Green Ridge Fire

Virtual Public Meeting

Monday, August 24, 2020, 6:00 p.m.

The Oregon Department of Forestry, Incident Management Team 3, will livestream a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. PST, Monday, August 24. The team will provide an overview of the current situation including updates on the fire’s condition, predicted weather and fire behavior, and operations strategies for the next several days.

To join the meeting, please go to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenridgefire2020

To participate, viewers do not need a Facebook account to view the meeting. The live stream will appear at the top of the Green Ridge Fire Facebook page a few minutes before 6:00 p.m.
 
If you are planning on watching live tonight and need special audio or visual accommodations, please contact us at 541-604-8461. 

 8/21/20, 5pm - Jefferson County Sheriff

Level 1 Evacuation Notice "BE READY"

The Green Ridge wildfire continues to grow raising concern. A level 1 Evacuation Order is now in effect for the Lands in the Lake Chinook F.D., 3 rivers subdivision, Metolius Arm lake homes, Monty Campground and Perry South Campground. Residents should be aware of the danger that exists in their area, monitor emergency services websites and local media outlets for information. This is the time for preparation and precautionary movement of persons with special needs, mobile property and (under certain circumstances) pets and livestock. If conditions worsen, emergency services personnel may contact you via an emergency notification system. 

Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Team 3 will take over management of the Green Ridge Fire tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. This Type 1 Team, led by Incident Commander Link Smith, shadowed the outgoing Northwest Incident Management Team (IMT) 10 today to ensure a smooth transition. ODF is assuming command of the fire due to the large number of acres of ODF-protected lands within and adjacent to the fire’s perimeter. 

Northwest Team 10 Incident Commander Alan Lawson would like to thank our cooperators, stakeholders, the communities of Sisters and Camp Sherman, and the outlying communities and property owners for their cooperation in this firefighting effort. In particular, we would like to thank the Sisters School District and the Sisters Middle School for allowing the team to use their property as our Incident Command Post. Although we are already in a difficult fire season, especially with COVID-19 restrictions, it is the cooperation such as we have experienced here that has enabled us to meet firefighting objectives in a safe and efficient manner.

The past week was challenging to firefighters because strong westerly winds drove the fire east into state timberland, while threatening communities both northeast and west of the fire. Today, firefighters took advantage of good weather and mild winds to make significant progress holding and improving the fireline. Air support aided hand crews in this effort. Crews along the western slope of Green Ridge completed a 1-acre burnout operation to clean up the northwest line.

More resources arrive tomorrow with the new team, including five additional 20-person crews and five engines. ODF Team 3 will continue to aggressively manage this fire to protect the public, state lands and private development. Public and firefighter safety remains the top priority while working within CDC guidelines to protect from COVID-19. 
Current Evacuation Notices and Forest Area Closures: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7012/

Incident Management Team Transition: Oregon Department of Forestry Team 3 will shadow IMT 10 today and will take over management of the fire due to significant spread of the fire onto lands protected by ODF. This Type 1 Team will begin managing the fire tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.High winds yesterday afternoon challenged firefighters as the fire burned through extremely dry fuels and pushed past dozer lines on the eastern edge. An 800’ wide strip of fire spread east to the 1129 road and south of the 700 road. Multiple helicopters and air tankers helped keep the fire from spreading further. Despite this setback, weather conditions are favorable today for firefighting efforts as temperatures and winds are expected to remain lower. Crews and dozers will work to re-establish and strengthen the line on the perimeter of the fire and air support will be available to aid the ground effort.

Yesterday, high afternoon winds pushed the fire across dozer lines on the eastern edge of the fire. Crews and dozers worked overnight to re-establish a line on the perimeter of the fire and firefighters will hold and improve this line today.

The Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 10 will hold a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. PST, Friday, August 21, 2020. The meeting will be livestreamed to help meet the Governor of Oregon’s recommendations for minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

Jefferson County, Oregon – The Green Ridge fire started on August 16 approximately 12 miles northwest of Sisters, Oregon. High daytime temperatures and afternoon winds yesterday pushed the fire across containment lines on the eastern edge of the fire. In one spot, the fire crossed the FS 11 Road, and firefighters quickly caught that edge with a dozer line. The fire continued to back down the west side of Green Ridge and rolling material on the northwest edge of the fire caused a small area of slop-over overnight. The fire is currently mapped at 1,937 acres.

Today, firefighters will continue to use dozers to create containment lines on the eastern 2/3 of the fireline, while crews hold and improve the line through the heat of the day. Where the fire continues to back down the steep slopes of Green Ridge, firefighters will dig handline to stop the fire’s progress. The heavy and medium helicopters will continue to support the ground effort with bucket drops, and heavy airtankers will be available if the fire is pushed outside of containment lines again today.

A cooling trend today and tomorrow with lower temperatures and higher relative humidity should assist suppression operations; however, firefighters will still have to address typical Central Oregon afternoon winds. Fuel conditions remain extremely dry and contribute to fire spread. Crews will continue to grid outside the fireline to catch any spot fires that may occur. 

The fire is staffed with almost 300 personnel including two interagency hotshot crews, two Type 2 initial attack crews, five 20-person handcrews, five Type 4 Engines, three Type 6 Engines, 11 dozers, two feller bunchers, eight water tenders, two skidgeons, three masticators and approximately 60 overhead positions.

Priorities continue to be public and firefighter safety, stopping fire movement to the 1120 road on the western side of the fire, and protecting private property, private timberlands and any critical infrastructure within and adjacent to the fire perimeter. 

The Deschutes and Jefferson County Sheriffs’ offices issued a Level 2 (Get Set; prepare to leave at a moment’s notice) Evacuation notice for the following areas: residences north of Indian Ford Road; east of Green Ridge Rd 11 and west of Fly Lake Road (USFS 2055), and a Level 1 (Get Set) Pre-Evacuation notice for the following areas: residences along the south side of Indian Ford Road from Hwy 20 to Stevens Canyon Road; residences east of Fly Lake Rd (FS 2055) to Stevens Canyon Rd (including all residences along Stevens Canyon Rd); and private residences and campgrounds west of USFS 14 within the Metolius Basin in the Camp Sherman area. The departments will continue to work with fire managers to ensure public safety and prevent conflicts between citizens and fire operations.

The Deschutes National Forest also issued a fire closure order yesterday to minimize public entry into the fire area as well as reduce the amount of traffic on roads with increased fire vehicles. The closure extends from the east side of the FS 14 Road on the western edge, to the FS 1154 Road to the north, east of the FS 1129 Road on the eastern edge of the fire and the FS 1126 Road on the south. A complete description of the closure and a map can be found under the Announcement tab on the Green Ridge Fire page in Inciweb at: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7012/.

For the safety of the public and wildland fire personnel, all fire personnel are expected to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for preventing the spread of COVID-19. This includes limiting public access to the Incident Command Post (ICP) at Sisters Middle School and establishing alternate methods of public communication such as virtual public meetings and conference calls with cooperators. While COVID-19 circumstances are rapidly evolving, and federal agency guidance continues to adapt with the situation, NW Team 10 is prepared for wildland fire activity during this time.