Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update, 8/3

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

4550 SW Airport Way

Prineville, OR  97754

Contact:  Media Desk:  541-416-6811           NEW! NEW! NEW!!! Email:   Centralorfireinfo@gmail.com

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FIRE NEWS--Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

For Immediate Release:  August 3, 2014 6:00 p.m.

Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update

Central Oregon – Cooler temperatures, higher humidity and no recorded lightning strikes aided firefighting efforts across Central Oregon today.  However, due to several consecutive days with abundant lightning, small fires continue to pop up. Eight new smoke reports were filed with Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch today, most of them in the Oregon Badlands Wilderness area.

All of the fires within the Oregon Badlands Wilderness area were approximately .10 of an acre and many were put into monitor status due to the sparseness of the fuels in the area, which made fire spread unlikely. The fire starts that were within 1 mile of private land were actively engaged by firefighters who put containment lines around them, mopped up and will continue to monitor.

The Castle Fire is now up to 22 acres and as of 1 p.m. Sunday, August 3, will be managed by the Type II Oregon-California Incident Management Team 2, (Brett Fillis). This is the same team that was in command of the Bridge 99 Complex.  Firefighting efforts have been challenged by difficult terrain and access to the fire area. Hotshot crews have put in containment lines around the top of the fire, but cannot access the base of the fire, which is in steep, rocky terrain.  A  Level 3 Evacuation remains in place for Monty Campground and a Level 1 Evacuation remains in place for the Perry South Campground—both campgrounds are on the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest.

The South Fork Complex remains at 16,581 acres with 0% containment.  Afternoon thunderstorms bringing gusty winds are expected across the fire area this afternoon as the fire continues to burn to the north and northeast. Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team 4 (Brian J. Watts) took command of the fire on Saturday, August 2, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. Incident Command Post (ICP) has been set up at Gander Ranch near Dayville, OR. These fires are located approximately 20 miles south of John Day.

Oregon Incident Management Team 3 (Type II - Johnson) is still in command of the Sniption Fire, 15 miles N of Fossil, OR.  The fire is 25,937 and is 90% contained.  Oregon Incident Management Team 3 is coordinating with Gillam County on response to the fire.

The Haystack Complex is 1,740 acres and is 95% contained. Firefighters assigned to this fire have been assisting in initial attack efforts to keep lightning caused fires in the surrounding area small.  For more information on the Haystack Complex call 503-758-8253.

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