Dixie Creek Fire

[John Day, Ore.]  The Dixie Creek Fire was reported just before
2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon burning 3 miles northwest of Prairie City in Grant
County.  The fire was ignited by a lighting
strike Thursday afternoon, and has been smoldering, unobserved until today. Wind
and hot temperatures caused the fire to rapidly spread through timber, brush
and grass on lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry’s John Day Unit
and Prairie City Rural Fire Department. 
The fire is visible from Prairie City and from Highway 26.

Resources assigned to the nearby Lewis Rock and Bologna
fires as well as initial attack resources quickly took action on the fire.  These resources included four large air
tankers, three single engine air tankers, two type 1 helicopters, two type 2
helicopters, five dozers, one twenty-person contract crew, two crews from the
Malheur National Forest, nine engines and the La Grande Interagency
Hotshots.  Fire personnel from Prairie City
Rural Fire Department also engaged in suppression efforts as the fire spread
within their protection area.  The fire
is currently estimated to be 570 acres.

No structures are threatened at this time and no road
closures are in place.  Fire managers are
working in coordination with the Grant County Sheriff to monitor any threat due
to changing conditions.

Overnight the fire will be staffed by five dozers, two
contract engines, and some overhead working to establish fireline and monitor
fire conditions.  Fire behavior has begun
to moderate tonight with cooler temperatures and increasing humidity, however
winds continue to influence the fire behavior.

A local Type 3 Team from the Malheur National Forest
and Burns District Bureau of Land Management will be working with fire
personnel on Sunday and management of the fire will transfer to this organization
Monday morning.  Additional resources are
mobilizing to the fire and will be on the fireline Sunday.

Regulated-Use Closure is in effect for the Central
Oregon District.  Fireworks and campfires
(including cooking fires) are not allowed within the district boundary.  For additional information on ODF’s Central
Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.