Single Publication

Bedrock Fire Quick Facts August 23rd

Size: 31,196 acres  

Containment: 35%

Start Date: July 22, 2023

Cause: Under Investigation

Origin: Willamette National Forest

Total personnel: 731

Resources: 50 engines; 12 crews; 11 helicopters; 13 dozers, 31 water tenders 

Bedrock Fire: Residents may have observed a large smoke plume in the northwest corner of the fire yesterday. Increased solar radiation and winds from the west contributed to increased fire activity in the areas firefighters were performing burn out operations. Primary containment lines stayed secure, and the fire remained within the perimeter. Crews were prepared to respond if these lines were threatened. Lack of smoke and increased visibility allowed for air operations; helicopters were able to assist firefighters on the ground throughout the day. Incident Commander Jason Loomis said, “Many good decisions are being made at all levels of the organization, resulting in meeting our objectives to limit fire spread.” 

Today, warmer, drier weather gradually returns to fire area. As weather conditions remain favorable, firing operations will continue to remove unburned fuels between primary containment lines and the edge of the fire. A smoke plume will likely be visible today with similar weather conditions as yesterday. On contained portions of the fire, crews are increasing the depth of the fire line, and patrolling where lines are confidently secure.  

The helicopter base is moving from Oakridge to Creswell because Creswell was determined to have better visibility for our pilots. Air resources are continuing to support all on-ground firefighting activities when visibility allows.  

Evacuations: A Level 2 evacuation remains in place on the Bedrock fire. A searchable evacuation map with fire perimeters is on the Bedrock Fire Evacuation Areas (arcgis.com). There is an evacuation center for people and small pets at Lowell High School for evacuees from the Bedrock and Lookout Fires. There is a large animal shelter at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene. 

Smoke: The daily West-Central Oregon Smoke Outlook provides a detailed air quality forecast for the Bedrock Fire, as well as other nearby fires. Fire and Smoke Map (fire.airnow.gov/) is another source for air quality information.   

Weather: Today’s weather will be comparable to yesterday with a slight increase in temperature, and lower relative humidity levels. Winds will be light out of the northwest. These warm and dry conditions will likely continue into Friday.  

Safety and Closures: The Willamette National Forest implemented an Emergency Area Closure to ensure the safety of the public and personnel working on the fire. The closure maps for the Bedrock Fire are available on InciWeb. For information about road closures, please visit TripCheck.com. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction over the Bedrock Fire area.  

InciWeb Bedrock:  

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-bedrock-fire 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BedrockFire2023/ 

Fire Information: (541) 414-6272, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM     

Email: 2023.bedrock@firenet.gov