Incidents All News

Rain and Cooler Weather Helps Crews Make Progress SPRAY, Ore. – Showers and cooler weather over the fires helped slow growth and allowed crews to make progress around the fires.  The northwest to north side of the fire now has direct line and mop up operations have started. On the southwest side along ORE 19, crews will be focusing on removing hazard trees to allow mop up, which will allow opening of the highway.  

Overnight growth dampened by precipitation over the Fossil ComplexSPRAY, Ore. – Westerly winds continued yesterday and into the evening and pushed the Service Fire to grow to the east, increasing its size to 21,887 acres. Overnight, the Service Fire was actively growing until 4am, making it difficult to establish lines in front of the growth. Night shift crews focused on structure protection along Winlock Road due to the fire being active late into the morning.

BREEZES FAN FLAMES OF THE SERVICE FIRE AGAIN ON THE FOSSIL COMPLEX

Night shift holds the fire east of ORE19 on the Fossil Complex 

DRY FUELS IGNITE UNDER LIGHT BREEZES ON THE FOSSIL COMPLEX

EMBER SHOWERS START SPOT FIRES ACROSS ORE 19 OVERNIGHT ON THE FOSSIL COMPLEXSPRAY, Ore. – High temperatures and dry fuel conditions led to aggressive fire behavior yesterday which challenged firefighters. Ground fuels burning and trees torching inside the fireline created ember showers which shifting winds carried across ORE 19. A spot fire started in the vicinity of Pioneer Park and crews worked through the night lining, plumbing and holding it at 21 acres. Local structural fire crews assisted fire resources through the afternoon and evening to secure structures near the fire.

AERIAL RESOURCES AND GROUND CREWS COMBINE EFFORTS ON THE FOSSIL COMPLEXSPRAY, Ore. – The Service Fire continues to be the focus of firefighting operations on the Fossil Complex. The weather was favorable for aerial resources to work in tandem with crews on the ground in an attempt to minimize fire spread. The Service Fire lies on the east side of Highway 19, which is closed near Bear Hollow Park between mileposts 65 and 68.

SHIFTING WINDS FAN THE SERVICE FIRE IN THE FOSSIL COMPLEX

Heat and wind push Service Fire across lines on the Fossil ComplexSPRAY, Ore. – Winds of up to 30 m.p.h. drove the Service Fire northward today, pushing it well beyond containment lines. As wind and fire intensity grew, crews withdrew from the head of the fire and relocated to continue work on cooler and safer areas of the fire. By late afternoon, the outflow winds from passing thunderstorms subsided allowing crews to reengage the fire.

Red Flag Warning over Fossil Complex as Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 assumes command SPRAY, Ore. – The Fossil Complex includes 5-widely dispersed fires east of Fossil, north of Spray and Monument, and south of Heppner which are burning in tall grass, brush, and timber across about 752 acres.