Rowena, Ore. – Today, conditions aligned favorably for firefighters to successfully carry out a strategic firing operation in the southwestern area of the fire. Crews burned the remaining “green” fuel located between the fire’s edge and the control lines to reduce the risk of reignition and strengthen containment efforts. At the end of shift today the fire will be completely lined with handline and control line. Tonight, firefighting crews will continue patrolling fire lines and conducting mop-up operations around the fire area.
Infrared cameras will be used overnight to detect hotspots that may not be visible to the naked eye. These areas will be marked so crews on the day shift can fully extinguish them tomorrow.
In coordination with Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue and the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management, team members from the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) have completed a comprehensive assessment of the fire-affected area. The assessment resulted in identifying a total of 56 residential structures and 91 additional structures—including sheds, barns, and shops— being confirmed lost in this devastating incident.
Today, OSFM resources have begun a gradual demobilization as containment and mitigation work continues around affected residences. Unified Command with the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Incident Management Team will cease at 6:00 am tomorrow leaving the ODF fire team in sole control of the incident.
Level 1, 2 and 3 evacuations remain in effect under the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office’s direction. You can search for specific addresses here: https://perimetermap.com/wascocounty-or
The Red Cross shelter remains open at The Dalles Middle School at 1100 East 12th Street. Livestock and horses can be taken to the Wasco County Fairgrounds at 81849 Fairgrounds Road.
I-84 remains open, however firefighters are continuing to work near the roadway; be aware of crews when driving through the area.
Closures: Due to the fires, Mayer State Park is closed to the public. More information is available here: https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=117
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 6500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_2600. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.