07/01/2015 Sugarloaf Fire AM Update

Oregon Department of Forestry

Incident Management Team 1                                                                                                        

John Buckman, Incident Commander                                                       

                                                                                                                                 

Contact: Brian Ballou, Information Officer, (541) 621-4156                                                           

FIRE AT A GLANCE

DAY SHIFT

4,802 acres (Sugarloaf)

40 percent contained

Resources:

13 crews

18 engines

2 bulldozers

3 water tenders

350 personnel

Today's plans on the 4,802-acre Sugarloaf Fire include completing more of the fire containment lines on the north and southeast edges of the fire and continuing the mop-up. Hoses have been set up in the hotter northeastern part of the fire to help extinguish the heavier fuels. Other fire resources will be patrolling to monitor burned areas for signs of hot spots.  Some residual fuels within the fire area will continue to burn, reducing the chances for the fire to flare up later.

Yesterday this fire team also assumed responsibility for the Schoolhouse Gulch Fire (#296). It is about 2 miles east of Dayville, roughly 100 acres in size, and has been contained and mopped up.

Later today, this fire team will assume suppression responsibility for the Corner Creek Fire (#297). It is burning on the west side of the South Fork John Day River, about 11 miles south of Dayville. This fire covers about 6,000 acres, on the Ochoco National Forest, Bureau of Land Management Prineville District, and private lands. Fire suppression crews from the Sugarloaf Fire were assigned to the Corner Creek Fire today.

The team is also managing an additional incident, the 317-acre Blue Basin Fire (Incident #301). This fire burned on the west side of and adjacent to Sugarloaf. Little heat remains in this fire and firefighters will continue patrolling and monitoring this area. Part of this fire is in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

The forecast for the rest of the week is for continuing hot weather with low humidity. Winds are a concern, especially in the evenings when “sundowner” winds have been gusting to 20 mph.

Information about the Sugarloaf Fire is posted online at www.centralorfireinfo.blogspot.com