7/17/2014 7:30 pm Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

4550 SW Airport Way

Prineville, OR  97754

Contact:  Media Desk:  541-416-6811

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Email:    coidcincidentinformation@gmail.com

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FIRE NEWS--Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

For Immediate Release:  July 17, 2014, 7:30 p.m.

Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update

        

Firefighters continue to respond to existing and new wildfires throughout Central Oregon. Approximately 6 new starts were reported today, the largest of which is Incident #377 (in table below). Crews were consistently challenged by difficult terrain, high temperatures and low relative humidity. A cold front moving through the area brought higher winds, which significantly increased fire behavior this afternoon leading to growth on most fires. A Red Flag Warning is issued for tomorrow for breezy winds and low relative humidity for much of Central and Eastern Oregon. 

Fire Name	Location	Size	Activity
Bridge 99 Complex	Bridge 99 - ½ mile east of Lower Bridge Campground, 9 miles north of Camp Sherman off of FS Rd. 1490 Bear Butte 2 (formerly #318) – adjacent to Jefferson Creek and west of Park Creek drainage within the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Deschutes NF	3,464 acres	Oregon Incident Management Team 2 is managing the fire.  For more information on the fire: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3963/#  or phone: 541-549-3219. Bridge 99 fire continues to move north/northeast.  Fire activity is expected to continue in that direction and is tending to increase in the late afternoon and evening. EVACUATIONS in place:  Level 3 from Allen Springs Campground to Lake Billy Chinook (Metolius Arm) and Level 2 for Three Rivers Subdivision.  Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is managing the evacuations. Lower Bridge, Allen Springs, Pioneer Ford, Monty and Perry South campgrounds are closed.  People going to the area may experience additional closures in the area with fire activity and traffic increasing. New Closure Order for the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness is in place.  New closures are the Jefferson Lake Trail (#40001.1), Sugarpine Ridge trail (#4002), Shirley Lake Trail (#4003), Cabot Lake Trail (#4003) and the Pacific Crest Trail north of the Shirley Lake Trail and south of the Willamette National Forest boundary in the Cathedral Rocks Area.
Waterman Complex	Bailey Butte (private land west of Mitchell). Toney Butte (10 miles northeast of Spray, just east of Hwy 207). Oregon Department of Forestry	4,319 acres 28% containment	Multiple fires are being managed as a complex. A Type II Incident Management Team has taken over management of the fire. For more information, visit: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3961/ Crews expect to begin night time burnout operations to secure the southern containment line for the fire. Fire Information Phone #: 541-462-3140 Email: watermancomplex2014@gmail.com Hwy 26 remains closed from mile post 50 to 56 due to the wildfire and the potential of burned trees landing on the highway.  Please check ODOT’s Tripcheck for updates. A Level III evacuation order remains in place for the Marks Creek area and Level II for West Branch Road.
Pine Creek Complex Now includes: Pine Creek Fire  Jack Knife Fire Black Rock Fire	#364/#368 – 11 miles south of Fossil, in the Carrol Rim Area Jack Knife- Lower John Day Recreation Area, Sherman County, 8 miles SE of Grass Valley. Sherman County  Prineville BLM Black Rock – 3 miles NW of Clarno	15,185 acres 12,856 acres 9,168 acres	A Type II Rocky Mountain Team will assume command of this fire at 0600 tomorrow morning. High temperatures and afternoon winds caused active fire behavior on all fires within this complex this afternoon. Incident 364 and 368 have burned together. Wheeler County Sheriff Dept. issued Level II Evacuation Orders for scattered homes in the Brush Creek area near Twickenham. The Jack Knife Fire is now burning on both sides of the John Day River and has been added to the Pine Creek Complex. The river remains open; however, people recreating on the John Day River should be aware that helicopters may be working in the area and dipping into the river and use appropriate caution. BLM assumed command of the fire today.  Fire was previously burning on unprotected private lands.
Oscar Canyon	In the North Fork Wilderness Study Area 17 miles east of Post, OR. Prineville BLM	315 acres 80% contained	Firefighters continue to engage the fire today.
Center Fire (Formerly the Bonneview Ranch Fire (297)	3 miles NE of Post. Private and Prineville BLM	1,600 acres 25% contained	Good progress being made on the fire today.
Shaniko Butte	12 miles north of the town of Warm Springs. Warm Springs Reservation	20,000 acres	Oregon Incident Management Team 1 is managing the fire.  Resources from the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs and the BIA are working on the fire. Burlington-Northern has provided a firefighting unit that accesses fires via rail. For information on this fire, contact the Shaniko Butte incident at 541-553-8190, or look for information on at  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3960/ The BLM has CLOSED the Lower Deschutes River to all day and overnight use from Trout Creek to Long Bend due to the fire.
Ward Canyon (formerly #347)	8 miles west of Antelope	Estimated at 1,500 acres	Fire was reported 7/14/2014 at 9:14 a.m. The fire continues to be managed by South Sherman County. On 7/16/14, the fire made a run to the west and moved across Highway 97 and is backing toward the Lower Deschutes River.
Incident #377 Private – Ash Butte Rangeland Protection Association/Oregon Dept. of Forestry	12 miles southwest of Clarno	Estimated at 6,000 acres.	Fire is on private land protected by the Ash Butte Rural Fire Protection Association; Oregon Department of Forestry will provide assistance on 7/18. As will most fires today, the fire grew quickly and burned in grass, sagebrush and juniper.

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