Black Crater Wildfire Subsides

As the Black Crater Conflagration burning southwest of Sisters subsides citizens returned to their homes.

Governor Ted Kulongoski near the Black Creek Fire Saturday Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM) - Structure firefighters and their equipment no longer dominate the streets of the once-evacuated subdivions of Tollgate, Crossroads and Edgington Road where 1500 people from over 600 reside.

The state fire marshal's structural incident management team had sent 41 fire engines, 15 water tenders and over 200 personnel helping to protect structures. The structural resources from across the state have now been demobilized.

The fire has burned 9,400 acres and is 40 percent contained. With cooler temperatures, the fire continues to be on the western edge but has secure, widened fire line along the eastern side closest to the populated areas.

Residents returning home are reminded to be aware of the potential for dangerous flare-ups. Tips such as using the evacuation map to return home, and caution around snags and hazard trees weakened by fire, are some of the advice evacuees will find in After the Wildfire… egov.oregon.gov/OOHS/SFM/docs/Comm_Ed/WUI/After_a_wildfire.doc. For the future, citizens are encouraged to become involved in strong risk reduction activities including both increasing the fire resistance of their homes by taking steps to keep embers from having a place to ignite a structure and reducing fuel, such as wood debris, which may lead fires to a structure.

Citizens concerned about catastrophic fire are urged to contact local fire managers about Community Wildfire Protection Plans and forest urban interface certification. For more information visit the web at: egov.oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/fire.shtml#Fire_Prevention

On July 27th Governor Ted Kulongoski invoked the Oregon Conflagration Act to allow State Fire Marshal Nancy Orr to mobilize firefighters and equipment to assist local resources battling the fire. The request to invoke the Oregon Conflagration Act came from Deschutes County Fire Defense Board Chief Taylor Robertson.

On July 28th the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) authorized the use of federal funds to help fight the fire. Updated fire information is available at OSFM website: egov.oregon.gov/OOHS/SFM.