Local News

High Cascades Complex Getting Erratic

Fire crews from throughout the northwest are putting everything they have on several very large fires burning on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The Oregon and California Inter-Agency Team is now managing the High Cascades Complex. The size of the three major fires is estimated at more than 54,000 acres (as of 3 p.m. Monday) . Fire spokesperson Tom Lavagnino says they are facing many challenges, so they have several strategies. Helicopters are flying in water and dousing hot spots, and big bulldozers are digging some big fire lines. "Hand crews are going it in the stepped spots where heavy equipment can't get operate or may be closer to a home and then we have the structural protection folks who are kind of like City firefighters and they coming in from all over the area and look at each house and help the homeowner understand what makes it more defensible." About 200 structures are threatened and Lavagnino says a containment estimate of next Monday may be too optimistic. He says one positive note is that they have plenty of resources to throw at this fire because other states are fairly quiet so we aren't competing with them for crews and equipment.

 

 

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