Oregon Wildfire Declared Conflagration, Others Continue

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The D. Harris Fire that began Thursday afternoon about eight miles west of Maupin, Oregon has already been declared a conflagration by Governor Theodore Kulongoski.  According to the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, that authorized allows the office to mobilize crews and equipment to help local firefighters.

The request came from Wasco county Assistant Fire Defense Board Chief Jay Wood after strong winds moved the fire quickly through dry fuel and threatened the town of Maupin.

The State Fire Marshal's Red Incident Management Team and one structural task force have been sent to the scene with a second structural task force scheduled to deploy today.

Thursday night, as part of the Multnomah County Wildland Taskforce, Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R) sent two fire engines, and 13 personnel to the fire. A water tender and brush unit was sent by Corbett Fire and Gresham Fire & Emergency Services sent a fire engine, according to a news release from PF&R.

The Oak Flat Fire continues to burn approximately 20 miles southwest of Grants Pass, Oregon, according to InciWeb. It has burned 1,500 acres and is 18 percent contained.

The fire was more active yesterday but lingering smoke shaded the fire in many areas. There are 1,110 personnel on scene, 15 engines and 6 dozers that continue to build and improve containment lines, according to InciWeb.

There was one minor injury when a firefighter required treatment for an allergic reaction to a bee sting. No structures have been damaged.

The Lower Deschutes Complex Fire is a combination of the Fall Canyon Fire at about 3,200 acres and 40 percent containment and the Devil's Half Acre Fire at approximately 600 acres and 25 percent containment, according to the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center.

Approximately 60 firefighters and five engines are assigned to the Fall Canyon Fire that included the Silver Creek and Lassen Hotshot crews.

Six additional crews arrived at the Devil's Half Acre Fire including the Zuni, Arrowhead, Fulton, Little Tujunga, Kern Valley and Sierra Interagency Hotshots to assist the eight engines, hand crew and air resources already assigned to the fire, according to the Dispatch Center.

The fire is burning on Prineville Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administered lands or private land protected by them.


Author:Barbara Brooks - Fire Department Network News