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Quick Facts: Bachelor Complex

Size: 11,742 acres                          Start Date: September 8, 2024                               Location: 20 miles SW Bend, OR

Personnel: 146                          Containment: 39%

Today will be the warmest and driest day of the week as a strong high-pressure system sets up over the fire area. This will lead to an increase in fire activity and increased smoke coming from the Bachelor Complex fires. Firefighters continue to mop-up and have aerial assets available to support their efforts if needed. 

Bachelor Complex: 

Yesterday, the hotter and drier conditions contributed to increased consumption of fuels within the fire perimeter.  Along the uncontained area of the Little Lava Fire near the base of Sheridan Mountain, the weather and fuel conditions led to an increase in fire activity and smoke as the fire backed up against the slope. Today’s weather and the predicted shift in wind direction in the afternoon increases the potential for perimeter growth in the area. On the northeast flank, firefighters continued to prepare line near the Edison Trail and will continue those operations today. In the area of Forest Service Road 45 and on the southern edge of the fire, patrol and mop-up efforts are ongoing as crews address areas of heat found near the line. A small firing operation took place yesterday along the southern edge to help secure the line and limit the interior spread. Suppression repair efforts continue today on the westside of the fire. Forest Service Road 45 continues to be closed due to firefighting efforts in the area and safety concerns from fire weakened trees near the roadway. 

On incident #846, which is in the Kwohl Butte area, firefighters completed their operations and hiked out at the end of shift yesterday. This incident will continue to be monitored by air.

Weather and Fire Behavior: There will be a strong high-pressure system setting up over the region which will bring warmer and drier conditions to the fire area. This high pressure will shift eastward as upper level troughing develops offshore. This pattern will lead to a period of elevated fire weather conditions through Wednesday. Today, high temperatures are expected in the upper 70s to mid 80s, with low relative humidity around 23% - 28%. Winds will be out of the south in the morning, shifting to the west in the late afternoon, around 6-10 mph with gusts 15-18 mph. A cold front will then move through on Wednesday, bringing strong and gusty southwest winds, 12-15 mph with gusts of 25-30 mph. This front has the potential to bring gusty and adverse winds to the fire area ahead of the weather system. This may lead to increased fire activity and short crown runs are possible. 

Closures: While evacuations have been lifted, there is still a temporary emergency fire closure in place on the Deschutes National Forest for the Bachelor Complex. To view the closure order and map, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices. 

InciWeb:    https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ordef-bachelor-complex-fires

YouTube:   https://www.youtube.com/@CentralOregonFireInfo?app=desktop

Fire Information Line: (541) 249-9829, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Smoke & Air Quality Information: fire.airnow.gov