Pole Creek Fire Update - September 20, 2012 - 8:00 AM
Incident: Pole Creek Wildfire
Released: 9/20/2012
Current Status:
The Pole Creek Fire is located approximately five miles southwest of Sisters, OR
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The Pole Creek Fire is now just over 24,000 acres with most growth yesterday in the SW corner of the fire in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Smoke settled over the fire again last night making visibility poor for fire patrols. A one acre spot fire was discovered outside containment lines just southwest of Trout Creek Butte. Firefighters used dozers to quickly line the spot. Other fire crews continued patrols and mop-up along the NW, SE, and SW fire perimeter.
Firefighters today will focus on completing mop-up of the spot near Trout Creek Butte. Suppression resources will continue the mop-up along all cooled fire edges and patrol for spots outside of the primary containment lines. Rehabilitation of fire suppression impacts, like hand and dozer lines, will occur on lines no longer needed for primary containment.
Resources no longer needed to complete containment objectives are being made available for reassignment to other fires.
A community fire information update is planned for tonight, September 20 at 7:30 pm at the Sisters Elementary School, on 611 East Cascades Avenue. The briefing will provide an in-depth update on the Pole Creek fire.
The overnight smoke inversion is forecasted to lift by late morning with air fully mixing by afternoon and improving air conditions. ALL major routes remain open to tourist destinations like Sisters and other central Oregon communities. For information on smoke tips, visit the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) at http://www.deq.state.or.us/aq/burning/wildfires/index.htm., or call (503) 229-6397.
Residents in the Crossroads and Edgington/Remuda areas remain under a Level 2, pre-evacuation alert (west of the 16 Road and South of Highway 20 in the vicinity of Sisters). Public safety agencies will keep the public updated about when to leave and which routes to take. In addition, agencies will notify residents when the alert is lifted. In the event that there is a need for evacuation, citizens in affected areas will receive a call from 911 Dispatch with a recorded message with specific evacuation information. To receive these messages on cell phones, citizens are encouraged to visit http://www.deschutes.org/citizenalerts and register their numbers with the Citizen Alert program. At this time, there are no towns, subdivisions or structures under evacuation.
For firefighter and public safety, the current closure area includes the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) between Trail #3531 and the PCT Trailhead on Highway 242. PCT hikers have a reroute option using the Scott Trail traveling west to Highway 242. The closure still includes Forest Roads 15 (Pole Ck RD) & 16 (Three Creeks Rd) south to FS 4601 Road. Maps and descriptions are available at Forest Service offices and at http://inciweb.org
Estimated Acreage:
24,392 acres (from infrared flight)
Containment:
40%
Cause:
Unknown - Under Investigation
Resources:
Total - 1,212
Type 1 Crews - 0 Dozers - 8 Water Tenders - 16 Helicopters - 8
Type 2 Crews - 29 Engines - 41 Camp Crews - 2 Overhead - 379
Plans:
Continue on mop-up along all perimeters of the fire. Continue completing secondary containment lines. Identify options to keep the fire in check on the western perimeter. Continue rehab of suppression impacts.
Fire Weather Forecast:
Temps, 76-83 degrees; Relative humidity, 15-20%; winds, 4-8 mph from the NW, afternoon gusts 15 mph.
Cooperators:
Deschutes County Sheriff, Deschutes County SAR, City of Sisters, Sisters/Camp Sherman Fire District, Black Butte Ranch RFPD, Cloverdale FD, Oregon Department of Forestry, American Red Cross, Oregon Department of Transportation
