Warm Springs, OR — August 21, 2020
Incident Commander: Eric Knerr, Northwest Team 7
Fire Information: 541-553-2004
[Warm Springs, Oregon] This update is for the P-515 Fire and Lionshead Fire burning on the Warm Springs Reservation. Lightning has been determined to be the cause of both of these fires. These fires are 14 miles west of the Warm Springs community. An Incident Command Post has been established at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds. The Quartz Butte Fire is in mop-up with no new fire activity to report.
Suppression priorities include limiting the spread of the fires, protecting structures, and minimizing the impacts to important cultural and natural resources. The P-515 and Lionshead Fires are actively burning in areas of timber with grass, shrub, and patchy conifer understory. In many areas there are scattered snags and dense stands of young trees. Both fires are being managed for full suppression.
Current Situation: Yesterday, both fires exhibited rapid fire spread with spotting and increased acreage due to westerly winds. COVID-19 mitigations are being taken to limit exposure risks to firefighters and the tribal community, per CDC guidelines.
P-515 Fire: A Level 1 Evacuation (Get Ready) is in effect for residents on Trout Lake Road east of US-26. Crews began working to protect structures potentially in the path of the fire spread yesterday, and an Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Task Force has joined the structure protection effort today. Firefighters are seeking direct containment opportunities on the east side of the fire in order to keep it from reaching US-26.
Lionshead Fire: The Lionshead Fire is burning in the Whitewater River Canyon on the north side of the river. Firefighters are working to keep the fire on the north side of the Whitewater River Canyon, and stop the easterly spread of the fire. Access is difficult on the Lionshead Fire because of the steep terrain and limited road access.
Weather and Fire Behavior: A cold front is expected to cross the area with westerly winds gusting up to 30 mph. While temperatures and humidity are moderating, firefighters are expecting gusting winds to cause problematic fire behavior.
Road Closures:
· Trout Lake Road at pavement end;· Road B140 at Potter’s Pond;· Road B210 and Road P-500.
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