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Bedrock Fire update for Saturday, August 5, 2023

Lowell, Ore. – The Bedrock Fire burned actively yesterday in Jones, Alder, and Hehe creek drainages, spurred by high temperatures, gusty winds, and steep slopes. Flames moved closer to Gibraltar Mountain and Symbol Ridge, and helicopters worked most of the day dropping water to slow the fire’s spread. Little rain fell on or near the fire. Cloud cover prevented an infrared flight, therefore there is no update to the acreage.

Wildland fire suppression requires different techniques and subject matter experts with specialized skills. With over 700 personnel on the fire including hand crews, engines, heavy equipment, emergency personnel and aviation assets, there are also several new technologies being used to get the Bedrock Fire under control and out.

A Sennebogen tree handler is working with other equipment to reopen the 18 road through the burned area. The Sennebogen has an adjustable boom which can extend over 60 feet from the cab. The operator in the cab can use the machine to reach out and cut hazardous trees near the road, including on steep slopes. This reduces risks to sawyers who normally need to work directly under hazard trees.

Other pieces of unique equipment being utilized are unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones. These high-tech UAS units are able to operate day and night. They are equipped with both regular and infrared cameras, allowing them to locate and map hot areas not visible to the human eye.  Some UAS also have plastic sphere dispensers (PSD), which drop small spheres that ignite when they hit the ground. These can be used to conduct precision strategic firing operations to help secure fire lines in conditions that would be hazardous for firefighters or helicopters. This includes night ignitions, when limited visibility makes walking while using a drip torch difficult. The UAS can ignite fuels on rugged ground with limited access, reducing the danger to firefighters.

WEATHER: Today is expected to be warmer, with a 15% chance of thunderstorms. Temperatures are expected to remain moderate through Monday with a cold front due to arrive Tuesday night. Wednesday is expected to be the coolest day, with temperatures slowly beginning to increase towards the end of next week.

SAFETY: Watch out for heavy traffic this weekend. Be extra-careful with any source of open flames and equipment that may create sparks during hot, dry, and windy weather. Most wildfires are caused by humans, not lightning.

SMOKE:  Smoke from the Bedrock Fire will continue to spread into central Oregon, causing some areas to experience “unhealthy” conditions. Smoke patterns may shift more to the south and east in the coming days.