7/10/2015 Corner Creek Fire Update AM

Fire Information:  541-987-2348

The Corner Creek Fire grew to 29,407 acres within the established containment lines. The south to southwest flanks of the fire are being mopped up as firefighters continue to extinguish burning material just inside the containment lines. Crews also mopped up within the Black Canyon Wilderness along the northern fire edge. Danger from snags, fire-weakened trees and steep terrain will determine the depth of the mop-up. The eastern flank of the fire has cooled and is now in patrol status. Little precipitation fell over the fire yesterday but cloud cover and cooler temperatures moderated fire behavior and helped achieve a fire containment of 60%.

The weather service is forecasting mostly cloudy weather today with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Moderate to heavy rain is possible along with the potential for flash flooding from noon to 10 p.m. This continued cooler and wetter weather will limit the threat of fire spread and assist firefighters in overall containment of the fire.

Today, firefighters will work to complete the final segment of line on the northwest corner of the fire. They will also work to complete the contingency lines on the northern perimeter and finish mop-up along the fire’s southern to southwest perimeters. The eastern flank is in patrol status.

The fire is burning on public lands managed by the Ochoco National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management – Prineville District, with some private lands within or near to the burned area. A lightning strike on June 29 started the fire in the Black Canyon Wilderness.

The north end of the fire continues to burn in inaccessible, rugged terrain within the Black Canyon Wilderness. Crews building containment lines in this area are using light-on-the-land suppression tactics. They remain camped in a remote “spike” camp to the west of the wilderness to reduce exposure from travel and increase their overall productivity.

Aircraft assigned to the Corner Creek Fire are also being used to help with any new initial attack firefighting efforts and on the West Fork Fire, located 10 miles southeast of Dayville on the Malheur National Forest.

Closure Information

Road Closure: South Fork Road/County Road 42 remains closed to the general public from near Dayville to south of Forest Road 58 junction due to fire activity.

Area Closure: On the North, from the Ochoco National Forest (N.F.) boundary at the North Fork of Birch Creek in Township 13S, Range 25E, Section 30, south to the Ochoco N.F. Boundary near the junction of Forest Roads 58 and 030 (including Sugar Creek Campground), and all roads, trails and Forest lands east to the Ochoco National Forest boundary (see Inciweb map). See closure details at:  http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/maps/4349/10/.