7/19/2018 Sugar Pine Fires Update

On Sunday July 15, lightning started hundreds of fires across Southwest Oregon.  They are rapidly being responded to by Forest Service, Oregon Department of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, Local Fire Districts, Tribal and Crater Lake National Park firefighting resources.  Although many fires have already been contained, as wind and visibility changes, more fires continue to be detected.  For efficiency and improved safety, groups of fires are being managed together on specific land divisions.

The Northwest Incident Management Team #13 has been given responsibility for managing more than 10 fires on the High Cascades Ranger District west of Crater Lake National Park.  The main fires are the Sugar Pine, Round Top and Union Fires.  More details are below.

Today’s actions are to identify and access fire perimeters in order to determine containment opportunities and minimize fire growth.  As inversions lift, more fires are likely to become apparent and will receive initial attack assessment and response. 

Temperatures of 85 degrees are expected today, with winds shifting from the NW (light) to from the NE (stronger, with gusts 10 mph at eye level and 20 mph on ridges).  The deep canyons will make the winds highly variable.  The vegetation is dry enough to burn so it’s especially important to be aware of and report any new fires or fires that are moving in the forest canopy.

Highway warning signs will be posted at the access road to Fire Camp, just south of the Hwy 62 Bridge at Joseph Stewart State Park.  The public is encouraged to slow down and be aware of slow moving fire traffic throughout the area.

West of Hwy 62 (8-10 fires):

Sugar Pine (125 acres with little fire growth)

Elk Horn (Hawk Creek) (10-15 acres) 

Round Top (100 acres; with several spot fires across the 600 Road) 

Sunshine (1 acre)

Goodview (5-10 acres in heavy timber)

Buck Basin (2 acres. Contained 7/16)

Gravel (10 acres, lined.  Mopping up)

A new start North of Round Top is lined.

East of Hwy 62 (5-8 fires):

Union (60+ acres.  E flank has line.  20% contained.  Fire has calmed down)

Alder (7 acres, lined; mop-up)

Soldier (Contained at ½ acre on 7/18)

Coplen (1 acre.  Contained 7/17)