UPDATE: Dixie Creek Fire 90% contained at 541 acres
By Logan Bagett on Thursday, July 8th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
PRAIRIE CITY –UPDATE: (Press Release from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry—9:00 a.m.—7/8/21)
Firefighters on the 541 acre Dixie Creek Fire near Prairie City have continued to make progress mopping up the interior of the fire, increasing the area of cool black adjacent to the fireline. This work to secure the fire is a slow process, as firefighters grid the area looking and feeling for hot spots. The fire is 90% contained.
Firefighting resources are being released to other emerging incidents in the region as containment of the fire increases. Aircraft are available if needed to support suppression and mop-up activities.
Friday morning management of the fire will transition from High Desert Interagency Incident Management Team back to Oregon Department of Forestry’s John Day Unit. A type 4 organization will continue any remaining mop-up activities until the fire is in patrol status.
There have been no accidents or injuries on the incident.
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 Dept. of Forestry, 9:15 a.m., 7/7/21)
Firefighters on the Dixie Creek Fire, near Prairie City, continue to make progress mopping-up the fire. The 541 acre fire is now 75% contained. There is very little smoke visible within the incident. The increased containment has allowed the fire to release resources from the incident to mobilize to other fires across the state and to return home for rest. Several interagency hotshot crews were among those resources released, these crews were integral in providing leadership on the incident, working with less experienced firefighters to provide improved methods in the mop-up process.
Crews continue to grid across the fire, with most of the work complete in the divisions with lighter fuels. Today resources will focus on areas of heat in the timbered part of the fire. These larger fuels are more challenging to get completely cooled. Firefighters are using skidgines and water cats to distribute water across the fire for mop-up.
Mop-up is a slow tedious process where firefighters use water and tools to stir areas of heat until they are cool to the touch. The risk of fire moving outside the fireline is reduced as firefighters mop-up from the edge of the fire perimeter moving further into the interior of the fire.
One type 1 helicopter is assigned to the incident for air support if needed.
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.
