PRINEVILLE, OR -- Fire crews were kept busy by the lightning storm that moved through the area Sunday night. While most new fire starts were kept to one acre or less, one in the Ochocos is estimated to be 700 acres. The Cemetery Fire was first spotted Monday afternoon and grew quickly in strong winds and dry grass and brush. It’s burning along the northeast border of the Maury Mountains and on a privately-owned ranch, about 30 miles southeast of Prineville.
A Type-3 incident management team takes over command Tuesday morning, in preparation for potentially aggressive fire behavior. A red flag warning goes into effect this afternoon, due to high temps, low humidity, and gusty winds.
