NEWS RELEASE
Two Bulls Fire Morning Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2014 7:30 a.m.
Twitter: @twobullsfire, @CentralORFire #twobullsfire
Facebook: Two Bulls Fire- Bend, Oregon
Information Phone: 541-389-6421
GPS: 44 6' 48", 121 28' 2"
Firefighters spent a "chilly but productive" night on the Two Bulls Fire, said Mike Carlson, the night operations supervisor. The overnight temperature plummeted into the 30s while crews hunted down and extinguished smokes and embers 100-300 feet inside the fireline.
The Two Bulls Fire broke out midday Saturday near Tumalo, 10 miles northwest of Bend. By early Sunday the fire had burned more than 6,000 acres of private forestland and federal lands on the Deschutes National Forest.
Today, crews continue mop-up operations while being vigilant for flare-ups of fire, inside and outside the fireline. Yesterday, a 1/4-acre fire suddenly appeared outside of the Two Bulls Fire's fireline and south of Skyliners Rd. Helicopters and engines from the Two Bulls Fire quickly attacked the little fire and brought it under control. Fire-fighting resources from the Two Bulls Fire area are available again today to assist local firefighters with any new wildfires that may break out.
The Two Bulls Fire remains at 6,906 acres and is 40 percent contained.
At 8:00 p.m. Monday, the Deschutes County Sheriff announced that residents of Skyliners Rd could return home, having reduced the Evacuation Level from III to II. Other residential areas that had been evacuated or put on notice for evacuation over the weekend had their Evacuation Levels reduced from II to I on Monday and Tuesday.
Evacuation Level I means a threat is nearby and residents should plan where to go and what to take should they need to leave their homes. Level II is an advisory to pack up and be ready to evacuate on short notice. Level III means a threat is imminent and residents are strongly advised to leave the area immediately.
Resources Assigned to the Two Bulls Fire
• 1,163 personnel
• 6 helicopters
• 45 crews
• 77 engines
• 11 dozers
• 15 water tenders
The following county road closures remain in place: Tumalo Reservoir Road is closed to westbound traffic at Rock Springs Road, and Bull Springs Road is closed to westbound traffic at Johnson Road. Skyliners Road is closed to westbound traffic at FS 4604 (Phil's Trailhead) except to residents of that area.
USFS Closures
The Deschutes National Forest has instituted an area closure as a result of the Two Bulls Fire west of Bend. The area encompasses Forest Roads 4601 West of Tumalo Creek, 4606, 1612, 590, 480, 113, 110, 377, 900, 1620, 1628 and 370 North of Todd Lake. This area closure is bordered on the south by Cascade Lakes Highway, which remains open.
This closure includes all roads and trails within the area including the popular Phil's Trailhead system and much of the West Bend project area that's part of the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project.
Donations
The Two Bulls Fire incident has been asked by Bend residents and surrounding communities what donations can be offered to the firefighters to demonstrate their appreciation. On behalf of the firefighters, the Incident Management Team and all the cooperators want to thank the public for their generosity. If you would like to make a monetary donation, we encourage you to consider the local Red Cross Chapter www.redcross.org/or/bend/ways-to-donate or 541-382-2142, or the Wildland Firefighter Foundation at www.wffoundation.org, which contributes to injured or fallen firefighters and their families. Helping the foundation helps the firefighter community.
Additional Information
The fire is being managed by Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 (Incident Commander, Chris Cline). Cooperators include the Oregon Department of Forestry, US Forest Service, Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, City of Bend, and Cascade Timberlands LLC.
News reporters should report to the Incident Command Post located in the field across from 63685 Johnson Road. Public Information Officers will be available for interviews; media is required to check in with Information immediately upon arrival. Media personnel that would like a guided tour of the fire need to arrive with full nomex, hard hat, leather boots and a fire shelter; the fire camp does not have enough equipment to accommodate those that do not have protective clothing.
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