Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update, 8/9

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

Twitter:  @CentralORfire                               

For more information visit: CentralORfireinfo.blogspot.com

FIRE NEWS--Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center

For Immediate Release:  August 9, 2014 7:00 p.m.

Central Oregon EVENING Fire Update

Central Oregon – The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from 1:00 p.m. Sunday through 11:00 p.m. Tuesday for Central Oregon.   Thunderstorms will start with little to no rainfall on Sunday afternoon then as the atmosphere moistens, some areas may receive significant rainfall while others will continue to see little rainfall.

The Muskrat Fire is currently being managed with a Type III Incident Management Team with 4 smokejumpers, 2 Type II hand crews, and 10 rappellers on the fire.  Continued air support is assisting in the operations on this approximately 50 acre fire and additional resources have been ordered.  The Six Lakes Trailhead is closed to accommodate the Muskrat Fire Incident Command Post (ICP).  Although lines have been put in around the fire, there is potential for fire growth in a south east direction, with short range spotting.  Crews will continue to construct and improve lines.  There is no containment at this time. 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s office is maintaining a Level III evacuation order for all areas on the west and north shores of Cultus Lake, which also include the back country area north of Cultus Lake including Corral Swamp, Winopee Lake, Muskrat Lake and Teddy Lake.

The Deschutes National Forest continues an area closure for lands generally described as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 as the western most boundary (The Pacific Crest Trail remains open); Winnopee Lake to the junction of the Corral Swamp Trail #8 and FSR 4628 to the North, Cultus Lake to FSR 600 to the South and Corral Swamp Trailhead to Winnopee Lake Trailhead to the east.  

The South Fork Complex, comprised of the Murderers Creek South and the Buck Fork Fires, has grown together and is located 5 miles south of Dayville around the south fork of the John Day river.  The fire is burning in a mix of U.S. Fish & Wildlife lands, private and BLM and Forest Service-managed lands. There are numerous evacuations and closures in place due to fire activity for both fires. The fire information number for this incident is 866-347-0636 or find the most recent closures and announcements at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4042/. 

-END-