8/4/2020 Fir Mountain Morning Update

FIR MOUNTAIN FIRE—MORNING UPDATE

THE DALLES, ORE. -  Late Monday night an infrared camera was flown over the Fir Mountain Fire.  This flight provided valuable information to firefighters as to the location of spot fires and the intensity of heat in the fire perimeter.  Firefighters on the line can use this information to focus efforts and secure areas which pose the greatest risk for spotting outside the existing fireline.  The perimeter was mapped using this information and the acreage has been updated to 313 acres.  This includes areas of unburned fuels within the perimeter between spot fires.  Containment for the fire is 15%.

Today firefighters will continue to use direct and indirect tactics to construct fireline on the perimeter of the main body of the fire and the spot fires.  Aircraft will be used to cool the east side of the fire to allow firefighters to build fireline in these areas.  The heavy fuel load within the fire perimeter and the unburned fuel between spot fires creates a significant workload because of the intense heat in the large fuels, increased fireline needed along the perimeter of each “spot”, and difficulty in constructing fireline to mineral soil in areas with vegetation.  Crews are working to continue construction of hoselays from the western part of the fire to distribute water for mop-up and to use for cooling the fire edge as needed.

There are approximately 200 fire fighters assigned to the fire.  Resources include dozers, skidgens, excavators, tenders, feller bunchers, wildland fire engines, Type 1 and Type 2 hand crews, helicopters, and air tankers.  Resources assigned to the night shift have focused on mop-up work, opening roads for better access to the east side of the fire and containing any additional spotting.

For public safety road closures are in place for Godberson Road and Fir Mountain Road due to fire suppression activity.  Evacuation information for the eastern flank of the fire is available at https://www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.