Single Publication

Fire Size: 1,940 acres
Containment: 16%
Total Personnel: 591

Weather and Fire Behavior:

The forest floor in the Bull Run Watershed is covered in a thick layer of duff. Duff is an organic material made up of decaying wood, leaves, and other plant materials that have accumulated over the years to form a mass several feet in depth. Recent rains moistened the surface of the duff and moderated fire behavior. As the warm and sunny weather pattern continues, this material will become more receptive to fire and the amount of smoke rising from the area will increase. Westerly winds will push this smoke from the fire area toward the east.

Operations:

As drying occurs, tactical firing operations will be implemented to secure fire edges. This is a process where highly trained firefighters use fire to remove fuels along the fire's edge. These controlled, low-intensity fires consume ground fuels, creating a buffer to contain the fire within the control line. This adds to containment on that portion of the fire's perimeter.

Crews successfully constructed a handline north of Forest Road 14, allowing firefighters to directly engage the fire. The next planned action in this area is mop up, which refers to a stage of firefighting to extinguish any remaining heat sources along a containment line.

The fire's southeastern edge – with steep terrain and hazard trees – continues to challenge firefighters. Since there are no well-defined edges from which to build a control line, crews are working along old logging roads as a safe and effective measure.

Firefighters continue to strengthen and improve containment lines along existing roads by removing brush and smaller trees that act as ladder fuels and provide a means for fire to reach the forest canopy. Trees that are felled are being collected and will be stored in log decks outside of the fire area. Commercial logging in the watershed is prohibited by law. The Forest Service is working with Portland Water Bureau to find ways to use these materials that benefit the community, tribal partners, fish and wildlife, and increase access to the Forest.

Fire information officers will be stationed at the Hoodland Thriftway in Welches, OR, from 1 – 7 p.m. today to provide updates and answer questions, followed by the Safeway in Sandy, OR, from 1 – 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Additional Information:

Current smoke outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/2c7a8f9b.

Closures and Evacuations:

Barlow Wayside Park and the Sandy Ridge Recreation Site are temporarily closed due to fire activity. Clackamas County residents can sign up at https://www.clackamas.us/dm/publicalerts to receive emergency alerts via email, phone, or text.

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR):

A TFR is issued over the fire area. It is illegal for members of the public to fly drones over or near wildfires because of the potential for accidents and disruption of suppression operations. Regardless of the fire, aircraft is not permitted to fly over the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit.

Video:
Click the link below to view today's morning video update by Operations Section Chief Matt Call.
You Tube Video: Morning Video Update for Thursday, September 7 (8:37)