Private lands protected by ODF and Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue, as well as some BLM lands, are affected by the Graham Fire in central Oregon, which Gov. Brown has declared a Conflagration. The 2,055-acre Graham Fire is located in southern Jefferson County north of Sisters and south of Lake Billy Chinook. The fire was reported at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 21. It is burning in an area of grass, brush and scattered juniper. Hundreds of homes are located in developments in the area. The Jefferson County Sheriff issued Level 3 evacuation orders (GO!) yesterday for many residences in the Three Rivers subdivision threatened by the fire. Those are still in effect. The threat to homes also qualifies the fire for partial reimbursement of suppression costs by FEMA.
Local firefighters have been engaged on the fire since yesterday, joined by structural teams from the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal. Ground forces have been aided by aerial resources including single-engine airtankers and heavy airtankers. Good progress was made overnight towards containment. The fire has burned into some complex canyon terrain, where it will take additional efforts to establish containment lines.
Local firefighters have been engaged on the fire since yesterday, joined by structural teams from the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal. Ground forces have been aided by aerial resources including single-engine airtankers and heavy airtankers. Good progress was made overnight towards containment. The fire has burned into some complex canyon terrain, where it will take additional efforts to establish containment lines.
A Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMAS) Type 3 Team has been managing the wildland fire operations since last night, with the Oregon Office of the State Fire Marshal Green Team in charge of structural firefighting activities since midnight because of the threat to homes in the area.
ODF is sending its Incident Management Team 2 to the fire. The Team, headed by South Cascade District Forester Chris Cline, will arrive at 3 p.m. today for an in-briefing from the local team. The plan is for ODF to take unified command of the fire at 6 p.m. today with the OSFM Green Team.
Multiple resources are on scene and firefighters will continue to mop up around structures, flank the edge of the fire and try to contain the fire that is pushing to the northeast through Big Canyon. Additional resources have been ordered and are arriving today. Warm temperatures are anticipated in the next few days along with the return of windy conditions, which will continue to push firefighters working on the fire.
Residents and the public are reminded not to cross roadblocks into evacuation areas. Some structures may have been damaged by the fire, but due to safety concerns firefighters have not been able to investigate all areas of the fire. For further information regarding evacuations, please refer to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Facebook site or call the Jefferson County Sheriff at 541-475-6520. Oregon State Fire Marshal is assessing properties within the fire boundary.
Multiple resources are on scene and firefighters will continue to mop up around structures, flank the edge of the fire and try to contain the fire that is pushing to the northeast through Big Canyon. Additional resources have been ordered and are arriving today. Warm temperatures are anticipated in the next few days along with the return of windy conditions, which will continue to push firefighters working on the fire.
Residents and the public are reminded not to cross roadblocks into evacuation areas. Some structures may have been damaged by the fire, but due to safety concerns firefighters have not been able to investigate all areas of the fire. For further information regarding evacuations, please refer to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Facebook site or call the Jefferson County Sheriff at 541-475-6520. Oregon State Fire Marshal is assessing properties within the fire boundary.
Updated
information for the Graham Fire is available on InciWeb-https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5855/
information for the Graham Fire is available on InciWeb-https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5855/
Statewide, there is a continuing risk of holdover fires from the recent lightning storms that passed over many parts of Oregon. Winds are expected to pick up on the east slopes of the Cascades and into the basins on the east side. With schools out and late June weekends being a traditional time when many Oregonians head for the outdoors, fires started by humans are also a cause for concern.