August 21, 2018
Left: Air and ground resources have been heavily engaged in ODF’s Northeast Oregon District in the wake of passing thunderstorms. Firefighters have responded to more than a score of wildfires in the past day and a half.
LA GRANDE, Ore.
– Firefighting resources from ODF’s Northeast Oregon
District responded to 21 fires across the district yesterday,
following thunderstorms Sunday night and Monday morning. Most of the
fires were ¼ acre or smaller.
- Calamity Fire, located approximately
11 miles east of Pilot Rock, is burning in grass, shrubs and timber. The
fire has burned 79 acres. As of this afternoon, the fire is 80% contained.
Crews worked overnight and through the day on improving control lines and
mopping up.
- Beaver Creek Fire, located approximately
12 miles west of La Grande, is approximately 75 acres. The fire is burning
in grass and timber on steep terrain. Helicopters and ground resources
have responded to incident. The fire is 0% contained at this time.
- Hardy Fire, located approximately 7
miles north of Elgin, is approximately ½ acre and is burning in grass and
timber. Helicopters and ground resources are on scene. This fire is 0%
contained at this time.
Heavy smoke from
fires outside the area have been hampering fire detection efforts. Fire
managers ask the public to be vigilant as they are traveling through the
region. Additional thunderstorm activity is forecast through Wednesday
afternoon. Air quality is expected to be at unhealthy levels over the next few
days.
The public is reminded that ODF’s Northeast Oregon District has implemented additional public use restrictions intended to reduce human caused wildfires. The Regulated Use Closure prohibits open burning, non-industrial chainsaw use, mowing and cutting of dry grass, and welding and cutting of metal. Other activities included in the restriction can be found at http://bmidc.org/restrictions.shtml. Fire conditions are EXTREME throughout the region. Please use caution to help prevent forest fires.
August 20, 2018
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Above: Smoke from the Terwilliger
Fire from the Cougar Reservoir. |
The Terwilliger Fire, 50 miles east of Springfield, is estimated to be around 110 acres. Firefighting resources, including engines and aircraft, from the Forest Service and Oregon Department of Forestry responded yesterday to a new fire recently reported on the McKenzie River Ranger District, Willamette National Forest. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Updated acreage will be available following an infrared flight planned for this evening.
Location: 5 miles SE of Blue River
Cause: Under investigation
Acres burned: 110
More information:
Watson Creek Fire – Lake County
As firefighters work in challenging terrain on the Watson Creek Fire, favorable wind conditions assisted firefighting efforts on Sunday night. Last night’s infrared flight over the fire shows it has grown to 25,788 acres.
With extreme fire conditions, please prevent roadside fires by assuring that chains do not drag, and please don’t drive, idle or park in dry grass.
Location: 13 miles west of Paisley
Cause: Under investigation
Acres burned: 25,778
Personnel: 574
More information:
Kinzua Complex
This complex includes five fires at approx. 611 acres and is burning in grass, timber, and juniper.
Miles and Columbus fires (formerly the South Umpqua Complex/Sugar Pine Fires)
Today, the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team (IMT) 2 transferred command to the Pacific Northwest Team (IMT) 2 led by Incident Commander Chris Schulte. Oregon Department of Forestry IMT 3 will continue to work in unified command with the incoming team.
Miles Fire – 33,204 acres, 38% contained
Columbus Fire – 9,814 acres, 35% contained
Firefighters will continue mop up and patrol as needed along the southern half of the Miles Fire and the northern edge of the Columbus Fire. Hazardous trees (snags) will be removed along travel routes and where mop up activities will be taking place. Crews are monitoring fire behavior and fuel conditions in the gap between the two fires, where forest fuels have greater moisture content and fire movement is slow.
Location: Approximately 5 miles northeast of Trail
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: Combined total of 47,015
Personnel: 1,412
More information:
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5966/
Other fires
Klondike West Fire – Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires were split into zones on Saturday. The fires are now referred to as “Taylor Creek and Klondike East Fires,” managed by the Alaska Incident Management Team out of Lake Selmac, and “Klondike West Fire” managed by California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 out of Gold Beach.
Public meeting: Klondike Fire East
- Monday, Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Illinois Valley High School, 625 E. River St., Cave Junction
Public meetings: Klondike Fire West
- Monday, Aug. 20, 6 p.m., Agness Community Library, 3905 Cougar Ln., Agness
- Tuesday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m., Curry County Fairgrounds, Curry Showcase Building, 29392 Ellensburg Ave., Gold Beach
Location: 9 miles northwest of Selma
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 72,074 acres
Personnel: 951
Containment: 28%
More information:
Taylor Creek and Klondike East Fires – Josephine County
Location: 10 miles west of Grants Pass
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 52,588 acres
Personnel: 563
Containment: 79%
More information:
August 18, 2018
Watson Creek
This fire has about 100 personnel and is 0% contained. It’s burning in timber (litter and understory) and brush. Approximately eight residences are threatened.
Location: 13 miles west of Paisley
Cause: Under investigation
Acres burned: 10,500
Eli Creek Fire
Gusty winds and light fuels are affecting the spread of this fire. Resources on scene include four dozers, five engines, five single-engine air tankers (SEATs), two heavy air tankers, two Type 1 helicopters, two Type 2 helicopters, and numerous landowner resources.
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| Above: Lightning strikes in Oregon. |
Location: 15 mi SW of Pilot Rock
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 5,500
Kinzua Complex
Numerous fire starts and active fire behavior challenged firefighters yesterday in Wheeler and Morrow counties. Landowner engagement, heavy use of air resources, and quick response by the John Day Unit was critical to the effort. The District was supported in these suppression activities by our federal partners and severity resources for this thunderstorm event.
Location: John Day/Fossil area
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 550
More information:
Grizzly Road Fire
ODF performed heavy initial attack on the Grizzly Road Fire and it did not burn onto ODF-protected land. No anticipated issues.
Location: 11 mi SE of Madras
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 360
More information:
Miles and Columbus fires (formerly the South Umpqua Complex/Sugar Pine Fires)
These fires are being managed under unified command by the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2 (Incident Commander Doug Turman) and components of Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 3 (Incident Commander Link Smith).
Miles Fire – 32,934 acres, 35% contained
Although fire suppression efforts are progressing well, fire managers say that fire intensity remains active within the perimeter. Without a break in the weather in the foreseeable future, firefighters continue to stay ahead of the fire front through methodical burnout operations, nursing it to established control lines.
Warmer temperatures and light winds led to increased fire activity on the northwest and northeast portions of the fire. The wind also worked in the firefighters’ favor, coming out of the west and pushing the fire back into itself near Elkhorn Peak. These conditions are also conducive to tactical burnout operations, where crews slowly remove unburned vegetation between control lines and the main fire to prevent any long range spotting and active fire runs.
Columbus Fire – 9,814 acres, 29% contained
Control lines along the west and north edges of the Columbus Fire are holding well. Control lines have been completed along the east boundary in preparation for future burnout operations.
Location: Approximately 5 miles northeast of Trail
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: Combined total of 46,718
Personnel: 1,740
More information:
Other fires
Klondike Fire – Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Klondike Fire has now become the largest active wildfire in Oregon at over 66,000 acres.
Critical fire weather last night resulted in an increase in acreage of both the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires. Low relative humidities overnight allowed the fires to burn very actively. High temperatures and winds out of the northeast gusting to 25 mph will continue today.
California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 (CIIMT) has assumed command of the western edge of the Taylor Creek and Klondike Fires. CIIMT4 was called in to continue with the aggressive fight to fully suppress the fire. This will allow the Alaska Incident Management Team to focus their effort on controlling the southeast corner of the fire that is directly threatening the communities of Selma and Cave Junction.
Location: 9 miles northwest of Selma
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 66,332 acres
Personnel: 830
Containment: 15%
More information:
Taylor Creek Fire – Josephine County
Location: 10 miles west of Grants Pass
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 52,588 acres
Personnel: 632
Containment: 58%
More information:
High to extreme fire danger across most of Oregon
Find the latest fire danger levels and restrictions at ODF’s Fire Restrictions and Closures web page at
For photos and more information on Oregon wildfires and wildfire readiness, visit ODF’s wildfire blog at:
ODF 2018 FIRE STATISTICS
Fires and acres burned
(as of Aug. 18, 2018)
Lightning-caused fires = 180
Human-caused fires = 540
Total fires = 720
Total acres burned = 52,000 *
* An estimate – does not include very recent fires or all acres of recent growth on existing fires
10-year average fires and acres burned
(as of Aug. 18, 2018)
Lightning-caused fires = 221
Human-caused fires = 426
Total fires = 647
Total acres burned = 29,709
August 17, 2018
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Above: Lightning Tracker Legend
Magenta: 0-1 hour; Red: 1-3 hours; Gold: 3-6 hours;
Blue: 6-10 hours; Purple: 10-16 hours; Black: 16-24 hours.
Captured on Aug. 17, 3:15 p.m.
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Lightning over the past few days has significantly impacted most of eastern Oregon. It started on Wednesday in the Klamath-Lake District and has progressed through Central Oregon and into Northeast Oregon, starting fires across all the counties east of the crest of the Cascades. Lightning continued through this morning in Northeast Oregon. Most of the storms have had very good to significant moisture. Strikes outside the core, however, have been problematic. Additionally, holdover fires will be a significant issue for days to come.
Currently, there are no fires over 10 acres. This has a high probability of changing over the next few days. ODF sent up multiple detection flights this morning across the state to find any lightning-caused fires.
Miles and Columbus fires (formerly the South Umpqua Complex/Sugar Pine Fires)
These fires are being managed under unified command by the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 2 (Incident Commander Doug Turman) and components of Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 3 (Incident Commander Link Smith).
With the Snow Shoe Fire declared fully contained yesterday, suppression resources will narrow their focus to the remaining two fires, Miles and Columbus. The final acreage for the Snow Shoe Fire stands at 3,816 acres. Fire suppression repair work and salvage logging operations will continue on Snow Shoe.
Miles Fire – 32,715 acres, 30% contained
Firefighters continue to increase containment on both of the remaining fires. The northwest flank of the Miles Fire was the most active yesterday in the Elkhorn Peak area with increased burning taking place well within control lines. With that portion of the fire burning in steep, rugged terrain, fire operations personnel continue to let the fire slowly work its way toward established control lines. They will continue to look for opportunities, under the right conditions, to conduct burnout operations when necessary.
Fire behavior in the northeast corner of the Miles Fire is moderate as crews continue to work the fire towards and along Forest Service Road 6640. The rest of the fire from the middle of the eastern edge to the south and up to the middle of the western flank is in full mop-up.
Columbus Fire – 9,762 acres, 28% contained
Control lines along the west and north edges of the Columbus Fire are holding well. Firefighters continue to improve established control lines along the east boundary of the fire by falling hazardous trees (snags), removing additional brush and chipping the material in preparation for future burnout operations.
Location: Approximately 5 miles northeast of Trail
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: Combined total of 46,482
Personnel: 1,897
More information:
Other fires
Klondike Fire – Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
The Klondike Fire has now become the largest active wildfire in Oregon at over 62,000 acres. It is being managed jointly with the Taylor Creek Fire. Planned burnout operations will take place along established containment lines that parallel US Highway 199 east of the fire. The burnouts, if needed, will move AWAY from the Illinois Valley, creating a wide buffer/containment zone. As the burnouts occur, they may be visible to residents of Kerby, Cave Junction and O’Brien.
Location: 9 miles northwest of Selma
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 62,731 acres
Personnel: 799
Containment: 15%
More information:
Taylor Creek Fire – Josephine County
Location: 10 miles west of Grants Pass
Ignition date: July 15, 2018
Cause: Lightning
Acres burned: 52,222 acres
Personnel: 757
Containment: 52%
More information:
