Single Publication

Northwest 3 Complex Incident Management Team   
Lonnie Click ~ Incident Commander  
September 11, 2024  

Bachelor Complex, Flat Top, and Firestone Fires Update  

Firefighters continued to work on suppressing the Bachelor Complex, Flat Top and Firestone Fires which actively burned on Tuesday. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office expanded the areas in Evacuation Levels for public safety and adjusted the interactive map on their website to reflect the changes. (Link below). A public meeting will be held at the Three Rivers Elementary School cafeteria in Sunriver at 6:00 p.m. today. Firefighting resources continued to arrive, and engage, and aircraft continued to drop water and fire retardant on fire areas. Additional air resources are also incoming with a helibase to be established at Sunriver Airport on Wednesday. Smoky skies are expected to improve by evening.  

Bachelor Complex: The Bachelor Complex is a group of about 30 fires that range from one tenth of an acre to over 9,500 acres, for a total of 10,330 acres. The Little Lava Fire, about two miles southeast of Little Lava Lake, was very active again on Tuesday, pushed by wind moving across Forest Service Road 45 nearly three miles to the east with a total fire size of approximately 9,848 acres by day’s end. Firefighters constructed dozer line to slow fire spread. Firefighters worked both a swing shift and a night shift last night and made great progress constructing line around the fire that crossed the 45 Road. Fire suppression efforts are ongoing for other fires in the complex.  

Flat Top Fire: Winds again drove fire growth on the Flat Top Fire Tuesday, pushing it to the east across Forest Service Road 22 and Forest Service Road 18. Embers spotted into older lodgepole pine a quarter of a mile ahead of the fire’s head, increasing fire growth into dry vegetation. Night shift did good work to construct line and burn out strategic sections along the western perimeter. The fire is currently estimated at 30,643 acres. Aircraft dropped fire retardant to slow fire growth and protect the Cabin Lake Guard Station, which remains secure.  

Firestone Fire: The Firestone Fire also intensively burned on Tuesday under a wind influence. Firefighters are using the road system to build containment lines that will limit the spread of both the Flat Top and Firestone Fires to the east and west as they grow toward each other. The Firestone Fire is approximately 8,787acres with a reduction due to better mapping.   

Safety: With increased fire traffic and expected rain on roads that haven’t had rain in a while, everyone in the area is reminded to drive slowly and carefully in evacuation areas. If you don’t need to be in the area, please stay clear to allow firefighters plenty of time and space to drive.  

Weather and Fire Behavior: Downdraft winds ahead of the incoming rainstorm began overnight, increasing fire behavior in some spots across all of the fires. Today, overcast skies, elevated humidity and forecasted rain is anticipated to have a positive effect on fire suppression. Firefighters expect continued fire activity and spread across dry vegetation, especially where there are heavier dead and downed trees. Small, wind-driven tree torching is likely, but long-range ember spotting and sustained tree crown fire is unlikely if forecasted rain is significant enough.   

Evacuations: Emergency management and fire officials are coordinating closely and adjusting evacuation levels as needed. Level 3 evacuations mean “Go Now,” Level 2 means “Be Set,” and Level 1 means "Be Ready.” To view current evacuation levels, please visit the Deschutes County Emergency Information Interactive Map at: http://www.deschutes.org/emergency. For Lake County evacuation information, please visit: https://www.lakecountyor.org/flat_top.php  

CLOSURES: There are two closure areas on the Deschutes National Forest for these fires. View the orders on the Deschutes National Forest site at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices.  

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/deschutesnationalforest/  

InciWeb Pages By Fire:
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ordef-bachelor-complex-fires  
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ordef-flat-top-and-firestone-fires  

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