8/3/2020 Matlock Fire Update

With the Matlock Fire 95 percent contained, firefighting operations are winding down and the Northeast Oregon Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team is preparing to hand the fire back to the Umatilla National Forest. Tomorrow morning, Incident Commander Shane Severs and the North Fork John Day Ranger District will take charge of remaining resources to complete containment and restore the landscape. This will be the final daily update for the Matlock Fire.

Firefighters are focusing today on thorough mop-up and patrol of remaining hotspots. Other crews and equipment are working to rehabilitate and repair control lines which are no longer needed to contain the fire.

As part of the wildland firefighting community's commitment to prevent the spread of corona virus, crews are cleaning all fire equipment being returned to the La Grande Fire Cache. The use of a non-toxic and environmentally-friendly disinfectant to sanitize hoses, nozzles, camp equipment, and other gear will protect public and firefighter health and safety.

Firefighting resources assigned include one Interagency Hotshot Crew, one Type 2IA handcrew, seven Type 6 engines, three water tenders, one log loader, and one processor.

On behalf of the Northeast Oregon Interagency Type 3 Incident Management Team, Incident Commander Gabe Hale would like to thank the people of the city of Ukiah, the Ukiah School District, and the counties of Morrow and Umatilla for their hospitality and support of the firefighting effort.

Some hazards and fire traffic remain in the area of the Matlock Fire, so to protect public and firefighter safety, the public is asked to avoid the fire area. A road closure map can be viewed on the Matlock Fire InciWeb site.

A worker from the La Grande Fire Cache sprays down camp equipment with a non-toxic disinfectant to prevent the spread of Corona virus.