Single Publication

Willamette Complex South & Red Fire Update

Red, 208, Moss Mountain, Coffee Pot, Tire Mountain, McKinley Creek and Chalk Fires

Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024 

Fire Causes: Lightning

Email: 2024.willamettecomplex@firenet.gov 

Information Phone Line: 541-208-1742

Willamette Complex South: Total Personnel:491| Total Willamette Complex South Acres: 23,564
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-willamette-complex-fires-south
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillametteComplexFires/

Red Fire: Total Personnel: 73 | Total Red Fire Acres: 2,024
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ordef-red-fire
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2024RedFireOR/

Summary
Changing conditions warranted a reallocation and repositioning of resources to maximize impact and efficiency on these fires. Firefighters continue their focus on monitoring and suppression efforts. The influx of warmer, drier air will ultimately result in steadily dropping humidity. Crews are repairing forest roads and finalizing removal of woody debris from indirect firelines. The Chalk, Coffee Pot, McKinley Creek and Tire Mountain fires are 100% contained. Any hot spots are occurring well inside the perimeter, and fire personnel are now seeding shaded fuel breaks with fescue and Mountain Bear grass to rehabilitate firelines.

Road repair crews are clearing ditches and culverts to facilitate proper drainage before grading road surfaces and repairing dozer lines. Some workers and heavy equipment were reassigned from the Chalk and Coffee Pot fires to the Roads Group to aid in that effort. The Incident Management Team has begun decreasing resources per updated operational needs.

Red Fire (1,961 acres, 11% containment)
The fire is creeping down toward Crescent Lake, and will be on the landscape until a season-ending event. The current containment of 11% on the Red Fire is based on cold sections of the fireline going north on the Pacific Crest Trail, along the west side of the fire. As the fire creeps to the south toward Crescent Lake and meets the shaded fuel break built along FSR 60, this percentage will increase. Percentage of fire contained is based on how much of the current fire perimeter has a control-line directly on it, and is stopping fire spread. As this number is a percentage of the total fire perimeter, it may fluctuate as the fire grows and an additional control line is secured around the fire. Firing operations may occur on the south end of the fire today to clean up where the fire’s edge meets the fuel break and FSR 60. Firing plans have been updated and reviewed regularly for the past several weeks to ensure firefighter safety and protect the community and critical resources. As a result, additional smoke may be visible today.

208 Fire (9,045 acres, 4% containment)
Chipping operations and “mop-up” continues on indirect lines surrounding the fire as crews near completion of this work. Much of that is happening on the west side near the Sierra Pacific Industries timberland and along the 2149 Road. Firefighters also continue frequent monitoring of the northwest corner of the fire in the Swift Creek area.

Moss Mountain Fire (2,186 acres, 10% containment)
Fuel reduction operations near the Wolf Mountain Communications site are nearing completion. Heavy equipment continues working in that critical area. Crews expect to finish repairs on the 23 Road soon. Air operations will resume as necessary. The weather forecast means favorable flight conditions for the next several days.

Weather and Fire Behavior
Milder, fall-like conditions are expected for the next several days. Temperatures are predicted to reach the upper-60s to low-70, as much as ten degrees above the seasonal average. The air will give way to increasingly dry, and the relative humidity will likely drop to 40% or less, perhaps as low as 30% in the early part of next week. Lower relative humidity could result in a change in fire behavior.

Closures, Fire Restrictions, and Evacuation
For closure information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/RedFireClosures2024 &
https://tinyurl.com/WillFireClosures2024.

For fire restrictions, visit: https://tinyurl.com/DesFireRestrictions2024 https://tinyurl.com/WillFireRestrictions2024.

The Level 1 – BE READY to Evacuate notice remains in effect for the Red Fire. For more information or to sign up for alerts, visit: www.klamathcounty.org/300/emergency-management.