Oregon Wildfire Update

Since the beginning of the new year, 305 fires in Oregon have burned approximately 1194 acres.

Oregon wildfire

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fire officials say mop up is still taking place on the 534 acre lightning-caused Twelve Mile Fire near Ritter Hot Springs about 12 miles north of the town of Long Creek. Today, one crew and one engine are completing interior mop up on this fire, which was contained yesterday.

Beyond that, no new fires 10-acres or greater, have been reported to the Salem Coordination Center.

OTHER FIRE INFORMATION: Black Butte Fire

The new acreage estimate for this fire, located on U.S. Forest Service lands approximately 7 miles NW of Sisters on the southeast slope of Black Butte, is 567 acres. This fire has been burning in mixed conifer and Ponderosa Pine and is now 15 percent contained.

Minimal fire activity is expected today although small burnouts may take place. Today, crews are focusing on securing the line on the south perimeter. A high chance of thundershowers w/moisture is expected tonight. The expected containment date is July 11th. Visitors to the Bend area this weekend are advised to watch for heavy traffic. There is a new phone number for information about this fire, that number is 541-595-0970. For information on ongoing wildfires in other jurisdictions within Oregon, go to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center website, http://www.nwccweb.us/ and to the national Incident Information System website at inciweb.org/state/38.

FIRE STATISTICS:

Fire statistics for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for the 15.8 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry:

January 1st 2009 through today:

• Lightning-caused fires: 92 fires burned approximately 1087 acres
• Human-caused fires:
• 189 fires burned approximately 420 acres
• Total: 281 fires have burned approximately 1,507 acres
• 10-year average (January 1st through the present date in the year)
• Lightning-caused fires: 52 fires burned approximately 437 acres
• Human-caused fires: 253 fires burned approximately 757 acres
• Total: 305 fires burned approximately 1194 acres