7/18/2014 Waterman Complex Evening Update

Waterman Complex – Mitchell, Oregon

Information Center – 541-787-4321

Incident Commander Doug Johnson

Start Date	Cause	Total Acres	Percent Containment	Crews	Engines	Water Tenders	Helos	Dozers	Total Personnel
7/12/2014	Lightning	7,865	35%	23	26	14	5	10	760

A PUBLIC MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY AT 4 PM AT THE MITCHELL COMMUNITY HALL LOCATED AT 108 S. NELSON ST.  A COMPLEX UPDATE WILL BE GIVEN.

Location:  Four fires near Mitchell, Service Creek, and Kimberly, Oregon.

Evacuation Notices-

The West Branch area remains under a Level III Evacuation Notice. A Red Cross Shelter is located at the 108 S. Nelson St (Community Hall) in Mitchell.

The Marks Creek area remains under a Level III Evacuation.  A Red Cross Shelter is located at the Crook
County High School in Prineville.

Those seeking to travel to or from the Mitchell area are advised to check the Oregon Department of
Transportation Trip Check website for open roads.  The Ochoco National Forest has closed public access
within the forest south of the Bailey Butte fire due to increased fire activity.

A water tender rolled over on its side this morning enroute to east side of the Bailey Butte Fire.  The vehicle
rolled over on its side and off the road approximately 20 ft.  The driver was assessed on scene by medical
personnel and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.

Current Situation

The Complex consists of four fires: Bailey Butte, Toney Butte, Junction Springs and Incident #376. Firefighting resources continue to arrive to assist in suppression efforts. Suppression actions of the day include: providing structure protection on the West Branch Road and Marks Creek area; constructing and holding fire line,
mopping-up hot spots, patrolling, scouting new fire line locations, and reducing fuels along existing roads.
Aviation assets were utilized to assist in containment efforts. Firefighters are challenged with steep terrain
and a Red Flag Warning for low relative humidity and gusty winds

Bailey Butte Fire – 5,625 acres, 10% contained. Additional crews were assigned to work the eastern edge
of the fire where it has been most active. The fire was backing down into the West Branch Road area.  Dozers worked to construct fire line between the structures and the forward moving fire.  Structural protection engines
were in place.  Later in the day, fire crossed the established line pushed by wind gusting to 20 mph. 
The fire also grew southeast toward the Wildwood Campground.   A burnout operation began to check the
forward movement of fire spread towards infrastructure in the Wildwood Campground and Crystal Spring Organization Camp. Burnout operations are expected to continue into the night.  Crews are continuing to prep Forest Service Road 2630 with indirect line and preparing it for burn-out operations.  The northern portion
showed no growth.  A spike camp has been established in Spears Meadow to reduce travel time for
firefighters.

Toney Butte Fire – 2,220 acres, 90% contained.  Crews will continue to cold trail, mop up hot spots, and
patrol the fire perimeter.

Junction Springs Fire– 20 acres, 100% contained. This fire remains in patrol status and monitored by air.

Incident #376 - .25 acres, 100% contained.  This fire is cold and black around the perimeter. One snag remains to be felled.

Ochoco National Forest Closure Area:

This closure has been enacted due to firefighting activities taking place within the closure area and for the protection of public and employee safety. The Bailey Butte Fire Closure Area is established within boundary lines on its north side by the Forest boundary and its south side following a system of closed Forest roads which include:

Forest Roads 450, 2630, 150, 2200, 2210, 300, 2610, Buck Creek Road to its intersection with the east edge of the Mill Creek Wilderness and Forest Roads 650, 27, 2745, 010 and the 2750.  All roads and trails within the bounds of the Forest Closure are closed.  All campgrounds within the Forest Closure area including Walton Lake, Round Mountain, Crystal Springs, Wildwood, Ochoco Divide, and Whistler are closed.

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): Two TFRs are in place over the Complex. One is located over the Bailey Butte Fire and the other over the Toney Butte Fire. Please check the NOTAM for current information.

For more information on the Waterman Complex visit:

Inciweb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3961/

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