ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 23, 2024

September 23, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 3 is in command of the Fossil Complex (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 1 is on rotation.
• Team 2 is on mandatory rest.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 5,421 personnel assigned to the 20 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: As the season hits a turning point, incident management teams and districts are shifting operations to suppression repair to repair the areas that have been disturbed by the either heavy use by vehicles, hand tools or heavy equipment. It is important that we conduct these activities while we have the resources available to do the work.

Suppression repair consists of returning the disturbed areas, fire lines, staging areas, helipads etc., to as natural a state as best as possible to minimize any future damages due to erosion. The activities that the firefighters perform include the use of hand tools to return hand constructed fire lines to a more natural state to direct water runoff and heavy equipment is used for large disturbances by pulling back the removed natural vegetation over the dozer lines to protect the soil and make it easier for the ground to recover.

Weather: A thermal trough builds north along the I-5 corridor today and tomorrow. Expect breezy winds for areas west of the Cascade crest through Tuesday. Wednesday, high pressure exits the region eastward while low pressure fills in behind. Rain falls mainly over western Washington along with isolated thunderstorms. Little rain falls east of the crest. A marine push brings moderately strong winds through the Cascade gaps and lower Columbia Basin. Drier southwest general winds also strengthen across south-central and southeast Oregon. Mild weather under westerly flow returns heading into the weekend. Another drier system crosses Saturday night and Sunday.

Prevention: Check conditions, not the calendar. ODF warns Oregonians against becoming complacent. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 16, 2024

September 16, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 2 is in command of the Fossil Complex (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 1 is on mandatory rest.
• Team 3 is on rotation

ODF Priority Fires – Updated to reflect 0% containment on Bachelor Complex

There are approximately 7,739 personnel assigned to the 20 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: What are ember showers? When we think about wildfires, we usually envision large flames. In fact, a larger danger to communities are wind-borne embers that are carried ahead of the fire perimeter. When the heat generated by an intense wildfire is combined with wind, small embers can travel several miles away from the fire perimeter and create spot fires.

ODF IMT 2 experienced this on the Fossil Complex Fire outside of Spray, Oregon.

Weather: Showers and wet thunderstorms become more focused over eastern Oregon and far southeast Washington today, then will continue overnight. Gusty north winds develop over portions of eastern Washington and north-central Oregon, driest in Washington. Another upper trough moves over the region Tuesday for additional rain across western PSAs and showers east. High pressure builds offshore Wednesday and heading into the weekend. However, how this upper ridge evolves remains rather uncertain for this weekend and early next week.

Prevention: We are optimistic that we’ve hit a turning point in the season, however that doesn’t mean Oregon is in the clear yet. ODF warns Oregonians against becoming complacent. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 13, 2024

September 13, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Shoe Fly Fire (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 2 is in command of the Fossil Complex (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 3 is on rest after returning from the Copperfield Fire (Klamath-Lake District).

ODF Priority Fires

 There are approximately 9,060 personnel assigned to the 25 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: ODF’s first response isn’t just for wildfire, and two ODF firefighters in the Southwest Oregon District proved that this week. After witnessing a semi-truck collide with a sedan in Phoenix, Oregon, two ODF firefighters in a nearby engine leaped into action. Travis Thorpe, relief engine operator, and Connor Bertocchi, crewmember, two positioned their engine to preserve the scene and immediately went to the aid of the sedan driver who was able to get out of their vehicle but was clearly in pain. The firefighters helped her off to the side of the highway out of harm’s way. One went back and did a search of the car to ensure no one else was in the vehicle while the other firefighter stayed by the injured driver’s side. The truck driver remained in his vehicle and appeared to be unharmed.

Thank you, Travis and Connor, for you quick response and outstanding public service!

Weather: Rain will move into northwest Oregon overnight and Saturday. Winds will be generally light east of the Cascades increasing on Saturday. Rain and cooler temperatures will continue next week.

Prevention: We are optimistic that we’ve hit a turning point in the season, however that doesn’t mean Oregon is in the clear yet. ODF warns Oregonians against becoming complacent. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 9, 2024

September 9, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Shoe Fly Fire (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 3 is in command of the Copperfield Fire (Klamath-Lake District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 2 is in command of the Fossil Complex (Central Oregon District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 8,245 personnel assigned to the 24 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Fire weather watches and red flag warnings are not something to ignore. A fire weather watch means critical fire weather conditions are possible, but not imminent or occurring. A red flag warning, on the other hand, means people should take action immediately and be extremely careful with open flames. A red flag warning means fire conditions are imminent, ongoing or expected to occur shortly.

If your area is in a fire weather watch or red flag warning, be wildfire aware and cautious when it comes to potential fire hazards.

Weather: The Geographic Area is between weather systems today. Gusty west winds push through the lower Cascade gaps and across the Columbia Basin. Marine air will bring higher humidity to the western Basin but with little effect further east. Dry and breezy southwest wind will cross southeast Oregon. This wind pattern repeats for most of Tuesday. Cooler showery weather and embedded thunderstorms return Tuesday night through Thursday. Another upper low arrives this weekend to reinforce the cooler temperatures but will not bring significant rain for many areas.

Prevention: By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 6, 2024

September 6, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Shoe Fly and Two Cabin Fire (Central Oregon District) at 6 p.m. today. Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 3 is in command of the Copperfield Fire (Klamath-Lake District). Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 2 will take command of the Fossil Complex (Central Oregon District) today at 6 p.m.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 6,385 personnel assigned to the 23 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: The Oregon Department of Forestry prides itself on its aggressive initial attack on new fire starts. Initial attack is the action taken by resources (people and equipment) first to arrive at the incident.

Why does the agency use aggressive initial attack tactics? In short, the end goal is to keep the fire small. By using aggressive initial attack from the start, the agency not only reduces the cost of the fire but also reduces the risk of firefighter injury, reduces smoke intrusion on communities, and reduces the loss of natural resources.

Weather: Hot, dry, and unstable weather continues into the weekend. Strong mixing increases ventilation for all fires through the weekend. Dry thunderstorms are expected mostly over the southern Oregon Cascades today, linger a while tonight, then be focused over the central Oregon Cascades Saturday. Isolated and short-lived thunderstorms continue Sunday along and east of the Cascades. Any thunderstorm these three days can bring strong to severe outflow winds. Deep low pressure approaches the coast beginning Sunday with dry gusty west winds increasing east of the Cascades through Wednesday. Meanwhile, wetting rain returns from the Cascades westward Monday night with potential for eastside wetting rain by Wednesday but also with chances of thunderstorms.

Prevention: By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Sept. 3, 2024

September 3, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is taking command of the Shoe Fly Fire (Central Oregon District) at 6 p.m. today. Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 3 is in unified command of the Copperfield Fire (Klamath-Lake District) with OSFM Red Team. Follow the incident’s Facebook page for updates.
• Team 2 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 4,774 personnel assigned to the 21 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: ODF’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program started in 2017 and has been growing ever since. Last year alone, the program completed 300 missions and now has over 20 pilots and 30 aircraft. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, help us to detect wildfire, as well as conduct operational mapping and identify hot spots in dangerous terrain. Most importantly UAS are used to provide situational awareness to our firefighters to keep them safe. As time goes on, we expect the utilization of the program to continue to grow and be integrated into more aspects of ODF’s work.

Weather: Cooler temperatures and higher humidity for most areas today. Residual thunderstorms from last night’s activity should end around mid-day. High pressure returns Wednesday with significant warming, drying, and low-level instability. A thermal trough will bring strong ventilation potential to fires in the Cascades and moderate potential elsewhere. Decreasing humidity recovery and easterly flow will prolong fuel drying periods for Western Oregon. Mainly dry thunderstorms are possible across southern Oregon Friday but are much more likely Saturday. These storms could produce moderate lightning counts along with strong outflow wind.

Prevention: Temperatures will rise as the week progresses and conditions remain dry. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 26, 2024

August 26, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 3 is on rotation.
• Team 2 is on standby.
• Team 1 is on rest.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 4,966 personnel assigned to the 12 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: East winds come to the Pacific Northwest every year around the end of August and last through the fall months. They occur from the crest of the Cascades to the Oregon/ Washington coast. Though the winds come annually, significant east wind “events” do not occur every year. If an event does occur, it usually lasts about 48 hours.

The low humidity combined with sustained winds can increase fire behavior and risk west of the Cascades. If the Oregon Department of Forestry knows that an east wind event is going to happen, which can be determined at least 5 days in advance, the agency will preposition resources, adjust schedules, and take necessary precautions to respond to new starts or increased fire behavior quickly.

Weather: Low pressure enters the geographic area tonight with rain and showers mainly focused over western Washington through tomorrow. Isolated thunderstorms are possible across far northeast Washington Tuesday. A dry cold front also crosses Tuesday with strong winds through the Cascade gaps along with slightly below average humidity. Gusty winds are expected elsewhere. High pressure builds over the region Wednesday to bring warmer and drier weather. A thermal trough brings easterly flow and decreased humidity recovery to the Cascade mid and upper slopes through the weekend. Cut-off low pressure near the California coast next weekend increases thunderstorm potential Saturday and beyond.

Prevention: Temperatures will rise as the week progresses and conditions remain dry. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 23, 2024

August 23, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 will transfer command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District) tomorrow. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.
• Team 2 is on standby.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 5,827 personnel assigned to the 13 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: As most recall, this past spring and in years past the Oregon Department of Forestry has sent strike teams, firefighters, and overhead resources out of state to assist with fire suppression efforts in other states. By doing so, our firefighters are trained in new techniques and create professional relationships, and the agency hopes that these states answer our call for help in return when we need it.

This season, those partners returned that generosity tenfold. For example, Alaska shipped out engines on a barge to Oregon with firefighters following by plane. The state sent two rotations of a strike team who helped the Southwest Oregon District in their initial attack efforts. The state also sent multiple overhead positions that assisted with logistics, finance and other key positions statewide.

So far, the state of Oregon has received resources from around 20 states this season.

Weather: Low pressure moves inland today with another day of dry and gusty winds across southeast Oregon and higher humidity wind across the Columbia Basin. Lightning frequency peaks today as thunderstorms cover most of the Geographic Area. Expect a notable increase of ignitions regardless of rainfall. Storms will be relatively dry across eastern Oregon and Washington and moderately wet elsewhere. The general winds will amplify new ignitions and boost the threat of new significant fires. Saturday is cool and showery with showers decreasing early Sunday. Warming and drying returns at some point next week with thermal troughs developing west of the Cascades.

Prevention: By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 19, 2024

August 19, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 7,957 personnel assigned to the 18 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Many members on ODF’s Incident Management Teams consider the team their fire family for the summer, but for

twin sisters Jennifer and Jessica that’s quite literally true. Jennifer Erdmann serves as Planning Sections Chief and Jessica Pires serves as the Communications Unit Leader on ODF’s Incident Management Team 1.

As of today, August 19, they’ve spent 34 days on fire assignments this year, and we’re about halfway through a typical fire year. Thank you to Jennifer, Jessica and all the Incident Management Team members helping to manage and organize wildfire suppression efforts across the state.

Weather: Low pressure moves into northwest Washington today with western Washington showers. Expect gusty general winds with higher humidity for the lower western Basin but humidity will be much lower for the upper eastern Basin and southeast Oregon. Similar weather for Tuesday and Wednesday as showers expand across the area though with weaker winds and slightly higher humidity. A new upper low deepens offshore on Wednesday then moves inland through the weekend. Showers and generally wet thunderstorms return Thursday and Friday. Increased general winds Thursday and Saturday.

Prevention: By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 16, 2024

August 16, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,000 personnel assigned to the 18 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Helitack crews are made up of seven or more aerially delivered firefighters whose primary mission is responding to new fires quickly, suppressing fires, and using the helicopter to support fireline operations. The helicopter and specialized crew can insert firefighters into the fire area quickly, especially in areas where vehicle access is limited. Helicopter transport can also reduce the time needed to hike into remote areas.

Helitack crews play an important role – not only being able to respond quickly and insert firefighters on the ground, but to manage and support the helicopter with water delivery via a “bucket” to extinguish the fire. They also aid in the delivery of additional firefighters, tools, equipment, and other supplies to the fire area in support of the firefighters on the ground.

The Oregon Department of Forestry has a Statewide Severity Helitack crew based in John Day and district crews in the Klamath-Lake District, Coos Forest Protective Association and Southwest Oregon District.

The department also runs a detailer program where ODF employees from across the state can detail into a crew to learn more about aviation and become a Helicopter Crew Member Trainee (a steppingstone to Helicopter Manager). This program is so that we can help train and build the next generation of helicopter managers.

Weather: Scattered thunderstorms will return along the eastern Washington Canadian border this afternoon. These storms have potential for frequent lightning, very heavy rain, and strong outflow winds. Isolated but weaker storms affect northeast Oregon. Saturday, low pressure will swing a strong cold front from south to north across areas east of the Cascades. Peak wind speeds range from 20-30 mph with gusts to 40 mph and locally 50 mph. Main area of concern will be southeast Oregon where humidity falls to the lower teens. Thunderstorms will also move from south to north from the Cascades westward. These storms bring frequent lightning, heavy rain with potential for flash floods, and strong outflow winds. Showers continue moving north Saturday night and into Washington Sunday morning. Cooler weather remains early next week westside while conditions return close to average eastside.

Prevention: Thunderstorms and lightning are expected across the state over the weekend. With firefighters patrolling over the weekend to detect new starts, do your part by actively practicing wildfire prevention. By taking extra steps, you can prevent the next human-caused wildfire in Oregon and reduce strain on resources.

 Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 15, 2024

August 15, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in unified command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association) with OSFM Green Team. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,227 personnel assigned to the 18 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: An Incident Management Team (IMT) is a group of ICS-qualified personnel consisting of an Incident Commander, Command and General Staff, and personnel assigned to other key ICS positions. An IMT provides a command and control infrastructure in order to manage all elements associated with complex incidents. An IMT is mobilized when a fire becomes larger than the local district can manage while also needing to respond to other fires that occur in their district.

The 1955 fire season revealed a gap in Oregon’s wildfire response capacity—a trained, qualified team of people able to come in and handle major fires when the incident management needs exceeded the capabilities of local resources. In 1956, ODF’s first incident management team deployed to do just that.

Since then, ODF’s three IMTs have been deployed in state nearly 200 times. About a quarter of those deployments have been in just the past decade, corresponding with the increase in wildfire complexity and intensity we’ve been experiencing in Oregon. The Oregon Department of Forestry has three Type 1 IMTs. The agency has deployed an IMT seven times in the last month and a half.

While the majority have been wildfire incidents, our IMTs are all-hazards qualified and have responded to a variety of other emergencies.  In recent years, we supported Curry County’s response to a cyber security incident and Lane County after a large ice storm. Early in the pandemic, our team members were tasked with helping establish the incident command structure necessary to sustain the state’s response to COVID-19.

Weather: Thunderstorms will continue spreading north and east through Friday. Storms become wetter beginning this afternoon generating moderate or heavy rain. Also expect moderately strong outflow winds. Cooler temperatures with breezy general winds continue through early next week. Western Oregon PSAs have the best chance for wetting rain Saturday evening followed by western Washington PSAs on Sunday. East-central and southeast Oregon will be warm, dry, and windy both days. Saturday afternoon and evening a cold front will cross from south to north and is trending stronger.

Prevention: Even with the moderating weather, Oregon is still incredibly dry. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 14, 2024

August 14, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in unified command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association) with OSFM Green Team. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,300 personnel assigned to the 20 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: The Salem Coordination Center (SCC) is a statewide dispatch center based in Salem that plays a key role in maintaining the complete and coordinated statewide fire protection system in Oregon. The dispatchers track every resource dispatched from the Oregon Department of Forestry and work with other dispatch centers to order new resources as needed.

Over the last several weeks, their primary duty has been to mobilize resources from other states and countries to relieve the strain on the agency’s firefighters. They are also tasked with mobilizing ODF’s incident management teams when the time comes.

Weather: Today brings a break in convection and winds. Thursday and Friday have another low-pressure trough developing along the coast. Thunderstorms return tonight across south-central Oregon then expand north and east through early Thursday morning. Storms begin drier and then evolve Thursday afternoon through Friday to bring moderate or heavy rain plus moderately strong outflow wind. Additionally, general winds become gusty each afternoon. Cooler temperatures and breezy winds continue through the weekend. Saturday appears more showery than Sunday. Western PSAs have the best chance for wetting rain on Sunday.

Prevention: Even with the moderating weather, Oregon is still incredibly dry. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 13, 2024

August 13, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in unified command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association) with OSFM Green Team. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,740 personnel assigned to the 23 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Murphy Williamson, a Paw-perations Section Chief for ODF Team 1, wants to remind you to have an evacuation plan for you and your pets.

Having a plan in place means less stress in the event of an emergency. If you evacuate, your pet should too. Having a pet go-bag and emergency plan can save precious time. Your pet’s go-bag should include food, water, medication, a collar with an ID tag, and familiar items. If possible, evacuate animals sooner rather than later.

Keep your pets safe year-round by being prepared.

Weather: Thunderstorms will depart northeast Oregon today but continue along the Canadian border through the evening. Main concern for new ignitions remains across NW11 as storms produce abundant lightning with less rainfall. General wind will be weaker through the Cascade gaps and across southeast Oregon today. Wednesday brings a break in convection and winds. Thursday through the weekend brings another low-pressure trough with west side rain along with eastside thunderstorms plus periods of gusty winds. There is low confidence in rain amounts and if thunderstorms will be wet or dry.

Prevention: Even with the moderating weather, Oregon is still incredibly dry. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 12, 2024

August 12, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is in command of the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is in unified command of the Dixon Fire (Douglas Forest Protective Association) with OSFM Green Team. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is on rotation.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,377 personnel assigned to the 24 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Last week, The Adjutant General (TAG) visited the four Oregon National Guard hand crews deployed to assist in wildfire suppression to recognize outstanding performers, observe firefighting operations, and underscore the Guard’s crucial role in protecting Oregon’s communities during this challenging wildfire season.

While there, the service members voted on who would be the recipient of a challenge coin, an honor normally given to a fellow service member. In this rare instance however, ORNG members voted to have Dana Turner, ODF crew boss for one of the Oregon National Guard hand crews, be the recipient of the coin in recognition of her support, effort and dedication to her crew and Oregon.  It is rare for the challenge coin recipient to be a civilian, and Turner is honored to have received it.

Weather: Low pressure over the Pacific Northwest maintains the threat for thunderstorms and gusty Cascade gap winds through Tuesday. Main thunderstorm concern for new ignitions will be for Monday night through Tuesday across northeast Oregon as faster moving storms potentially produce abundant lightning. Along the Canadian border, some storms may also produce significant lightning and/or strong outflow wind. However, heavy rain there should mitigate most ignition potential. Westerly general wind increases, especially through the Cascade gaps and across southeast Oregon. Wednesday brings a break in convection and winds. Thursday through the weekend brings another low-pressure trough with west side rain along with eastside thunderstorm potential and periods of gusty general wind.

Prevention: August is historically known for higher fire danger. Help relieve the strain on our firefighters by practicing wildfire prevention. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 9, 2024

August 9, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is being mobilized to the Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District) today. They will take command of the fire late Saturday from the North Carolina Incident Management Team ODF ordered through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement a few weeks ago. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 2 is on rotation.
• Team 3 is on mandatory rest.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,588 personnel assigned to the 29 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Happy Birthday Smokey Bear! After 80 years in the business, Smokey is a pro when it comes to wildfire prevention. Join Smokey today by putting your Smokey Hat on and preventing the next wildfire.

How do you prevent the next wildfire? By taking a few extra steps in your daily life, you can prevent a fire. First, check your local regulations where you live and wherever you recreate. Then, visit keeporegongreen.org to learn more about wildfire prevention and what you can do to keep Oregon safe.

Weather: East to northeast winds across the Columbia Basin, the Columbia River Gorge, and part of the Cascades will decrease today as the pressure gradient relaxes to favor less northeast wind and with westerly winds returning Saturday. Wet thunderstorms are likely over the Cascades of both Oregon and Washington today through the weekend. Isolated storms are possible over central and northeastern Oregon today and this evening. Temperatures will peak today and then begin decreasing over the weekend as the overall weather pattern shifts to favor moderating fire weather.

Prevention: August is historically known for higher fire danger. Help relieve the strain on our firefighters by practicing wildfire prevention. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 8, 2024

August 8, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is being mobilized to the Cottage Grove -Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District) today. They will take command of the fire late Saturday.
• A North Carolina Complex Incident Management Team is in command of the Cottage Grove-Lane 1 Fire (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page. This team was ordered in by ODF through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement. ODF IMT 1 will take command late Saturday afternoon.
• Team 2 is on rotation.
• Team 3 is travelling home.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,592 personnel assigned to the 32 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: With our new friends from Alaska, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories on assignment with the Statewide Support Team, we thought it was a good time for a little geography lesson.

Considering the U.S. has 50 states and Canada has 13 provinces and territories, we’ll call it a tie. ODF staff got stumped on Nunavut and New Brunswick while the Canadian firefighters struggled with Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and the other smaller states in the northeast. Good news is that they knew where Oregon was.

These firefighters were brought to Oregon through the NW Compact and will be serving the state in Planning, Logistics and Finance roles.

The purpose of the NW Compact is to promote effective prevention, suppression, and control of forest fires in the Northwest wildland region of the United States and Western areas of Canada. It provides an efficient way for member states, provinces, and territories to cope with wildland fires that might be beyond the capabilities of a single member agency, through information sharing, technology and resource distribution.

Weather: General north to northeast wind increases today. Some wind spills across the Cascades between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Jefferson. Focus will be on the western Gorge where local gusts reach 30-35 mph at typical windy points. Friday, general winds return westerly and gusty especially through the typical Cascade gaps. Meanwhile, upper low pressure deepens along the coast before moving inland early next week. Low level instability increases triggering increasing mixing heights. North Washington thunderstorms will continue through the weekend. These storms start wet and trend drier with time, but generally remain isolated in coverage. Eastern Oregon has drier storms returning Friday and continuing into next week. Friday and Saturday show increased lightning potential for PSAs NW11 and 12.

Prevention: August is historically known for higher fire danger. Help relieve the strain on our firefighters by practicing wildfire prevention. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 7, 2024

August 7, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is on rotation
• Team 2 is on rest
• Team 3 is transitioning off the Battle Mountain Complex near Ukiah (ODF Northeast Oregon District) today. CIMT SW Team 3 will take command of the complex at 6 p.m. today. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Cottage Grove Complex (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page. This team was ordered in by ODF through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,487 personnel assigned to the 33 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Firewise USA is a program that helps guide communities in the process of protecting their homes and neighborhood from wildfire. The program is run by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and co-sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters and U.S. Forest Service.

The Oregon Department of Forestry is responsible for administering the program in Oregon and is a resource to help guide communities in becoming wildfire resilient, find grants to fund projects, and give expert advice.

This work is not done alone. Through the help of ODF’s partners, like the Oregon State Fire Marshal, community coordinators, and local fire departments, we all work together to complete assessments and help the community develop action plans for implementing wildfire risk reduction activities.

What are the benefits of becoming a Firewise USA site? By becoming a Firewise USA site, you can educate your community and work to become more wildfire resilient. As a Firewise USA site, you have access to a number of wildfire partners, like the Oregon Department of Forestry, to help you in securing grants, getting advice, help in coordination and more. For example, this past spring ODF Western Lane District held community chipping days for their Firewise USA sites to assist in reducing fallen debris from the recent ice storm.

The continuation and growth of the Firewise USA program in Oregon is just one way we can create more fire adapted communities and protect our neighbors.

Weather: General winds shift and come from the north and northeast today. Winds increase Thursday and spill across the Cascades between Mt. Rainier and Mt. Jefferson. Expect light to moderate east wind to be focused on the western Gorge where local gusts reach 30-35 mph at typical windy points. Friday, general winds flip back westerly and become gusty through the typical Cascade gaps, strongest in the central and eastern Gorge plus the Kittitas Valley. Meanwhile, upper low pressure deepens along the Pacific Northwest coast. Showers and thunderstorms will continue through the weekend and remain along the Canadian border plus the north Washington Cascades. These storms will be on the wet side with lower end lightning counts. Storms expand to eastern Oregon beginning Friday but will trend toward the drier side, but also with lower end lightning counts.

Prevention: August is historically known for higher fire danger. Help relieve the strain on our firefighters by practicing wildfire prevention. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 6 2024

August 6, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is on rotation
• Team 2 is travelling home today.
• Team 3 is in command of the Battle Mountain Complex near Ukiah (ODF Northeast Oregon District). Governor Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for this fire. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• North Carolina Forest Service Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) is in command of the Cottage Grove Complex (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page. This team was ordered in by ODF through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,804 personnel assigned to the 33 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: Do you know how to check the air quality in your area? As wildfire season continues to bring smoke to Oregon’s communities, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality encourages you to check your air quality by viewing the Air Quality Index on https://aqi.oregon.gov/ or the free OregonAIR smartphone app.

Weather: Showers and storms move out of the geographic area this morning then redevelop along the Canadian border this afternoon. General westerly winds increase further today east of the Cascades, particularly near the gaps. Warm and dry weather prevails the rest of the week, though showers and thunderstorms continue along the Canadian border and far north Cascades. Storms should be wet, but Thursday, Friday, and Saturday could become problematic from lightning activity. Strengthening low pressure over the Great Basin starting Wednesday will enhance northerly winds across eastern Oregon heading into the weekend.

Prevention: So far this year, more than 80% of the fires ODF has responded to were caused by people. While many of those were likely unintentional, it doesn’t make them any less destructive. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 5, 2024

August 5, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 1 is on mandatory rest.
• Team 2 is transferring command of the Winding Water Complex west of Wallowa (Northeast Oregon District) to a local Type 4 team today. Updates available on the District’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 is in command of the Battle Mountain Complex near Ukiah (ODF Northeast Oregon District). Governor Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for this fire. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• North Carolina Forest Service Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) is in command of the Cottage Grove Complex (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page. This team was ordered in by ODF through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 9,883 personnel assigned to the 31 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: As fire activity increased in the beginning of July, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s leadership decided to stand up the Statewide Support Team in Salem. This was done to provide accurate and streamlined information, tracking and key documentation of the state’s fire situation while keeping unnecessary workloads off ODF field staff.

As we move into August, the team is now in a space where they can look forward to the coming months and make proactive decisions that will benefit Oregon’s natural resources and communities.

Weather: Thunderstorm focus shifts to the Oregon/Idaho border today. Storms across NE Oregon remain more wet than dry and may have bouts of frequent lightning production. Storms elsewhere across the eastern quarter of the Geographic Area will be more dry than wet, but produce less frequent lightning. General westerly winds steadily increase each afternoon through Tuesday east of the Cascades, particularly near the gaps. Warm and dry weather prevails the rest of the week. Strengthening low pressure over the Great Basin starting Wednesday will enhance northerly winds across eastern Oregon heading into the weekend.

Prevention: Be fire smart this weekend. So far this year, more than 80% of the fires ODF has responded to were caused by people. While many of those were likely unintentional, it doesn’t make them any less destructive. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)

ODF Wildland Fire Situation Report – Aug. 2, 2024

August 2, 2024

ODF Incident Management Teams

• Team 2 is in command of the Winding Water Complex west of Wallowa (Northeast Oregon District). Updates available on the District’s Facebook page.
• Team 1 is transitioning out of Battle Mountain Complex – Zone 1 and Courtrock fire near Monument (ODF Central Oregon District) today. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• Team 3 will take full command of the Battle Mountain Complex near Ukiah (ODF Northeast Oregon District) at 6 p.m. tonight. Governor Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for this fire. Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page.
• North Carolina Forest Service Complex Incident Management Team (CIMT) is in command of the Cottage Grove Complex (ODF South Cascade District). Updates available on the incident’s Facebook page. This team was ordered in by ODF through a state-to-state mutual aid agreement.

ODF Priority Fires

There are approximately 10,042 personnel assigned to the 40 large fires across the state, not including many of the local and agency government employees, landowners, forestland operators, and members of the community who are contributing every day.

ODF Highlight: The Oregon Department of Forestry prioritizes not just the physical health of our firefighters, but their mental health as well. With the help of Responder Life, the department has created a Peer-to-Peer Support Group. Peer support members have been trained by Responder Life and are ready to help! We are thankful to be able to offer a vast list of resources that can help our firefighters on and off the line.

We encourage firefighters and all ODF staff to peruse the Responder Life website to see what resources are available or reach out and we can help get you in touch with a peer support member.

Weather: Hot and dry conditions are in place over the region today and through the weekend. Cumulus clouds with isolated thunderstorms are likely over the Oregon and northern Washington Cascades today expanding tonight into southwest Oregon and south-central Oregon. On Saturday and Sunday thunderstorms will include more of eastern Oregon. Thunderstorms will begin with some dry lightning strikes, but rain showers are expected to increase as the storms become more wet. Strong general winds are not anticipated to be a factor for the next several days, although gusty local winds are possible near thundershowers.

Prevention: Be fire smart this weekend. So far this year, more than 80% of the fires ODF has responded to were caused by people. While many of those were likely unintentional, it doesn’t make them any less destructive. Know the fire danger level of the areas where you live, work and play, and follow all local restrictions on burning, equipment use, campfires and other activities that can start wildfires. Find danger levels and restrictions across the state here.

Resources

• ODF wildfire blog and Public Fire Restrictions/Danger Levels map
• Regional situation report and national situation report
• Inciweb (information, photos, videos, and maps from specific incidents)