting south to the Patton Meadow Fire in Klamath and Lake counties. The Linn County Task Force will return to their home agencies and Unified Command with Incident Management Team Pacific Northwest Team 3 (PNW 3) was concluded with all authority passed to Team PNW3. Fire suppression authority was also released back to local jurisdictions.
Evacuations: Level 1 and 3 evacuation notices have been issued by Lane County. A previous Level 2 evacuation for Oakridge, OR, was reduced yesterday to a Level 1. For current evacuation information and an interactive map of evacuation areas, visit: www.lanecounty.org.
Closures: Some National Forest System lands near the Middle Fork Complex are temporarily closed to provide for public safety. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/willamette.
FIRE INFORMATION: (541) 625-0849
Inciweb: Middle Fork Complex: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7745/ Facebook: @MiddleForkComplex
