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Evacuation Order Lifted for Fire near The Dalles

GOVERNMENT FLATS COMPLEX UPDATE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE              

August 27, 2013 @ 8 AM                                                                                       

 

                                Email: govflatfire@gmail.com                        Inciweb: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3662/

 

Blackburn Fire Update:  The last several days of hard work by fire crews has resulted in the lifting of all evacuation levels by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office and a reduction of the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Area Closure.  The team’s fire behavior analyst stated that the fine fuels (grass and small branches) are starting to dry out from the recent moisture and are becoming more combustible.  Any burning has a low possibility of spreading but it will make detecting hot areas easier, allowing a more complete mop-up.

The night shift crew is being reduced to patrolling and looking for hot spots. Crews are using hand-held infrared detectors to help locate heat pockets. 

Firefighting crews and resources are beginning to be released from the Government Flats Fire Complex and will be available after a rest period for reassignment to other fires.

The Wasco County Sheriff Department expressed their sincere appreciation to the public for their patience and cooperation during the evacuations and road closures. They would also like to inform county residents about the Wasco County Citizen Alert System (reverse 911 notifications). This is a very efficient method for providing emergency information to those affected. For more information click onto the Wasco County Website:   www.co.wasco.or.us

The Mt Hood National Forest Area Closure has been modified to a smaller area. Forest roads into the fire are still closed due to heavy fire traffic. Listings of the road, trail and campground area closures may be found at these web sites: Mt Hood National Forest  (http://www.fs.usda.gov/mthood) or http://inciweb.org/incident/maps/3662/

The best fire protection is prevention! Residents may obtain information from the Oregon Department of Forestry or the Mid Columbia Fire and Rescue on steps to take for your property to survive a wildfire.  Remember:  it is the little things that matter.  A few projects each weekend can make a huge difference.      

Government Flat Complex at a glance:

Reduction in the fire acreage is due to more accurate mapping.

Total Complex Acreage:  11,516                                                   Blackburn Fire Acreage:   11,221

Complex Containment:   55 Percent                                          Total Personnel Assigned:   789

Structures Lost to the Fire: 4 homes/9 outbuildings                  Structure currently threatened:  0

Cost of the Incident to Date:  $ 11 million

Resources:  26 crews/31 engines/11 dozers/12 water tenders/12 helicopters

Ownerships involved: Private, U.S. Forest Service, City of The Dalles, and Bureau of Land Management

Cooperators include Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon State Fire Marshal, BLM, USDA Forest Service, City of The Dalles, Wasco County Sheriff’s Office, Wasco County Emergency Operations Center, Hood River County Division of Emergency Management, Hood River County Sheriff’s Office, American Red Cross, Oregon National Guard, and Oregon State Police.

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