July 17, 2014 PM

 

Waterman Complex – Mitchell, Oregon

Information Center – 541-462-3140 (Will be routed through the school switchboard)

Incident Commander Doug Johnson

 

Start Date	Cause	Total Acres	Percent Containment	Crews	Engines	Water Tenders	Helos	Dozers	Total Personnel
7/11-12/2014	Lightning	6,020	35%	23	24	11	5	11	699

 

Location: Three fires near Mitchell, Service Creek, and Kimberly, Oregon.

 

Current Situation:

 

Evacuation Notices-

A Level III Evacuation Notice for the Marks Creek area was issued by the Crook County Sheriff’s Office. Residents have been asked to leave their homes due to the fire threat.

 

A Level II Evacuation Notice for the West Branch Road area has been issued from the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office. Residents must prepare to leave at a moment’s notice.

 

A Red Cross Shelter is located at the Crook County High School in Prineville.

 

Summary-

The inversion lifted early today increasing fire behavior. This coupled with multiple large fires in Oregon has increased smoke in the area. Red Flag warnings persist into Friday due to low relative humidity and gusty winds. Despite these challenging conditions, firefighters continued to make progress on the Bailey Butte and Toney Butte Fires.

 

Many areas in the U.S. have been adversely affected by dry conditions. Wildfires know no boundaries. We will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners for planning and decision making to ensure that proper response protocols are established to deal with these conditions.

 

Bailey Butte Fire – 3,800 acres, 5% contained. Additional crews have been assigned to work the southern portion where the fire had been most active. The northern portion had crews working the perimeter and suppressing hotspots. The Crystal Springs Organizational Camp is being prepped for burn-out operations. The fire has burned into the Resource Natural Area (RNA). Crews continued to prep Forest Service Road 2630 for indirect line and preparing it for burn-out operations. Working in cooperation with private land owners, firefighters have been working to construct dozer lines in the West Branch Road area. A new start within the initial attack responsibilities of the complex was reported and staffed.

 

Toney Butte Fire – 2,220 acres, 60% contained. Crews continued to cold trail, mop up any hot spots, and patrol the fire perimeter. Firefighters and equipment are being reassigned as needed between the fires in the complex.

 

Junction Springs Fire– 20 acres, 100% contained. This fire remains in patrol status and monitored by air.

 

Ochoco National Forest Closure Area:

This closure has been enacted due to firefighting activities taking place within the closure area and for the protection of public and employee safety. The Bailey Butte Fire Closure Area is established within boundary lines on its north side by the Forest boundary and its south side following a system of closed Forest roads which include:

 

Forest Roads 450, 2630, 150, 2200, 2210, 300, 2610, Buck Creek Road to its intersection with the east edge of the Mill Creek Wilderness and Forest Roads 650, 27, 2745, 010 and the 2750. All roads and trails within the bounds of the Forest Closure are closed. All campgrounds within the Forest Closure area including Walton Lake, Round Mountain, Crystal Springs, Wildwood, Ochoco Divide, and Whistler are closed.

 

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): Two TFRs are in place over the Complex. One is located over the Bailey Butte Fire and the other over the Toney Butte Fire. Please check the NOTAM for current information.

 

For more information on the Waterman Complex visit: