Source: Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center
On Saturday, hold-over fires from lightning activity on Friday began popping up around Central Oregon from the southeast corner of the Deschutes National Forest to the canyon country around the city of Fossil. interagency fire crews dispatched by COIDC responded to approximately 12 new wildfires Saturday, containing most of those at less than half an acre. While most are believed to be lightning fires, one was an abandoned campfire at Wickiup Reservoir.
Incident #464 ignited north of Highway 20 approximately 1.5 miles west of Sisters and was quickly contained. The fire started in an area that had been treated to reduce hazardous fuels as part of the Highway 20 Fuels Reduction Project. Because of the treatment, fire intensity remained low and firefighters responding from the US Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, the Sisters-Camp Sherman and Cloverdale Fire Departments were able to quickly gain control of a fire burning across the highway from the Tollage subdivision. According to the incident commander, the fuels treatment significantly affected fire behavior and allowed fire crews to gain the upper hand. The fire was contained at 2:45 Saturday afternoon.
Incident #465 was reported shortly before 3 p.m. Saturday by Stephenson lookout. The fire is now approximately 70 acres and is burning primarily on private land in grass and brush seven miles southwest of Antelope. Seven engines coordinated by COIDC have responded to this incident and are working with local landowners to suppress this fire.
Incident #466 was reported at 3:45 Saturday afternoon by Pisgah lookout, and is burning on Warm Springs Tribal lands under an agreement with the BLM for fire suppression 17 miles southwest of Fossil. One structure was within a mile of the fireline and two airtankers dropped retardant to assist with suppression and provide structure protection. The two tanker drops successfully stopped the spread of the fire and it was contained at 5:45 p.m.
Fire crews are also assisting the Fossil Rural Fire Department on Incident #460, burning approximately 3-4 miles south of Fossil, Oregon. The fire is approximately 25 acres and is burning on private land.