Source: Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center
The Brown Road Fire nine miles north of Maupin along the east side of the Lower Deschutes River grew quickly Thursday and was mapped this morning at 5,600 acres. The fire started on the east side of the river near the Pine Tree put-in and moved east from the canyon bottom to the rim above the river. The fire is burning in grass and shrubs in the steep canyons. Several structures along the top of the river canyon remain threatened. The cause is under investigation.
The Deschutes River remains open for boating; however, campgrounds in Segment 3 were evacuated and are now closed. This includes all 8 campgrounds from Buck Hollow north to Macks Canyon. Day use is still permitted, and boaters are allowed to park their vehicles for shuttle. Campsites below Macks Canyon are open for rafters doing an overnight float to Heritage Landing, as are all sites in Segment 2 above and below Maupin. Boaters may be asked to temporarily halt their float while helicopters are dipping water. Please visit the Lower Deschutes River Webpage or call the Prineville BLM for more information.
Highway 216 from the Deschutes River east to Brown road is closed at this time for public safety. The fire jumped this portion of the highway and there is significant fire traffic along the route. Anyone traveling along the Lower Deschutes Access Road should watch for fire traffic and use extreme care. Smoke may impact visibility and drivers should use their lights, slow down and proceed with caution.
A lightning storm passed through central Oregon on Thursday, putting down more than 3,300 strikes. The majority of strikes hit along the east side of the Ochoco National Forest as the storm track northeast. Firefighters will remain positioned around the area to respond to any new starts.