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THE DALLES, ORE. -  Work on the Fir Mountain Fire Saturday increased the containment to 80%.  Today firefighters will continue mop-up operations working from the perimeter into the interior of the fire.  Firefighters use a grid system to locate any areas of heat, then cool these spots with water and dirt as they pull the material apart.  Fire behavior on the fire Saturday was minimal.  Full containment of the fire is expected Wednesday.  The Central Oregon Fire Management Service Type 3 Team will transition command this evening back...

 Fir Mountain FireMorning UpdateTHE DALLES, ORE. -  Yesterday firefighters increased containment of the Fir Mountain Fire to 70%. The fire remains 313 acres and within its current footprint with a combination of dozer line, handline and roads around the perimeter.Fire resources continue to conduct mop-up operations utilizing hose lays to increase the depth of cold ground interior of the fireline to further secure the perimeter of the fire. Additionally, the incident management team continues to use aerial and ground infrared technology to detect interior...

 Fir Mountain Fire Morning Update   THE DALLES, ORE. -  The Fir Mountain Fire remains 313 acres with a combination of dozer line, handline and roads around the perimeter and is now 60% contained. Yesterday’s storm front produced minimal precipitation over the fire, but did bring significant winds. Firefighters maintained the fire within its current footprint.   Today firefighting resources continue mop-up operations utilizing hose lays. Resources are increasing the depth of cooled ground interior of the fireline to further secure the...

THE DALLES, ORE. -  Firefighters continue to make good progress on the Fir Mountain Fire. The fire remains 313 acres and is now 50% contained. By the end of yesterday’s day shift, the fire was lined around it’s perimeter by dozer line, handline and roads. Last night’s breezy conditions produced new interior consumption of previously unburned pockets within containment lines; however, firefighters held the fire within its existing footprint.Today fire resources will continue strengthening the perimeter by increasing the depth of cooled ground interior of the...

NOTE—THIS WILL BE THE LAST EVENING UPDATE UNLESS CONDITIONS CHANGE THE DALLES, ORE. -  Despite breezy afternoon winds Tuesday, firefighters on the Fir Mountain Fire held the fire within the perimeter and only saw activity from the consumption of unburned fuels within the interior.  Fire behavior moderated from the last few days and fire resources were able to focus on establishing and reinforcing firelines.  Containment for the fire has increased to 30% this evening.  The fire is 313 acres. Today operations used helicopters to drop water and cool...

FIR MOUNTAIN FIRE—MORNING UPDATE THE DALLES, ORE. -  Late Monday night an infrared camera was flown over the Fir Mountain Fire.  This flight provided valuable information to firefighters as to the location of spot fires and the intensity of heat in the fire perimeter.  Firefighters on the line can use this information to focus efforts and secure areas which pose the greatest risk for spotting outside the existing fireline.  The perimeter was mapped using this information and the acreage has been updated to 313 acres.  This includes areas of...

[THE DALLES, Ore]   Today firefighters on the Fir Mountain Fire battled winds and humidity similar to what they experienced Sunday.  Air resources were again used to slow the spread of the spotfires in area east of the main fire while crews and equipment were kept busy working to contain any additional spotfires.  Winds blowing embers outside the fireline rapidly ignited the dry fuels and challenged firefighters.     Initial mapping work today from helicopter platforms and ground truthing identified the perimeter...

[THE DALLES, Ore.]  Oregon Department of Forestry’s The Dalles Unit in-briefed a Type 3 Team from Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMS) Sunday evening, providing current situation and suppression objectives for the Fir Mountain Fire.  Overnight the COFMS Team worked with fire personnel, transitioning this morning to assume command.  The fire is estimated to be 250 acres, burning in logging slash (from an old logging operation), timber and younger reproduction. Sunday was a challenging day on the fire as wind pushed the smoke column over the...

[THE DALLES, Ore.]  Today firefighters on the Fir Mountain Fire were challenged with wind and dry vegetation as they used dozers and hand crews to construct fireline on the fire perimeter.  Air resources, including large air tankers and water scooping aircraft were used throughout the day to support ground resources in efforts to control the spread of the fire.  The fire has grown to approximately 250 acres this evening, burning on private forestland and Hood River County ownership. The fire is located eight miles southeast of Hood River, burning east...

With the increasing fire danger MH-4 will be increasing its Industrial Fire Precaution Level, IFPL 2 to an IFPL 3 Saturday August 1st 2020 at 12:01 AM.  This effects all operations WEST of Hwy 35 within the Oregon Department of Forestry’s fire protection The Dalles Unit.  There will be a 2 hour fire watch required after operations are complete. All lands protected by the Central Oregon Protection District, in regulated use area MH-4 and all forestland within one-eighth mile thereof....

[PRINEVILLE, Ore.]  Fire danger in Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District moved to “extreme” Monday based on fuel conditions and potential rate of spread of wildland fires.  Additional fire prevention measures were implemented to reduce potential human starts across ODF protected lands.  Red Flag Warnings issued by the National Weather Service for lightning, wind, and high temperatures starting Monday heightened fire manager’s concern for increased fire activity.  Today, ODF and federal partners have reconnaissance aircraft...

[PRINEVILLE, Ore.]  Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District will be increasing restrictions for forest operations and the public beginning July 27, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.  These restrictions are intended to reduce the risk of fire ignition on lands within the Central Oregon District in Lake, Harney, Deschutes, Crook, Wasco, Hood River, Grant, Wheeler, Gilliam, Jefferson, Morrow, and Umatilla counties.  Minimal precipitation combined with increasing hot temperatures has continued to dry wildland vegetation and fuels, increasing the...

Department of Forestry Reminds Public of Current Fire Prevention Restrictions [Prineville, Ore.]  Regulated-Use Closure for lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District went into effect July 1, 2020.  These restrictions are intended to limit activities which have an increased potential of starting fires.  Current fuel conditions in the District are likely to result in a rapidly spreading fire from activities such as a spark from a lawnmower blade on rock.  Under the Regulated-Use Closure activities are...

[Prineville, Ore.]  Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District will enter Regulated-Use Closure beginning at 12:01 a.m. July 1, 2020.  The closure is intended to restrict activities that could spark fires in dry wildland fuels. Lands included in this closure include private, municipal and state owned lands protected by the Central Oregon District, in the following counties:  Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Grant, Wheeler, Morrow, Gilliam, Hood River, Lake, Harney, Umatilla, and Wasco. Activities below are restricted by this...

Date:  June 29, 2020 Contacts:  Christie Shaw, Oregon Department of Forestry (541-263-0661)       [Rowena, Ore.]  Overnight firefighters on the Rowena Fire were able to complete fireline around the perimeter and begin mop-up on the interior of the fire.  This morning there is limited visible smoke or flames.  Firefighters will continue mop-up work today, with the plan to have 100% mop-up across the fire using a gridding process to locate any heat inside the perimeter. Mop-up in some of the more rugged portions of the fire did...

[Prineville, Ore.]  Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District will enter Fire Season June 1, 2020 at 12:01 a.m.   This affects private, county, state, and local government lands within the District Boundary.  Summer weather patterns continue to dry wildland fuels and increase the risk for fire spread, these weather patterns also bring the risk of lightning and increase fire activity in the area.  Fire season declaration is intended to reduce human fire starts by restricting some activities related to forest operations and...