Three wildfires are currently burning in Wasco County. The Wrentham Market Fire east of Dufur; the S-503 fire on the Warm Springs Reservation and the Rattlesnake Fire in the South Junction area.
Rattlesnake Fire
According to a June 30 Facebook post on the Wasco County Sheriff’s Facebook page, a new fire near South Junction area, called Rattlesnake Fire, is burning towards Hwy-197 and Jefferson County. The fire is burning near the intersection of highways 197 and 97, south of Maupin, and is burning toward Highway 197 and Jefferson County. A Level 2 Get Ready evacuation order is in place for residences near the Hwy 197/97 intersection. The Rattlesnake Fire is not part of the S-503 reservation fire. Crews working the S-503 fire were diverted to the Rattlesnake Fire, and performed the initial attack.
Wrentham Market Fire
July 1, 2021 - 8:30 a.m. update from Wasco County Sheriff’s office
Fire crews working through the night maintained the progress that was accomplished Wednesday and will be joined by new resources today, according to the Wasco County Sheriff’s office. As of Thursday, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is joining the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) in Unified Command of the fire, which is estimated at 10,000 acres and is 38% contained.
These new resources will both support the front lines and provide additional coordination
“We’re really happy to have our partners at BLM joining us in supporting this community and taking care of business to contain this fire,” said Ian Yocum, OSFM Incident Commander. “The Unified Command structure allows agencies to better utilize expertise and position resources, and ultimately follow through on our mission of protecting life and property.”
BLM has activated two 20-person hand crews. They will arrive Thursday and will focus on areas with high concentrations of fuel and mopping up hot spots.
Wednesday’s high winds saw increased fire activity on the fire’s northern and southern boundaries, including several flare ups. The Task Force from Yamhill County worked through the night to monitor flare ups and any spot fires.
The fire’s limited growth is, in part, due to the initial response of local fire crews, farmers and ranchers. The defensible space and perimeter fire lines they created have helped significantly slow the spread of the fire, the press release said.
Initial responding agencies included Columbia Rural Fire Protection, Mid-Columbia Fire and Rescue, Dufur Fire, Tygh Valley Fire, Wamic Fire, Hood River Task Force, Dallesport Fire, Oregon Department of Forestry and Bureau of Land Management.
Low moisture levels, a red flag warning for the region and excessive heat are expected to continue Thursday, creating challenging conditions for firefighters as the fire burns in steep terrains and open range land.
The fire destroyed one barn and outbuilding. Level 3 evacuations remain in place for some homes east of Dufur. An estimated 70-100 people live inside the evacuation zone.
Visit the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for the most up-to-date information regarding evacuation levels.
Part of today’s tasks also include improvements in the perimeter mapping.
S-503 Fire
(Update, Inciweb, July 1, 2021 - 9:00 AM)
A Type-3 fire management organization lead by Incident Commander (IC) Travis Moyer is in command of the S-503 Fire. The S-503 Fire is located in timber and grasses on the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation and privately owned in-holdings protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. This fire is being managed as a full suppression fire.
As of July 1, the fire had burned 6,822 acres and was 98% contained. Fire activity is minimal and activity is in mop up and monitor status. Firefighters and engine crews have been working on cooling hot spots and advancing into the interior of the fire’s containment line for several days now, to the provided mop-up standards to create a cold, black perimeter around the fire’s edge.
The National Weather Service has declared an “Excessive Heat Warning” until Sunday. Firefighters are well informed with extra guidance for heat-related illnesses, watch-out situation metrics and cooling tents to care for the firefighters during the anticipated record temperatures. In the coming days as the temperature rises and with a dropping relative humidity, there is an increased potential for fire activity. Firefighting resources are prepared to respond to new starts today on the Warm Springs Reservation and surrounding areas. Yesterday some personnel were diverted to a new start called the Rattlesnake Fire, and performed initial attack.
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