Crews successfully completed burnouts on Corner Creek fire

PRINEVILLE, Ore. – Fire crews successfully completed about 250 acres of burnout operations just south of Black Canyon Wilderness this weekend, which finalized the effort to establish a solid line around the wildfire that started by lightning June 29.

Favorable weather conditions assisted fire managers in completing this critical piece of ground just east of Mud Springs campground, which will prevent the fire from moving northwest into more difficult terrain within the wilderness.

Light winds dispersed the smoke, instead of pushing a large column southward into the communities of Paulina or Burns.

The fire sits at about 29,657 acres and is currently about 90 percent contained. Firefighting efforts will focus on patrolling and securing containment lines, mopping up and monitoring. The fire continues to burn internally, creeping and smoldering at a low to moderate intensity.

Command of the fire will transition to a local Type 4 team this week, and as of Thursday the incident command post at Dayville School will be demobilized. Fire camp just west of Dayville is also being demobilized.

A local Burned Area Emergency Response team has assembled and has begun working on an assessment of the burned area for immediate post-fire threats to human life, property, and natural resources.

The South Fork Road/County Road 42 reopened for public use last week, but an area closure remains in effect on the Ochoco National Forest, covering all National Forest lands west of Forest Service Road 5820.

For a detailed map of the closure area on Ochoco National Forest and a copy of the closure order, visit the forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/ochoco/