07/16/2014 10:00 am Bridge 99 Complex

Wednesday, July 16, 2014   10:00 a.m.

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

Incident Information Officer Jeanne Klein

Incident Command Post located at Sisters Middle School

E-mail:  bridge99fire@gmail.com  Fire Information: (541) 549-3219

Bridge 99 Complex

Start date:       7/13/14	Cause: Lightning	Estimated Size: Bridge 99 Fire: 587 acres; Bear Butte 2 Fire: 460 acres Total complex acres 1,047	% Contained: 0%	# of Firefighters: 200
Injuries to date None	Estimated Containment: N/A	Closures: Pioneer Ford, Lower Bridge, Allen Springs Campgrounds; Portions of Forest Roads 12, 14, and 1140	# of 20-person hand crews: 5	# of helicopters: 1 Type III (light)

Sisters OR - The Bridge 99 Complex consists of two fires (Bridge 99 Fire and Bear Butte 2 Fire) started by lightning on Sunday July 13. The Bear Butte 2 Fire was formerly named the 318 Fire.  The 587-acre Bridge 99 Fire is burning 18 miles northwest of the town of Sisters, east of the Metolius River and west facing slopes of Green Ridge.  The Bear Butte 2 Fire is estimated to be 460 acres.  It is located 4.5 miles southeast of the Mt. Jefferson and bisects Jefferson Creek.  Approximately 60 acres have burned on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs land, with the remaining fire area is within the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness.  The Bear Butte 2 Fire is 7 miles northwest of the Bridge 99 Fire.

A Red Flag Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for low relative humidity (12%) and high winds from 2:00 p.m. today until 11:00 p.m. Friday night.  Temperatures are expected to be in the mid to upper 90s.  The complex is burning in very steep and rugged country with heavy timber and brush at an elevation of 3,000 to 4,000’.  Fortunately, the Bridge 99 Fire is burning in an area that has had recent fires, such as the 2003 B & B Fire, the 2008 Wizard Fire, and the 2013 Green Ridge Fire.  Some of the former control lines from those fire are being utilized to contain this complex.

No evacuations are in effect from this fire but the following Forest Service Roads are closed:  Forest Road 12, from its intersection with Forest Roads 1270/1298 to Bridge 99, Forest Road 14, from Bridge 99 to its intersection with Forest Road 1400700 (Allen Springs Campground), Forest Road 1140, from its intersection with Forest Roads 1150/1180 to the intersection with Forest Road 1152, and Forest Road 1154, from its intersection with Forest Road 1150 to the intersection with Forest Road 1140.  The Lower Bridge, Pioneer Ford, and Allen Springs Campgrounds are closed.

A public meeting will occur tonight at 6:00 p.m. at the Camp Sherman Community Center.

For detailed information on the fire including maps and photos please visit:

http://www.inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3963/