Lionshead Fire update: Now over 109,000 acres, 5% contained, 1,000 firefighters
WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Here is Thursday's update on the Lionshead Fire, which has spread to the west to meet the Beachie Creek Fire, grown to more than 109,000 acres and has a firefighting force of 1,000 battling it.
| Start Date: 8/16/2020 | Approx. Size: est. 109,223 ac. | Resources on the Fire: | Cooperating Agencies: |
| Cause: Lightning | Containment: 5% | 39 Crews | Marion Co. Sheriff |
| Incident Commander: | Total Personnel: 1000 | 38 Engines | Linn Co. Sheriff |
| Noel Livingston Pacific Northwest Team 3 | Approx. Distance: 20 miles west of Warm Springs | 3 Dozers 36 Water Tenders 10 Helicopters | Jefferson Co. Sheriff Deschutes Co. Sheriff |
| Lionshead Fire Update – Thursday, September 10, 2020 – 9:00 a.m. |
Weather and Fire Behavior: Morning winds from the southeast are expected to shift to the northwest this afternoon, promoting fire spread back to the south and east. Temperatures will be in the 70s with minimum relative humidity in the teens. Drought conditions, higher temperatures and low relative humidity will continue to contribute to the active fire behavior.
Current Situation: The Lionshead fire continues to actively grow on the west side of the crest of the Cascades, expanding both to the north and the south. The western edge of the fire has joined with the Beachie Creek Fire near Detroit Lake.
Fire personnel continue to scout the northern and southern edges of the fire area, identifying where the fire has grown and looking for potential locations for containment lines.
Due to the extreme low visibility and fire activity in the area, firefighters were assisted by the 141st Air Refueling Wing of the Washington National Guard, with one RC-26 aircraft and Distributed Real-Time Infrared (DRTI) capabilities. Night crews continued to patrol and secure fire edges around Idanha and Detroit, working to secure properties and infrastructure.
Crews continue to aggressively work to strengthen lines of the fire on the eastern side of the crest of the Cascades on the Warm Springs Reservation. In preparation of the predicted westerly wind change forecast this afternoon, night crews used strategic firing operations to widen and improve control lines. Firefighters will use the strengthened lines, combined with natural barriers, to help hold the fire from spreading when winds move back to a westerly flow this afternoon.
Today’s Activities: Current wildfires in the Pacific Northwest continue to be a dynamic situation. The highest priority for the Lionshead Fire continues to be safety of the public and our firefighters. West of the crest of the Cascades, firefighters will continue to scout the north and south fire edges to determine locations for containment lines, providing protection to infrastructure, assisting local fire departments and agencies as needed. On the Warm Springs Reservation, firefighters will continue hardening containment lines and preparing for the wind to return to the westerly flow. Additional fire camps and air operation bases are being set up, crews and equipment are coming in as resources are available.
Evacuations: Orders are being issued for evacuations as conditions change. Please monitor the local area sheriff’s department websites and Facebook for updates. (Deschutes, Jefferson, Wasco, Linn, and Marion counties). The Oregon Office of Emergency Management has created an interactive dashboard to help provide the most up-to-date information on evacuations statewide. https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/6329d5e4e13748b9b9f7f33f06a3c376/
Closures: For public and firefighter safety, roads and trails on the southwest portion of the Warm Springs Reservation near the fires are closed to the public. Forest closures are in place for Deschutes, Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests. For more information about forest closures, please refer to National Forest websites.
Deschutes NF Alerts Willamette NF Alerts Mt. Hood NF Alerts
FOR ADDITIONAL FIRE INFORMATION:
TripCheck: https://www.tripcheck.com/.
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7049/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LionsheadFire
Email: 2020.lionshead@firenet.gov
Fire Information: 971-277-5075
