6/30/15 Sugarloaf Fire Evening Update

Oregon Department of Forestry

Incident Management Team 1

John Buckman, Incident Commander

 

Contact: Brian Ballou, Information Officer, (541) 621-4156

 

FIRE AT A GLANCE

NIGHT SHIFT

5,016 acres

20 percent contained

Lightning-caused

Night Shift Resources:

3 crews

2 engines

2 water tenders

75 personnel

 

Fire activity was moderate on the Sugarloaf Fire today, with little additional acreage burned outside of the previous fire perimeter. Some interior pockets of unburned fuels were consumed, reducing the chance of a reburn later. Crews were able to establish a fire line along part of the north to northeast edge of the fire. More mopup was completed around the structures along Dick Creek Road.

A Hot Shot crew worked on the Blue Basin Fire near State Route 19, maintaining containment of the fire without damaging any sites in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. A crew also suppressed a small lightning fire discovered today, about four miles north of Sugarloaf Mountain. Today this fire team also assumed responsibility for the Schoolhouse Gulch Fire. It is about 2 miles east of Dayville, roughly 100 acres in size, and relatively quiet.

Tonight the fire personnel will lay hoses along the fire lines that the day shift completed on the northeast part of the fire. This area has more trees and other heavy fuels which burn more intensely. The hose lays will be needed to supply enough water to extinguish this part of the fire. Other night shift personnel will continue to patrol the fire, watching for hot spots to extinguish. They will concentrate their efforts near the structures and along Dick Creek Road. A “heavy” helicopter will be available to help with water drops if needed until about 9:00 p.m.

On Wednesday, this fire team will be assuming suppression responsibility for the Corner Creek Fire. It is burning on the west side of the South Fork John Day River about 11 miles south of Dayville. This fire grew several thousand acres today.

The forecast for the rest of the week is for continuing hot weather with low humidity. Winds are a concern, especially in the evenings when “sundowner” winds have been gusting to 20 mph. Some nights the winds haven’t abated until 2 a.m.