Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center
4550 SW Airport Way
Prineville, OR 97754
FIRE NEWS–Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center
For Immediate Release: August 25, 2011 – 3:00 p.m.
Contact: Media Desk, 541/416-6811 www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/fire
Central Oregon – New wildfires continue to be reported from a lightning storm that passed through much of Oregon and western Idaho yesterday, putting down more than 8,000 lightning strikes. As of 3:00 p.m. this afternoon more than 165 new fires have been reported. New fire reports have been arriving from reconnaissance planes, fire lookouts, fire crews on the ground and members of the public. Firefighters are working to contain new starts and many have been dispatched to multiple fires today. Most of these fires have been quickly contained, while the largest fire continues to challenge firefighters.
The largest new fire is the Hancock Fire (Incident #511) burning more than 10,000 acres east of Clarno. The fire triggered the evacuation of approximately 55 young campers yesterday of the Hancock Field Station, a 10-acre science camp run by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry located one mile east of Clarno. Firefighters conducted a burnout operation around the Field Station this morning, and it is no longer considered threatened. The students may be allowed to return to camp as early as tomorrow.
The Hancock Fire is part of a group of five fires burning in the Clarno area, and is a typical rangeland fire moving quickly through light grass and shrub. Resources on scene include four engines and the Prineville and Union Hotshot crews. Additional resources have been ordered and will be arriving today. The Central Oregon Type II Incident Management Team (Mark Rapp) will assume command of this fire tomorrow morning.
Firefighting efforts have been concentrated in areas to the south of Bend, around Sisters, on the Crooked River National Grassland, throughout the Ochoco National Forest and in the Clarno area. Fires have been initial attacked by engines, hand crews, rappellers and helitack crewmembers, and smokejumpers. One small fire burning south of Black Butte Ranch also received several loads of retardant as a precautionary measure, and crews are currently working on constructing a containment line around this incident.
The National Weather Service has reissued a Red Flag Warning for abundant lightning through 11 p.m. this evening. In addition to the potential to bring new wildfires, firefighters will be watching for any winds that accompany the storms. The storm is expected to track from south to north up the east side of the Cascade Mountains and not move east of Sherman County.
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