Fir Mountain Fire--Evening Update

[THE DALLES, Ore]   Today firefighters on the Fir Mountain Fire battled winds and humidity similar to what they experienced Sunday.  Air resources were again used to slow the spread of the spotfires in area east of the main fire while crews and equipment were kept busy working to contain any additional spotfires.  Winds blowing embers outside the fireline rapidly ignited the dry fuels and challenged firefighters.    

Initial mapping work today from helicopter platforms and ground truthing identified the perimeter of several of the spotfires on the eastern edge of the fire area.  Fire operations worked with the Wasco County Sheriff who determined the need for a Level 3 Evacuation (GO!) for three residences on Godberson Road.  This evacuation notice is not due to fire growth.  Additionally a Level 1 Evacuation (BE READY!) has been issued for other residences on the eastern flank of the fire.  The details of the evacuation area are available on the Wasco County Sheriff’s Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

With preliminary mapping of the larger main fire and identification of the numerous spotfires the incident management team estimates the total fire acreage to be 200 acres.  Spotfires between the main fire and Godberson Road range in size from a quarter acre to nearly ten.  Sunday night firefighters  completed fireline construction with a bulldozer of a ~2 acre spotfire adjacent to Godberson Road, today this fire was kept within the fireline.  Resources today were successful in minimizing growth of the spotfires using heavy equipment and hand crews in coordination with helicopter bucket drops, water from the fireboss tankers, and large air tanker retardant drops. 

Crews also constructed hoselays to disburse water throughout the fire area for mop-up and to extinguish hot spots and fire outside the fire line.  The heavy fuel in the fire area is hampering efforts to extinguish the fire, as well as making it difficult to secure the line and mop-up the interior.  The fire is estimated to be five percent contained this evening.

The fire was reported late in the night August 1 and remains under investigation.

ODF’s Central Oregon District continues to serve landowners and the public as an essential service for Oregonians.  Please call or email to talk with our staff or schedule an appointment.  For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.

Fire Season Declared for ODF Protection in Central Oregon

[Prineville, Ore.]  Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District will enter Fire Season June 1, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.   This affects private, county, state, and local government lands within the District Boundary.  Summer weather patterns continue to dry wildland fuels and increase the risk for fire spread, these weather patterns also bring the risk of lightning and increase fire activity in the area.  Fire season declaration is intended to reduce human fire starts by restricting some activities related to forest operations and open burning.

“When the District enters fire season it highlights the change of wildland fuel and weather patterns”, explains Rob Pentzer, Acting District Forester.  “It is an indicator to our landowners, operators, and the public that we are trending toward warm, dry weather and we need to change our actions to reduce any potential starts and prevent fires when we can.”

The fire season declaration restricts the use of tracer ammunition and exploding targets within the District, as well as the use of blasting materials.  Smoking while working or traveling through forest operations is also prohibited.  Luminaries (sky lanterns) are always prohibited in Oregon.

All open burning within the Central Oregon District Protection Boundary requires a permit during fire season.  Landowners who burned earlier this spring should check their piles to ensure there is no heat or flames, recent warm temperatures can rekindle these burns if any fire remains.  When checking piles use a shovel to stir the ashes and feel below the surface for heat.  Use water and dirt to extinguish any remaining heat.  Check for local restrictions regarding open burning, as some local governments and fire departments have implemented additional burn bans.

These restrictions do not apply to campfires, however following safe burning practices will decrease the risk of fire spread.  Always make sure your campfire is DEADOUT! before leaving the area and never leave a fire unattended.

In addition to the fire season declaration Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1 will be in effect for regulated use areas MH-1 and MH-4 (Wasco and Hood River counties).  All forest operations should have appropriate fire equipment and perform a fire watch, details for these rules are available at  www.oregon.gov/odf/Fire/Documents/2019%20Fire%20Season%20Requirements.pdf.  Stewardship Foresters from local units within Central Oregon District can provide additional guidance as needed. 

ODF’s Central Oregon District continues to serve landowners and the public as an essential service for Oregonians.  Please call or email to talk with our staff or schedule an appointment.  For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.