Ochoco WFU News Release for Aug 16, 2008
Incident: Ochoco Wildland Fire Used for Resource Benefit
Released: 8/16/2008
Northwest Fire Use Management Team
Matt Reidy, Incident Commander
OCHOCO WILDLAND FIRE USE COMPLEX
August 16, 2008
For further information call 541-416-6503, 6655, 6500
The Northwest Fire Use Management Team is managing four fires in three wildernesses on the Ochoco National Forest northeast and east of Prineville, Oregon. These lightning-caused fires are being managed for resource benefits in the wildernesses. Benefits include reduction of hazardous fuels, wildlife habitat improvement, and natural ecological function. Low intensity fires reinvigorate the growth of grasses and forbs next growing season and so provide improved forage for wildlife.
Black Canyon Wilderness
The Wolf Fire is located on a moist north slope of grand fir at 6000 ft. elevation. The fire is 5 acres in size and about 1 mile west of the 747 fire, which burned in 2006. The Black Canyon Fire is located in a drier south aspect mixed conifer forest (grand fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine) at 5800 ft. elevation. It has grown to 109 acres and is 1/8 mile west of the 747 fire. Both fires are currently burning at low intensity, slowly consuming logs, needle cast and other fuels on the forest floor. Both fires are staffed with Fire Use Modules of specially trained firefighters.
A Closure Order is in effect for the western half of the Black Canyon Wilderness in addition to small portions of adjacent forest lands, which include the Wolf Mountain and Boeing Field trailheads. The web site listed below will be updated with more detail soon.
Bridge Creek Wilderness
Unstable atmosphere, dry conditions and hot temperatures combined with some heavy ground fuels helped the Bridge Creek Fire grow roughly an additional 1,000 acres. The fire made a run south across forest stringers and grass scablands to Pisgah Spring and Forest Road 2630. Smoke was visible from spots in the Hwy 26 corridor from 10 miles west of Prineville to John Day in late afternoon. It has burned into the 2006 Maxwell Fire. Fire growth will likely be similar tomorrow given predicted burning conditions. A shift in wind tomorrow could result in spread of the fire to the northwest. Keeping the fire from crossing Forest Road 450 will be a priority. To protect private land, crews are reducing fuels adjacent to 2 miles of Forest Road 450 about a half mile north of the fire in the event the road needs to be used to take management action to control the fire. Additional resources are being deployed tomorrow. Another priority will be to protect the Pisgah Lookout while allowing fire to burn south across Forest Road 2630 to achieve resource objectives listed above. An area closure (to the public) will soon be in place. The fire is in mixed conifer on north facing slopes at about 6000 feet elevation. This fire is also staffed with a specially trained Fire Use Module.
Mill Creek Wilderness
The one-acre Whistler Fire was smoldering in the some large down logs from the 2000 Hash Rock Fire; however, no fire activity was observed yesterday. It was burning in mixed conifer forest on a south slope at about 4800 feet elevation. Aerial monitoring will continue. The Wilderness remains open.
Visitors are urged to check with the fire information telephone number above before entering any of the three wildernesses or areas immediately surrounding them.
A web site with more information:http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/ (see right column).
If you would like to receive periodic updates on these fires by email, please send us an email at ochocowfu@gmail.com.
