Source: Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center
Central Oregon firefighters coordinated through the Central Oregon Dispatch Center were busy Wednesday with fires ignited by lightning activity that passed through the area Tuesday. Most of the fires remained small due to quick response by initial attack crews. Much of the storm activity was focused along the Cascade Mountains, with some cells drifting to the east.
One of two larger fires, the Devil’s Half Acre Fire, is burning on Prineville Bureau of Land Management protected land approximately one mile west of the Deschutes River, approximately five miles north of Maupin and west of Oak Springs. Initial estimates of fire size are 300 acres; heavy smoke is currently limiting visibility. As of 5:00 p.m., three single engine air tankers and three heavy air tankers are actively dropping retardant on the blaze.
Ground resources on scene include three engines with five additional engines ordered to arrive Wednesday night. A 20-person hand crew is ordered to arrive Thursday morning. Winds 15-20 mph are creating erratic conditions and pushing the fire to the south towards Maupin. A number of developed campgrounds along the river corridor are potentially threatened by the blaze, including White River Campground, White River State Park, Surf City and the Oak Springs Fish Hatchery.
The Fall Canyon Fire is burning on steep slopes on Prineville Bureau of Land Management administered lands along the west side of the Lower Deschutes River, 12 miles north of Grass Valley. The fire, reported at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday evening, has grown to 1000 acres and is burning in steep, rugged terrain and heavy grassy fuels. The river remains open, and no structures are in imminent danger. Three single engine air tankers and sixty firefighters (including the Silver City Hotshots and the Lassen Hotshots) and support personnel responded.
A one-tenth acre fire on the Deschutes National Forest in the Skyliner area west of Bend and north of Meissner Snopark was reported by Lava Butte Lookout around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Initial attack crews responded and contained the fire; no additional resources are needed.
On the Ochoco National Forest, initial attack crews are responding to small five fires; four of the fires are located west of Pisgah Lookout and a fifth fire is located south of Big Summit Prairie east of Horse Prairie. All of these fires are less than ¼ acre in size and quick containment is expected.