08/25/08 Ochoco Nat'l Forest
 
As of Monday 6pm: Containment: 90% Acres: 4,891
Due to increased interest in utilization of the Ochoco National Forest that is currently in closure, the Forest Supervisor has issued this revised closure order to go into effect at 12:00 am on Tuesday, August 26, 2008: Forest Road 2630 beginning from its junction with Forest Road 2630-404 and 2630-405 to its intersection with Forest Road 2230. The area encircled by a boundary line beginning at the junction of Forest Road 2630 and Forest Road 2630-450, thence in a northeasterly direction along Forest Road 2630-450 (including Forest Road 2630-450), to its intersection with private land near Bridge Creek, thence along the private property/Forest boundary in a clockwise direction to the northeast corner of Section 26 in Township 12-South, Range 21-East, thence following the section line south to the southeast corner of Section 35 in Township 12-South, Range 21-East, thence west along the section line to the southwest corner of Section 35 in Township 12-South, Range 21-East, thence south along the section line to its intersection with Forest Road 2630, thence west along Forest Road 2630 to the beginning. This closure will remain in effect until further notice. This revision was made to accommodate the public and to continue providing safety to firefighters and the public. Anyone entering the area should use care as firefighting personnel and equipment will still be in the area using the Forest Service Roads. The Northwest Fire Use Management Team will turn over command of the Ochoco Wildland Fire Use (WFU) Complex to a Type 3 Team on Tuesday, August 26, 2008. Crews have been checking the spread of the Black Canyon Fire with localized suppression actions around the fire perimeter. Over this past weekend, lower humidity and higher temperatures assisted firefighters in locating remaining hot spots. Most smokes were in the interior. Smoldering fuels within 100 feet of the fire perimeter were extinguished. The fire remains at about 2,000 acres, of which 1,160 acres is wilderness. In the Black Canyon Wilderness, crews have been using minimum impact techniques (MIST) to check and hold the spread of the fire. A fuel break was made by hand to clear away fuels rather than by digging a fire line, and water use has been from portable tanks instead of wilderness streams reducing noise from pumps. When dead trees were removed for firefighter safety, the cut faces on stumps were away from trails and roads and grooves were cut in stumps to accelerate their decay over time. Last Sunday, August 17, the Black Canyon and Wolf WFU fires merged and grew rapidly to a point making it difficult to achieve management objectives. If the merged fire had gone unchecked, fire management specialists estimated there was an 80% chance the fire would burn past the maximum management boundaries identified for this wildland fire use. Forest managers decided to check the fire along selected lines near its present location to reduce the risk of not meeting resource and fire management objectives. The need to also manage other wildfires in Central Oregon influenced that decision as fire fighting resources were stretched thin by high demand at that time. An Area Closure is still in effect for the entire Black Canyon Wilderness. Dusty Camp and Boeing Field trailheads remain closed. The following forest roads adjacent to the wilderness are also being closed: FR 38 is closed between the junction with FR 1250 and the junction with FR 3850; FR 5810 is closed in its entirety, north from its junction with FR 58; FR 5840 is closed above its intersection with FR 5830; FR 5820 is closed above its intersection with 5830. Permittees and local landowners within the closure area will be allowed access with escorts. The closure was amended to provide additional access for hunters where it was safe to do so. Please contact the Paulina Ranger District at 541-477-6900 for further updates or other information on the closure. The one-acre Whistler Fire in the Mill Creek Wilderness is out. The fire is winding down and efforts are underway for the transition to a Type 3 Team on Tuesday. Demobilization of fire personnel continues to bring the fire to rehabilitation and patrol level staffing. Mop up is in the final stages where crews systematically cover the ground and extinguish any hot spots they may have missed. Palm IR crews (a Palm IR is a portable infrared scanning device to detect hot spots) are verifying the effectiveness of the crew’s efforts from mop up. The Burn Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) Team is continuing their assessment.
As of Friday 8am:
 
 
FIRE ACTIVITY SUMMARY: Even with warmer and drier weather yesterday crews were able to keep a handle on the Bridge Creek Fire. Mop up efforts will continue throughout the day on all sides of the fire. Rehabilitation of dozer and hand lines will start today.  A large unburned interior island and especially the anticipated warmer drier weather remains a concern.  A crew will be assigned to mop up the interior island.  The weather allowed heli repellers access to control two spot fires outside the southeast perimeter of the fire.
 
A Burn Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) Team will be arriving to conduct a comprehensive assessment of resources at risk (including fisheries, soil, hydrology, vegetation, and cultural resources) to determine rehabilitation needs on the fire.
 
Acreage is estimated at 4902 acres with 50% containment.  A total of 595 fire personnel are assigned to the fire.
 
EXPECTED DATE OF CONTAINMENT: August 25, 2008.

WEATHER: High pressure will build back up today resulting in a warming and drying trend for the weekend. By Sunday temperatures will be back to normal or a few degrees warmer then normal.  A series of storms will move into region late Sunday or Sunday night, bringing cooler and unsettled weather into Tuesday.  Temperatures are forecasted at 63-69 degrees with wind speeds between 5-10 miles per hour.
 
 
CURRENT RESTRICTIONS:  An area closure is expected to remain in effect in the vicinity of the Bridge Creek Fire. It is defined by the 22 road, the 2210, and the northern Forest boundary.  Walton Lake campground remains open. A temporary flight restriction is in place for a six mile radius around the fire (lat. 44 29’ 00”, long 120 14’ 00”)  
 
COOPERATING AGENCIES: Oregon Department of Forestry
SPECIAL MESSAGE:  The public is reminded that dry, warmer weather is moving in.  For that reason we ask that they continue to be pay attention to local restrictions and, where allowed, keep open fires small and manageable. 
QUICK FACTS:Acres: 4,902Containment: 50%Location: Bridge Creek Wilderness, 5 miles S/SW of MitchellCause: LightningStart Date/Time: August 7, 2008 / 7:16 pmExpected Containment Date: August 25, 2008  Total personnel: 595  Crews: 15, 4 Type 1 Hot Shots, 11 Type 2, Dozers: 6,  Engines: 27, Helicopters: 2-lights 1-heavy, Water tenders: 14

 
As of 10am Thursday:
 
Cause: Lightning
Acres: 4,902
Containment: 45%
Cost: $1,827,555
 
FIRE ACTIVITY SUMMARY: Hard work by fire crews resulted in significant progress yesterday; aided by precipitation on parts of the fire and higher humidity’s on the other portions. Significant moisture occurred on the southern third of the fire, with only light showers on the rest of the fire.  Air support was a major help on many areas. Large fuels are expected to continue burning within the fire perimeter.  Dozers and handcrews kept working diligently to construct and improve firelines on the north, west and east side of the fire in the private lands. Mop up efforts will continue throughout the day on all sides of the fire. Preventing spread of the fire into the Mitchell watershed remains an objective, therefore crews are continuing to secure and mop up the fire perimeter within the Bridge Creek Wilderness.  Steep ground and dry fuels on the northeast portion of the fire and especially the warmer drier weather anticipated for Friday remains a concern. 
 
Acreage is estimated at 4902 acres with 45% containment.  A total of 572 fire personnel are assigned to the fire.
 
EXPECTED DATE OF CONTAINMENT: August 25, 2008.
WEATHER: The weather disturbance that moved in yesterday will linger through the morning then move on late afternoon. This will result in a cool morning with afternoon showers on portions of the fire.  A high pressure system will move in tonight bringing with it a warming and drying trend that will last through Sunday. Temperatures are forecasted at 58-63 degrees with wind speeds between 10-15 miles per hour with gusts up to 25.
CURRENT RESTRICTIONS:  An area closure is expected to remain in effect in the vicinity of the Bridge Creek Fire. It is defined by the 22 road, the 2210, and the northern Forest boundary.  Walton Lake campground remains open. A temporary flight restriction is in place for a six mile radius around the fire (lat. 44 29’ 00”, long 120 14’ 00”) 
COOPERATING AGENCIES: Oregon Department of Forestry
SPECIAL MESSAGE:  The public is reminded that dry, warmer weather is moving in.  For that reason we ask that they continue to be pay attention to local restrictions and, where allowed, keep open fires small and manageable. 

As of 10am Wednesday:
 

The Bridge Creek Fire five miles S/SW of  Mitchell (in the Bridge Creek Wilderness) is burning on approximately 4902 acres and is approximately 40 percent contained, with full containment still estimated for August 25th. The Central Oregon Incident Management Team is in command of this fire, with ODF also participating under a joint delegation with the Ochocho National Forest.  Fire crews made significant progress yesterday, helped by lower temperatures and increasing relative humidity.  Dozers and handcrews continued to construct and improve line on the north, west, and east side of the fire in the private lands.  Engine crews patrolled throughout the night, mopping up hot spots, and mop-up will continue throughout today on all sides of the fire.  Crews will also be working on securing and mopping up fire perimeter within the Bridge Creek Wilderness to prevent spread into the Mitchell watershed, which provides water to the town of Mitchell.  Precautions are also being taken to prvent the spread of Yellow Star Thistle - a known noxious weed in the area - into the wilderness.  A total of 519 personnel are assigned to this fire.
 
As of 10am Tuesday:
 
Bridge Creek Fire five miles southwest of Mitchell. 
 
Acreage is estimated at 4902 acres with 35% containment.  A total of 413 fire personnel are assigned to the fire.
 
 
EXPECTED DATE OF CONTAINMENT: August 25, 2008.
WEATHER: An upper level low pressure system will move into the area today and linger over the fire. This will result in cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity; gusty winds and chance of showers. Wind speeds are expected to be between 15-20 miles per hour with gusts up to 25.
CURRENT RESTRICTIONS:  An area closure is expected to remain in effect in the vicinity of the Bridge Creek Fire. It is defined by the 22 road, the 2210, and the northern Forest boundary.  Walton Lake campground remains open. A temporary flight restriction is in place for six miles radius around the fire (lat. 44 29’ 00”, long 120 14’ 00”)  
COOPERATING AGENCIES: Oregon Department of Forestry  QUICK FACTS: Acres: 4,902Containment: 35%Location: Bridge Creek Wilderness, 5 miles S/SW of Mitchell Cause: LightningStart Date/Time: August 7, 2008 / 7:16 pmExpected Containment Date: August 25, 2008  Total personnel: 413, Crews: 13, Dozers:4,  Engines: 20, Helicopters:2-lights 2-heavy’s, Water tenders: 18
 
For the latest information on this fire you can also check: http://www.inciweb.org/