USFS: All resorts, recreation sites east of Cascade Lakes Highway remain open to the public amid fuel break work

Agency also warns that warmup brings potential for more fire activity

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — All resorts and recreation sites on the east side of Cascade Lakes Highway remain open to the public during suppression efforts for the Petes Lake Fire burning in the Three Sisters Wilderness, the U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday.

Air quality has been generally “good” to “moderate” along the highway corridor, and while the highway remains open, construction on the shaded fuel break continues from Elk Lake to Lava Lake.

A partial lane closure remains in effect through the beginning of next week between north of Elk Lake to Lava Lake. Wait times through the partial closure are minimal (10-20 minutes) and all recreation sites on the east side of the highway are open to the public.

Firefighters continue to make progress on the shaded fuel break, thinning dense brush and smaller diameter trees along roadsides. This work creates potential containment lines in the event that fire behavior increases and reduces risk to firefighters holding and securing those lines and it will also help firefighters if there are future fires in the area.

Wanoga Sno-Park and Sisters Mirror Lake Trailhead are temporarily closed to the public and Point Campground is now closed for the season. Pacific Crest Trail hikers should use the Winopee Lake trail and North Shore trail at the southern boundary of the closure and the Elk Devils trail to the Wickiup Plains trail on the northern boundary of the closure to reroute around the fire closure.

A Level 3 (Go Now) Evacuation Notice remains in place for all areas west of the Cascade Lakes Highway from the Lucky Lake Trailhead north to the Mirror Lake Trail. This includes the areas around Lucky Lake, Leech Lake, Doris Lake, Blow Lake and Mirror Lakes. Evacuation notices and updates can be found at: www.deschutes.org/emergency. A closure order on the Willamette and Deschutes National Forests for the Petes Lake Fire remains in place and information can be found at: fs.usda.gov/detail/deschutes/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1134682

The Petes Lake Fire was started by a lightning strike on Friday, August 25, near the border of the McKenzie River Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest and the Bend Fort-Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest, in the Mink Lake Basin area of the Three Sisters Wilderness. The fire has burned 329 acres, about five miles west of Elk Lake.

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Fire Season Continues - Weather Shift Ushers in Potential for Increased Fire Activity

PORTLAND, Ore., September 13, 2023 — Despite the recent cooler and rainy conditions that moderated fire activity throughout the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, fire season continues with a change in the weather pattern underway. Light east winds are forecast for later this week, with significant warming and drying expected to occur throughout Oregon and Washington.

A Red Flag Warning is currently in effect for southwest Oregon, including the Flat and Anvil Fire areas where warmer and drier conditions with stronger north to northeast winds could keep the fires active into the evening and early morning.

East wind events are common this time of year. They often start in late August, continue into September, and even occur in October some years. East winds produce strong, dry winds west of the Cascades. They increase potential for wildfire starts and rapid growth on existing fires, however, the severity and duration of east winds varies widely. The east winds in today’s forecast are expected to be moderate in severity.

Much of the Region is already in moderate to severe drought. Fire managers are projecting above normal Energy Release Component (ERC) numbers through Sept. 18, 2023. This essentially means that fuels are drying, and fires are likely to burn at higher intensity.

Overall, fire managers expect to see an increase in fire danger through early next week over much of the Region. This means new wildfires may be challenging to contain until weather moderates again; forecasts show a potential for lighting in south and south-central Oregon. Existing fires that have shown little growth and smoke over the last week may also become more active.

Stay safe and help firefighters with these tips:

• Stay vigilant if wildfires are burning in your area or near your community.
• Know if the area you plan to visit has an area closure.
• Know that conditions may change quickly.
• Adhere to local fire restrictions.
• Sign-up for emergency alerts with your local county.
• Become familiar with evacuation levels.
• Make a plan to keep your family safe.

Visit the website and/or Facebook page for the National Forest you plan to visit for the very latest information on local fire restrictions.

To learn more about how to prevent human-caused fires, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r6/fire-aviation/prevention or https://smokeybear.com.