Single Publication

Bedrock and Salmon Fires

August 17, 2023

Daily Fire Update

Bedrock Fire Quick Facts

Size: 27,226 acres                           Origin: Willamette National Forest             Resources: 69 engines;

Containment: 25%                         Cause: Under Investigation                          25 crews; *9 helicopters;   

Total personnel: 1067                   Start Date: July 22, 2023                             13 dozers, 33 water tenders

Salmon Fire Quick Facts

Size: 135 acres                                Origin: Willamette National Forest             Resources: 3 engines;

Containment: 95%                         Cause: Under Investigation                          1 crew; 1 water tender;          

Total personnel: 36                       Start Date: August 6, 2023                          *aircraft shared

Community Meeting:  A community meeting for the Bedrock and Salmon Fires will be held tonight at 7:30 PM. This meeting will be in person at the Pleasant Hill School Community Center. The meeting will be recorded and posted on the Bedrock Fire Facebook page afterwards for viewing.

Bedrock Fire: Firefighters completed limited tactical firing operations on the west side of the fire yesterday, successfully creating anchor points to construct direct fireline. Alternate and contingency lines consisting of road systems have been identified and improvement work has begun. Activity on the western flank increased yesterday evening, followed by westerly winds which helped to clear out thick smoke and improved visibility for helicopters dropping water. Today the top priorities for firefighters are protecting structures and private lands as they focus suppression efforts on the western perimeter. Heavy equipment will be working on building and improving alternate and contingency lines. Firefighters continue to patrol the northern, eastern, and southern portions where the fire has successfully remained within containment lines.

Salmon Fire: Firefighters are continuing to patrol and monitor around the fire perimeter. There is currently minimal fire behavior.

Evacuations: Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuations remain in place on the Bedrock and Salmon Fires. A searchable evacuation map with fire perimeters is on the Lane County website. There is an evacuation center for people and small pets at the Lowell High School for evacuees from the Bedrock and Lookout Fires. A large animal shelter is being set up at the Lane County Fairgrounds in Eugene.

Smoke: The daily West-Central Oregon Smoke Outlook provides a detailed air quality forecast for the Bedrock and Salmon Fires, as well as other nearby fires.

Weather: A cooling trend moving into the area will lower temperatures by 5-7 degrees. There is a slight chance of rain and thunderstorms, with winds from northeast-southeast in the morning shifting to southwest-northwest in the afternoon.

Safety and Closures: The Willamette National Forest implemented the Bedrock Fire Emergency Area Closure to ensure the safety of the public and personnel working on the fire. An emergency closure order for the Salmon Fire area also remains in place. The closure maps for the Bedrock and Salmon Fires are available on InciWeb. There is a Temporary Flight Restriction over the Bedrock Fire area. Residential electrical outages can be reported to Lane Electric at 541-484-1151.

Inciweb Salmon: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-salmon-fire

Inciweb Bedrock: https://inciweb.nwcg.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