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Firefighting efforts being coordinated to safely accomplish control and minimize acres burned Maupin, Oregon – Hundreds of lightning strikes on June 20 and 21 caused nearly 70 wildfires throughout central Oregon. The Boxcar and South Junction Fires are in Wasco County near Maupin. The Jack Knife Fire is in Sherman County, along the John Day River northeast of Kent. Initial attack resources from the Central Oregon Fire Management Service, the Rural Fire Protection District, Maupin Fire Department, Mt. Hood National Forest, The Dalles Fire Department, and local ranchers have been fighting these fires since their detection. Strategic use of retardant and heavy helicopters has protected values at risk. As the fires have grown to large sizes and complexity, a Type 2 Incident Management Team (Northwest Incident Management Team #13) has taken over command of these fires as of 6:00 a.m. today. Boxcar Fire Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5862/ Estimated Acreage: 23,000...

News ReleaseDate: June 23, 2018 at 10:00 A.M.Release: ImmediateContact: Ashley Lertora, 503-338-8442, Justin de Ruyter, 360-431-3869Graham Fire Daily UpdateThe Oregon Department of Forestry Type 1 Team and Oregon State Fire Marshall Green Team took unified command of the fire on Friday at 6:00pm. Fire crews have made good progress battling the Graham Fire. The fire is estimated at approximately 2,055 acres and is burning in brush, timber and grass south of the Metolius River arm of Lake Billy Chinook near Culver, Oregon. Fire crews completed a burnout operation yesterday and will began mop up operations on Saturday. Today’s firefighting resources include: 7 hand crews, 26 Engines, 2 dozers, 4 water tenders, approximately 375 personnel and containment is estimated at 50%. Aircraft resources assigned to this fire are available to all fires in the area as needed.Crews have set up fire camp at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds. Please use caution on Highway 20 near the rodeo grounds due to the...

With two large fires burning in Central Oregon at the start of the day firefighting resources were busy, but with continued initial attack activity and the addition of two new large fires during the day many additional resources were engaged in responding to incidents. A Type 2 federal team (Gales) has been assigned to manage the Boxcar, South Junction and Jack Knife fires. The team will take over management from the Type 3 and 4 teams managing the fires at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning. Fire Summaries Boxcar Fire:Fire began 3 miles south of Maupin, OR23,000 acres (10% containment)Deschutes River Access Road is closed and Highway 197 remains closed south of Maupin to the junction with Highway 97.86 personnel currently assigned to the incident. People have been asked to stay out of the Wapinita, Harpham Flat, Longbend and Devel's Canyon campgrounds.Burn out operations off of roads are helping to improve and hold lines around the fire.South Junction Fire:Located approximately 18 miles north...

News Release: Graham Fire Friday June 21, 2018 10:00 a.m. Contact: Christie Shaw, Oregon Department of Forestry 541-263-0661 Justin Deruyter, Oregon State Fire Marshal 360-431-3869 Residents of Three Rivers subdivision are still under evacuation due to the Graham Fire. ODF Team 2, a type 1 team, will be taking over command tonight at 1800 from the local Type 3 Team, Incident Commander Caldwell. Incident Command Post will be set up at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds. The Oregon State Fire Marshal Green Team will be handling structure protection. The fire is estimated to be approximately 2,000 acres at this time. The Graham Fire was reported late Thursday afternoon, a wind-driven fire burning in brush, timber and grass south of the Metolius River arm of Lake Billy Chinook near Culver, Oregon. The fire has burned private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry and Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue, as well as Bureau of Land Management ownership. It is estimated around 2,000 acres....

News Release: Graham Fire Friday June 21, 2018 12:00 a.m. Contact: Christie Shaw, Oregon Department of Forestry 541-263-0661 The Graham Fire was reported Thursday afternoon, burning in brush, timber and grass south of the Metolius River arm of Lake Billy Chinook near Culver, Oregon. The fire has burned private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry and Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue, as well as Bureau of Land Management ownership. Aerial resources, including Single Engine Air Tankers and heavy air tankers assisted on-the-ground firefighters to slow the spread of the fire. A Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMS) local Type 3 Team, Incident Commander Caldwell, assumed command of the fire at 11:00 p.m. Thursday night. The fire is estimated to be approximately 2,000 acres at this time. Numerous lightning caused fires in Central Oregon, including three large fires spread firefighting resources thin today challenging firefighters in their suppression efforts. ...

Before implementation of prescribed fire, the effects are analyzed through the NEPA process. During this process concerns and issues are identified and appropriate design criteria and mitigation are developed to minimize impacts to wildlife. For example, areas that are known to be regularly used for big game fawning and calving are identified on maps and measures to minimize impacts from the prescribed fire are discussed among an interdisciplinary team to ensure the measures and objectives are understood. After a Decision is signed for the NEPA document, preparation of the prescribed fire begins. This involves field reconnaissance to identify where to place hand lines and containments areas (roads, scabby flats, or other natural low fuels barriers). Following direction in the NEPA document, areas that were determined to be high value wildlife habitat are avoided or implemented with the previously identified mitigation or design criteria, which may also include timing restrictions....

This week fire crews completed 20 acres of underburning in Face Thin Unit 3, marking another effective burn in reducing wildfire risk to the community of Westfir as part of the Oakridge/Westfir Thinning and Fuels Reduction Project. A two acre spotfire did develop on adjacent private land, which was aggressively suppressed. Additional firefighting resources that were brought in also helped with several hotspots that became active in Face Thin Unit 2, which was underburned a few weeks ago. Mop up work to cool remaining hot spots in the burn areas and monitoring of the burn sites will occur today and through the weekend; there will be no new ignitions. Some residents or visitors to the area may smell smoke or see lingering smoke over the weekend. Overall, smoke impacts are expected to be minimal. You can check the local air quality rating at http://www.lrapa.org/. Please continue to use caution if traveling on Aufderheide Road (Forest Road 19) as fire crews and equipment will be...

Crews from the Emigrant Creek Ranger District, Malheur National Forest, will conduct approximately 100 acres of prescribed fire operations on the Marshall Devine unit today. Crews will be applying prescribed fire in the area of the Highway 395 south and Forest Road 31 junction, located approximately 18 miles northeast of Burns.Smoke may temporarily reduce visibility on roadways near the burning operations. Signs will be posted notifying drivers they are entering an area of prescribed fire activity. Please exercise care when driving in smoky, lower-visibility conditions. When planning and carrying out prescribed fires, the most important consideration is for the safety of firefighters and public.Using low intensity prescribed fire, under specific and controlled conditions, fire management can recreate the beneficial effects of natural fire. After a prescribed fire, fire-dependent vegetation thrives, competition among species is reduced, destructive insect populations and diseases are...

As a follow up to the update that we sent out on Tuesday, we wanted to share that new ignitions will only occur through Friday morning in observance of graduation festivities. Mop up work to cool remaining hot spots in the burn areas and monitoring of the burn sites will occur Friday afternoon through Sunday. Prescribed burning may then begin again on Monday or Tuesday of next week. Some residents or visitors to the area may smell smoke or see lingering smoke over the weekend. Overall, smoke impacts are expected to be minimal. As always, feel free to let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you! Jennifer Velez Public Information Officer (541)222-9241

Crews from the Blue Mountain Ranger District on the northern half of the Malheur National Forest will begin approximately 100 acres of black-lining in the Galena project area, units 10 and 20, today and tomorrow, with anticipation of completing about 2,000 acres total by aerial ignitions in the later part of the week. Burning operations may have some short-term impacts on air quality levels to the Austin/Bates and Galena areas of Grant County. Fire personnel will work closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry in accordance with State Smoke Management Plans to insure that smoke impacts on the local communities are minimized. As compared to wildfires, prescribed fires are shorter in duration and are conducted under weather conditions to minimize the impacts of smoke on the public. Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing health conditions and those who are particularly sensitive to smoke. Those that fall into either category should limit their exposure to the...

Blue Mountain Ranger District Fire Crews begun black-lining in the Galena Project Area in efforts to reduce fuels on the edges of the units. This supports secure conditions for prescribed aviation

Hood River, Ore. —May 29, 2018—Forest Service firefighters responded this morning to a small hotspot reported near Herman Creek. The glow from the flare-up was reported around 2:00 a.m. on May 29. Firefighters located the hotspot early this morning, about a half mile east of Herman Creek Trailhead, north of the Gorge 400 trail. Two engines and a hand crew from Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area are on scene suppressing the fire, which was found smoldering in heavy downed timber with few ground fuels. Eagle Creek Fire, contained in late November 2017, has not yet been declared out and the hotspot is not unexpected. Heavy fuels and organic material known as duff can hold heat underground over winter and flare back up after a period of warm dry weather. Hotspots are among the known post-fire hazards that have caused area trails to remain closed in the wake of Eagle Creek Fire. Other hazards include fire-weakened trees and loose boulders that can fall on trails at unpredictable...

Last week, fire crews completed underburning in Sidewalk Thin Unit 15, located near the Huckleberry OHV Area. It was another effective burn, reducing wildfire risk as part of the Oakridge and Westfir Thinning and Fuels Reduction Project. Fuels, particularly larger logs and branches, may continue to smolder and produce some lingering smoke through the weekend. Area residents and visitors may also, at times, smell smoke. You can check the local air quality rating at http://www.lrapa.org/. The District plans to continue burning near High Prairie after the holiday weekend. There are two units to complete in the project area by early July, Face Thin 1 which is 25 acres and Face Thin 3, a 20 acre unit, as part of the larger project to reduce wildfire risk to the communities of Oakridge and Westfir.

Over the past weekend, fire crews successfully underburned 125 acres within and near Face Thin Unit 2. Today, crews are underburning the 20 acre Sidewalk Unit further away from Westfir, near the Huckleberry OHV area. Crews will continue to mop up, and monitor the burns through the Memorial Day weekend. Fuels conditions have been optimal this week, leading to the effective consumption of surface fuels and logging debris left from recent thinnings in these areas, overall meeting the goal to reduce wildfire risk. No active ignitions will occur from Friday morning through Monday for the Memorial Day weekend. Based on weather conditions, burning could resume on Tuesday. Anyone traveling along Aufderheide Road, Forest Road 19 and Forest Road 1928, as well as the OHV trails at Huckleberry OHV Park should continue to use caution as firefighters and equipment will still be working in the

Fire crews will move forward with prescribed burning in Blue Mountain Ranger District's Starr Project Area today with goals of approximately 127 acres in Unit 30, off of Forest Road 24. Today's prescribed ignitions will include jackpot burning, a form of underburn or broadcast burn where the target fuels to be ignited are the concentrations (or jackpots) of vegetative fuel. Fire will creep between concentrations of slash, increasing as conditions begin to dry from the past few days of heavy rain.

With widespread rain received over the weekend, Prairie City and Emigrant Creek Ranger Districts will be evaluating conditions to determine the next possible prescribed burn window. Blue Mountain Ranger District crews will be conducting black line operations in the Starr project area, off Forest Road 24, south of John Day.For further information on planned prescribed burning, visit R6 Malheur N.F. Potential Prescribed Fire Projects Interactive Map.The data in this interactive map represents the recently completed, active, upcoming, and out-year prescribed fire planning for the Malheur National Forest. All units have been analyzed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Burning typically takes place once all other activities described in the project analysis have been completed. Prescribed burning is highly dependent on precise weather and fuel conditions, and managers coordinate with the Oregon Department of Forestry to minimize air quality impacts to local communities....

The Willow Springs Fire was contained May 15 at 3:56pm. The wildfire cause is undetermined, but a managed fire approach was used to control the fire. Terrain and weather allowed fire managers to utilize the wildfire to reduce dangerous fuels and improve forest heath, just like with a prescribed

All districts are on hold with prescribed ignitions for the remainder of this week due to weather and local area considerations (Oyster Feed in Seneca, Ore. this weekend) until early to mid-next week. Ignitions are complete in unit 10 of the Damon South project area, with approximately 500 acres accomplished Tuesday using helicopter and hand ignition, totaling 630 acres in two days. Crews on the Emigrant Creek Ranger District accomplished 940 acres in Silvies project area on Monday.

Blue Mountain Ranger District crews will continue with Damon south prescribed ignitions again today. They may also be conduction some black line in Galena project area should conditions line up. Prairie City Ranger District will not be conducting any prescribed burning today. To the south, Emigrant Creek Ranger District crews will hold the Silvies 8 unit that went as planned yesterday, accomplishing 940 acres of low intensity fire within the unit. Crews will monitor the prescribed burns until they are called out.Smoke may settle into valleys, but should clear out as the day progresses. The weather forecast is calling for rain and wind in the area tonight and tomorrow which will disperse smoke and dampen any residual fire

Malheur National Forest fire crews, plan to conduct additional prescribed fire operations, starting as early as today, Monday, May 14. Blue Mountain Ranger District crews will be working on approximately 600 acres in the Damon project area, located in the vicinity of Seneca. Crews on Emigrant Creek Ranger District will continue in the Silvies project area, located north of Burns, where crews anticipate accomplishing about 900 acres of treatment. Burning operations may have some short-term impacts on air quality levels. Fire personnel will work closely with the Oregon Department of Forestry in accordance with State Smoke Management Plans to insure that smoke impacts on the local communities are minimized. As compared to wildfires, prescribed fires are shorter in duration and are conducted under weather conditions to minimize the impacts of smoke on the public. Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing health conditions and those who are particularly sensitive to...