Single Publication
Rail Ridge Fire Update September 16, 2024 09-16-2024
Publication Type: News - 09/16/2024 - 09:45
Rail Ridge QuickFacts
Acres: 162,278
Crews: 24
Containment: 30%
Engines: 92
Detection Date: Sept 2, 2024 Cause: Lightning
Dozers: 25
Total resources: 1,190
Aircraft: 2 Type 1, 1 Type 2, 1 Type 3
Phone: 541-208-7111 Email: 2024.railridge@firenet.gov Facebook: Rail Ridge Fire - Oregon 2024
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orocf-rail-ridge
LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/RailRidgeFire
Closures and Evacuations
Closures: The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management have implemented partial closures because of the Rail Ridge and Crazy Creek fires, for all uses. For more details and closure maps, visit the Ochoco National Forest, Malheur National Forest, and BLM web pages.
Evacuations: Shelters are available to evacuees. For up-to-date evacuation information, please visit:
- Grant County: Emergency Management Facebook page.
- Crook County: Emergency Management website ; Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
- Wheeler County: Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Operational Update
Favorable weather conditions will allow for continued aggressive attack of the Rail Ridge Fire for the next several days as cooler weather and the possibility of precipitation is forecast through the first half of the week. Most areas of the fire received some rainfall Sunday with the eastern portions getting as much as 0.75 inches and the west side just a few hundredths of an inch.
Firefighters are building containment line directly along the fire’s northeastern edge near Chrome Ridge to prevent any further spread toward U.S. 26 to the north or Forest Road 210 to the east.
Crews are going direct where safe to do so as well as working to build a shaded fuel break using the road system near Sugarloaf Mountain. The remainder of the fire’s east side is in mop-up mode as crews patrol for any heat sources that could threaten the line and work to eliminate them.
The southern and most of the western edges of the fire remains in mop-up and patrol status from Sage Hen Flat to Suplee and north along the 58 Road toward 584.
Firefighters are working to improve the road system that skirts the edge of the Black Canyon Wilderness as conditions are not favorable for direct attack because of the terrain and fuel conditions.
Weather
Isolated rain showers are forecast today with continued high humidity and gusty winds up to 25 mph.
With the approaching frontal system, thunderstorms are possible, and firefighters will be on the lookout for gusty, erratic winds that might develop as a result.