Planned Ignitions Begin This Morning To Secure Fire Lines
Sisters –
Firefighters will begin a burn out operation this morning on the Sheep Springs
Fire approximately 20 miles north of Sisters in the Brush Creek drainage on the
Deschutes National Forest. The burn out could take up to two days to complete.
Fire
personnel have spent two days constructing fire line by hand and with heavy
equipment, and preparing roads for a burn out operation that will begin this
morning. The Sheep Springs Fire is burning in the 2003 B & B Fire scar and
now is in an area predominantly covered in snags, which are structurally
weakened trees that pose a serious overhead hazard for firefighters. Indirectly
suppressing the fire with a burn out operation allows firefighters to minimize
their exposure to overhead hazards while consuming fuels between the active
fire area and a containment lines.
There are
currently no closures in effect for the Sheep Springs Fire. There will be
increased fire traffic in the Metolius Basin area and around the town of
Sisters. Bridge 99 along the Metolius River will be used as a dip site for
helicopters should water drops become necessary. Access to roads around the
fire perimeter may be limited on Thursday during burnout operations.
A local
Type 3 Incident Management Team took command of the fire on Tuesday morning. Current
resources include 1 hotshot crew, 2 dozers, 2 Type-2 initial attack crews, 2
Type-2 handcrews, 2 water tenders, several engines, falling bosses and
miscellaneous overhead.
The Sheep
Springs Fire has grown to 63 acres since it was discovered early Monday
morning. The fire, a result of two lightning-struck trees, is burning
approximately 20 miles north of Sisters in the Brush Creek drainage less than a
mile northeast of Sheep Springs Campground and roughly a half mile west of
Forest Road 12.
For
up-to-the-minute wildfire information, follow us on Twitter @CentralORFire or
follow our blog http://centralorfireinfo.blogspot.com.
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