Single Publication

Fire Update – Oakridge Lightning Fires

Chalk, Coffeepot, McKinley, Moss Mountain, Tire Mountain, 208, and 217 Fires

Friday, August 2, 2024 – 9:00 a.m.

Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1

Dan Dallas, Incident Commander

Information Phone: (541) 208-1742

Email:2024.mossmountain@firenet.gov

Information Staffing Hours: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Special Note: Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management Team 1 (CIMT1) assumed management of the Ore Fire this morning. Information for that fire can be found by visiting https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-ore-fire.

Rocky Mountain CIMT1 is transitioning with California Interagency IMT5 and will assume management of the Pyramid and Slate Fires tomorrow. Resources remain limited nationwide. Rocky Mountain CIMT1 assuming management of these fires on the Willamette National Forest facilitates the shifting of resources to areas of greatest need as fire activity and conditions change.

Current Situation: Acreages remain unchanged today as smoke prevented infrared flights yesterday. Updated acreage can be expected tomorrow with favorable conditions. Fires remained moderately active on Thursday with some growth, mostly limited by smoke preventing the sun from reaching dead and downed fuels under the forest canopy. Hazard trees are a significant concern to firefighters working in areas of fire weakened trees. Weather will remain warm with dry fuel conditions across the Oakridge Lightning Fires.

The total acreage of the seven fires is 8,106 acres with 723 personnel assigned.

Information for each of the seven Oakridge Lightning Fires is provided below. Firefighting activities and suppression actions are described in detail for each double-lettered division on each fire.

Chalk Fire (3,655 acres, 40% contained)

Division AA: Crews have prepared the southern line on the Chalk Fire for future low intensity firing operations should there be favorable conditions. Additional crews are working up from this southern line to scout for other opportunities along the fire’s west side.

Division KK: The eastern side of the Chalk Fire is holding along strong fire lines that have been strengthened by crews working the 1925 Road. Crews continue to scout for additional strategic opportunities on the east side of the Chalk Fire.

Division TT: Firefighters are building and strengthening primary and contingency lines along existing road systems to provide additional options for containment should they be needed.

Coffeepot Fire (3,956 acres, 0% contained) and Moss Mountain Fire (263 acres, 0% contained)

Division PP: Heavy equipment continues working east to tie in with Division SS. A newly arrived hotshot crew was able to identify and address a spot fire in the southwest corner of the Coffeepot Fire. Crews identified an additional spot fire in the southeast area yesterday and will be working to address that today.

Division RR: A swing shift firing group continued a low intensity firing operation toward Hillscreek Reservoir last night to take advantage of favorable conditions. Swing shifts are used when there are operational advantages to working different hours than the majority of the other crews assigned to the fires.

Division SS: Masticators have been brought in following bulldozers to reinforce work that occurred earlier this week. Additional resources are now working west to tie in with PP.

Division WW: Crews continue working on preparing and strengthening line east of Division RR to tie in with Division SS.

Contingency Group: An additional group has been added to focus work in the area of highly valued assets on private land south of the Coffeepot and Moss Mountain Fires.

208 Fire (147 acres), McKinley Fire (24 acres), and Tire Mountain Fire (23 acres)

The 208, Mckinley, and Tire fires have shown little to no growth over the past several days. Tire Mountain Fire is expected to show as 100% contained in the near future; previous containment reporting has been adjusted.

217 Fire (38 acres, 100% contained)

The 217 Fire is contained but will continue to be patrolled.

Weather and Fire Behavior:

Higher temperatures, lower humidity, and more atmospheric instability remain in the forecast for the next several days. Low-lying smoke attributed to keeping fire activity mostly low due to the sun not being able to reach fuels yesterday. Light northwest wind is predicted for today with a possible dry thunderstorm coming to the area on Saturday. Fuels continue to dry out, and atmospheric instability remains a concern.

Evacuations:

For evacuation information please visit: https://www.LaneCountyOR.gov/2024wildfires
To sign up for evacuation alerts please visit: https://www.LaneAlerts.org

Closures and Fire Restrictions:

Area, road, trail, and recreation site closures are in place on the Willamette National Forest in the vicinity of many active fires. Temporary road barricades are in place to restrict traffic across the fire areas.

For specific closure information follow this link:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/alerts-notices/?cid=fseprd552029

Fire restrictions on the Willamette National Forest may be found at this link: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices/?aid=81487

Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) are in place over the Chalk and Moss Fires.

Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones. If you fly, we can’t. For more information, visit http://knowbeforeyoufly.org.

For More Information:

Phone: (541) 208-1742

Email: 2024.mossmountain@firenet.gov

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-oakridge-lightning-fires-2024

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakridgeLightningFires2024/

Total Fire Personnel: 723

Fire Cause: Lightning

Location: North & South of Oakridge, OR