Dixie Creek Fire 25% contained Monday morning
By Logan Bagett on Sunday, July 4th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
PRAIRIE CITY – UPDATE: (Press release from Oregon Department of Forestry–9:10 a.m.–7/5/2021)
The Dixie Creek Fire, burning approximately three miles northwest of Prairie City, has burned approximately 570 acres of grass, brush, and timber within Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Central Oregon District and Prairie City Rural Fire Department protection. Today at 6:00 a.m. command of the fire transferred to the High Desert Interagency Type 3 Team, led by incident commander Tim Boyce.
The fire was initially reported Saturday afternoon, rapidly spreading. Air and ground resources were able to stop the fire late in the evening, and have kept the fire within the same footprint since the initial burn period. Overnight Sunday fire personnel patrolled the fire, monitoring for any change to fire behavior or areas of concern. The fire is 25% contained.
Today firefighters will focus on mopping up along the edge of the fireline to secure the perimeter. Tankers and helicopters are available to support on the ground suppression activities. Resources assigned to the fire include hotshot crews, dozers, watercats, skidgines, hand crews, wildland fire engines, water tenders, and numerous overhead to manage the incident.
The High Desert Interagency Type 3 Team is comprised of personnel from the Malheur National Forest, and Vale and Burns District Bureau of Land Management.
ODF Central Oregon District
Public Information: 541-263-0661
www.facebook.com/ODFCentralOregon
Twitter: @ODF_COD
Current fire restriction information and information for the Central Oregon District is available at www.odfcentraloregon.com.
PREVIOUS:
(Press release from the Oregon Department of Forestry–9:55 p.m.–7/3/2021)
The Dixie Creek Fire was reported just before 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon burning 3 miles northwest of Prairie City in Grant County. The fire was ignited by a lighting strike Thursday afternoon, and has been smoldering, unobserved until today. Wind and hot temperatures caused the fire to rapidly spread through timber, brush and grass on lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry’s John Day Unit and Prairie City Rural Fire Department. The fire is visible from Prairie City and from Highway 26.
Resources assigned to the nearby Lewis Rock and Bologna fires as well as initial attack resources quickly took action on the fire. These resources included four large air tankers, three single engine air tankers, two type 1 helicopters, two type 2 helicopters, five dozers, one twenty-person contract crew, two crews from the Malheur National Forest, nine engines and the La Grande Interagency Hotshots. Fire personnel from Prairie City Rural Fire Department also engaged in suppression efforts as the fire spread within their protection area. The fire is currently estimated to be 570 acres.
No structures are threatened at this time and no road closures are in place. Fire managers are working in coordination with the Grant County Sheriff to monitor any threat due to changing conditions.
Overnight the fire will be staffed by five dozers, two contract engines, and some overhead working to establish fireline and monitor fire conditions. Fire behavior has begun to moderate tonight with cooler temperatures and increasing humidity, however winds continue to influence the fire behavior.
A local Type 3 Team from the Malheur National Forest and Burns District Bureau of Land Management will be working with fire personnel on Sunday and management of the fire will transfer to this organization Monday morning. Additional resources are mobilizing to the fire and will be on the fireline Sunday.
Regulated-Use Closure is in effect for the Central Oregon District. Fireworks and campfires (including cooking fires) are not allowed within the district boundary. For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.
