Willamette Fire Update
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Fire Update – Sunday, August 27, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. Weather, Fire Behavior and Air Quality A change toward hotter, drier weather and an accompanying increase in fire activity is expected to continue through tomorrow. A cooling trend is predicted beginning Tuesday. Air quality will likely be poor in some areas due to fire activity in the Willamette area and drift smoke from other Oregon fires. DETROIT RANGER DISTRICT FIRES The Whitewater Fire is burning in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness and Willamette National Forest land located approximately 13 miles east of Detroit. Crews will continue to extinguish heat from previous firing operations and strengthen existing control lines from the southwest to the northwest in order to protect public values and private timberlands in those areas. The Little Devil Fire continues to progress slowly southward from its location 2½ miles southeast of the Breitenbush Hot Springs area. Control lines are being constructed south of Breitenbush to keep the fire away from the community and to protect summer homes. MCKENZIE RIVER RANGER DISTRICT FIRES The Horse Creek Complex includes the Avenue Fire, burning three miles southeast of McKenzie Bridge, and the nearby wilderness fires Olallie, Separation and Roney. A heavy smoke layer has minimized fire spread over the last several days. Firefighters continue to plan and construct control lines to protect areas north of the fire and in the McKenzie Bridge area. The Rebel Fire is burning in heavy timber and steep terrain along the South Fork of the McKenzie River. Firefighters are holding the fire east of FSR 19 (Aufderheide Drive) and improving existing contingency lines. Strategy Because most fires are burning in heavy timber and steep terrain with poor access, firefighters are generally using indirect tactics – constructing fireline some distance from the fire’s edge and either allowing the fire to burn up to the control line or burning off hazardous fuels between the control line and the main fire. This overall strategy aims to protect firefighter safety while still accomplishing containment objectives. Transfer of Command The Southwest Area Team 1 Incident Management Team assumed command of the suite of fires from the Pacific Northwest Team 2 Incident Management Team today. The fires will continue to be managed at the Type 1 level, the highest level of incident management. Community Meeting There will be a community meeting on Tuesday, August 29, to discuss the Rebel Fire and the Horse Creek Complex. The meeting will be held at the Upper McKenzie Community Center at 54745 McKenzie River Drive in Blue River, Oregon, at 6:00 p.m.
Quick Facts Incident Summary Approximat e Acreage Reported Date (Cause) Incident Commander
Resources on the Fires
Total Personnel Jurisdiction
Whitewater: 9,578 ac. Horse Ck. Complex: 1,129 ac. Rebel: 2,889 ac. Little Devil: 293 ac. Whitewater: July 23 (lightning) Avenue: August 11 (lightning) Rebel: August 4 (unknown) Bea Day, Southwest Team 1 Type 1 Incident Management Team Whitewater: 22 Crews, 5 Helicopters, 19 Engines, 14 Water Tenders, 7 Dozers. Horse Ck. Complex: 6 Crews, 5 Engines, 1 Water Tender, 5 Dozers Rebel: 2 Crews, 2 Engines Whitewater: 726 Horse Ck. Complex: 194 Rebel: 46 Willamette National Forest and Oregon Department of Forestry
Online Links
InciWeb Incident Info inciweb.nwcg.gov/unit/3860/ Forest and Highway Closures go.usa.gov/xRnz7 tripcheck.com Facebook facebook.com/WillametteWildfires2017 Interactive Map arcg.is/1nSPWa Oregon Smoke Information oregonsmoke.blogspot.com Jones Fire inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5494/