Single Publication

Wetting Rain Falls On the Service Fire

SPRAY, Ore. – Night shift added depth through mop up, thickening the rind up to 200’ in some areas. Mop up is expected to continue over the next few days, and despite the wetting rains, heavy fuels continue to smolder underground and need to be uncovered and extinguished before pushing toward the interior. Trees weakened by the fire are being removed, as a safety measure, where firefighters will be working.

An inventory of the firelines built during suppression is underway to map places where the suppression activity disturbed the soil and suppression repair work is needed. 

Soil disturbances of note are berms along dozer lines and ruts from heavy equipment that are likely to collect or channel water, which can degrade soil or cause erosion. The removal of berms and installation of water bars or scattering debris, called suppression repair, helps the ecosystem recover and protects watershed quality. 

Southwest winds of 5-9 mph gusting to 16 mph becoming West-Southwest 10-15 mph gusting to 25 mph on ridgetops. The shift of wind direction has the potential to uproot trees that have been weakened by the fire. Temperatures of 55-60 degrees today.

Videos: Recordings of the Daily Operations Updates and other stories are available at: https://www.youtube.com/@FossilComplex.

Evacuation: Level 3 evacuations remain inside the perimeter of the Service Fire.  For the most recent evacuation levels please go to: https://www.facebook.com/WheelerCountySheriffsOffice/

The Two Cabin, Holmes, Kinzua and Canyon Fires are all in patrol status.  

FIRE AT A GLANCE

Fossil Complex

Total Size:  24,446 acres          

Two Cabin-253 acres

Canyon-192 acres

Kinzua-96 acres

Holmes-15 acres

Service- 23,890 

Containment:  28% 

Cause:  Lightning

Current Cost: $20.1M

All Resources 

Hand Crews: 41

Engines: 51

Water Tender: 17

Dozers:  12

Skidgen: 7

Excavator: 2

Masticator: 1

Total Resources: 1,240

Aerial Resources

Type 1: 3

Type 2: 5

Type 3: 3

UAS  3: 1

Evacuations: 

Level 3: 11 addresses https://www.facebook.com/WheelerCountySheriffsOffice/

ODF Incident Commander:

Matt Howard
Incident Management Team 2