Willamette Complex Fires-South

10/13/2024

Fire closure areas around the Willamette Complex fires are still in effect. Please reference the fire closure map on the U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest website to make sure you're recreating in open areas.

Please be aware that a number of closure areas still exist on the Willamette National Forest for the various wildfires. Please reference our fire closure map and plan accordingly.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd950391.pdf

10/12/2024

The Willamette National Forest has reduced the closure area around the Moss Mountain Fire near the Diamond Peak Wilderness. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/willamette/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1209310

10/07/2024

10/06/2024

Willamette Complex Fires South Summary

Chalk Fire (6,010 acres, 100% contained)
Coffeepot Fire (6,203 acres, 100% contained)
Moss Mountain Fire (2,484, acres, 10% contained)
208 Fire (9,799 acres, 4% contained) (this includes the 38 acre 217 Fire now part of 208)
Tire Mountain Fire (23 acres, 100% contained)
McKinley Fire (24 acres, 100% contained)

📷: Firefighters working the 208 Fire

10/06/2024

🔥 Young Grasshopper Fire Update – Oct. 6, 2024 🔥
Size: 3,949 acres
Containment: 0%
Personnel: 52
Location: Middle Fork Ranger District, northeast of NF-753 Road

Firefighters saw a moderate increase in fire activity yesterday, with most of the fire growth to the east. Fire activity is expected to increase today as a ridge of high pressure will bring warm temperatures and dry weather conditions.

Resources working the fire include 20-person hand crew, one Hotshot crew, two engines, two masticators, and miscellaneous heavy equipment. In addition, the Willamette South Complex has two Type 1 helicopters, one Type 2 helicopter and one Type 3 helicopter supporting operations on the fire. Firefighters are working as direct as possible to the fire’s edge. Resources are also building indirect fire line and continuing point protection efforts across the fire.

Firefighter and public safety remain the top priority. The tactics used to suppress the fire will be determined by the terrain, fire and weather conditions, and medical response time with a focus on only implementing plans and tactics that have a high probability of success.

Weather: Increasing onshore flow follows for the rest of next week, trending temperatures cooler and humidity higher. Chances for precipitation will also increase next week, with the best chances Thursday and Friday.

Closures: Fire Closures remain in place on the Middle Fork Ranger District in the immediate fire operations area for public and firefighter safety. For a map of all the closure areas and a complete list of recreation sites and roads included in the orders, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices.

📷: Aerial view of the Young Grasshopper Fire

10/06/2024

10/02/2024

The 208 Fire and Moss Mountain Fire have been the most active in recent days due to dry weather conditions. However, both fires remain within their fire control lines. Helicopter water bucket drops have been used when appropriate to cool down hot spots.

Vegetation fuel removal work has been completed at the Wolf Mountain Communications site. This work was done to provide defensible space and protect critical communications infrastructure if needed near the Moss Mountain Fire.

Transfer of Command of the Willamette Complex South from the Eastern Area Team to the Middle Fork Type 3 Team will occur at 6:00pm today.

Willamette Complex South
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-willamette-complex-fires-south

South


U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest
Oregon Department of Forestry

10/01/2024

Willamette Complex South October 1, 2024 Operational Update with Planning Operations Section Chief Andy Pascarella. A local Type 3 Incident Management Team will take command of the South Complex at 6pm today. This will be the last operational update video. Future updates will be written posts. Video is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R4GocMtMGAw

10/01/2024

Willamette Complex South Update for Tuesday October 1, 2024

Total Personnel: 290 Total Acres: 23,897

The Eastern Area Incident Management Team (IMT) 1 will transfer command of the fire today at 6:00 p.m to the Middle Fork Type 3 IMT. Daily updates will no longer be produced unless there is significant change. The new team will continue to post fire information on Facebook, Inciweb, and the Willamette National Forest website.

Summary
The McKinley Creek and Tire Mountain fires remain at 100% containment. The IMT continues to reassign or reduce personnel and equipment numbers to fit the current needs on each of the fires in the complex. Emphasis remains on patrolling, mop-up of any lingering heat adjacent to fire perimeters, post-suppression repair of firelines where needed, and returning forest roads to good condition. Five helicopters remain available today for reconnaissance flights and water drops as needed to cool down hot spots.

Chalk Fire (6,009 acres, 100% containment)
The Willamette National Forest has reduced the extent of the forest closure affecting the Chalk Fire and rescinded the closure order for Tire Mountain. For the latest closure information, refer to the Forest’s webpage (link below). Work continues today on repair and stabilization of a constructed fireline south of the fire. Ditch cleanout work has been completed on Forest Road 642. There was some active fire yesterday in the unburned pocket toward the west end of the fire, but it was well within the fire perimeter.

Coffee Pot Fire (6,203 acres, 100% containment)
Priority work on this fire includes patrolling and monitoring the perimeter and repairing Forest Road 2129 and 2120 to the south. Ground crews have completed contingency fireline repair work. Fire activity has been minimal in recent days.

208 Fire (9,413 acres, 4% containment)
Some hot spots and active fire areas on the west flank of the fire remain a concern. Helicopters were used yesterday to keep these problem areas in check. Firefighters continue to enhance contingency firelines to the west of the fire beyond the Sierra Pacific Industries timberlands. Helicopters will be available again today for any needed water drops.

Moss Mountain Fire (2,225 acres, 10% containment)
A hand crew will work on repairing a constructed fireline east of the fire. Monitoring areas of heat, especially on the north side of the fire, continues today. Work along Forest Road 23 North and South is nearing completion. Mop-up continues adjacent to Forest Road 2149. Fuel treatments surrounding the critical Wolf Mountain Communications Site are completed to assist in protection of the infrastructure.

Weather and Fire Behavior
Low relative humidity (Rh) continues today, with the Rh percentage expected to drop to the upper teens. Active fire behavior may resume before noon in places, with potential for some torching and short-range spotting this afternoon. Overnight, Rh will not recover much, and will remain fairly low into Wednesday. However, winds and expected high temperatures will not be in critical ranges, so fire behavior may abate on Wednesday compared to the prior two days.

Closures, Fire Restrictions, and Evacuations
For closure and restriction information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices

Stay safe and informed and thank you for your continued support.

Email for all fires: [email protected]

Willamette Complex South
InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orwif-willamette-complex-fires-south
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WillametteComplexFires/

South

U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest
Oregon Department of Forestry

10/01/2024

The Willamette National Forest announced that they will be cancelling the Tire Mountain Fire Closure Order (06-18-10-24-18) and reducing the Chalk Fire closure area on October 1, 2024.

Willamette Complex South
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/.../orwif-willamette-complex...

South

U.S. Forest Service - Willamette National Forest
Oregon Department of Forestry

10/01/2024

Please see this post from the Willamette National Forest for a change in the Closure Area around the Chalk Fire, one of the fires within the Willamette Complex South.

REDUCTION IN CHALK FIRE CLOSURE: Due to successful firefighting efforts and favorable weather conditions, the Willamette National Forest reduced the Chalk Fire closure, reopening several popular recreation sites and hunting areas on the Middle Fork Ranger District.

Approximately 20 miles of Forest Service Road (FSR) 19, also known as Aufderheide Drive, has re-opened. A portion of the FSR-19 is still closed between the junctions of FSR 1912 and FSR 1928 (milepost 5-14).

✅ Newly OPENED Recreation Sites and Trailheads
∎ Huckleberry Flats OHV Area (east of FSR 1928)
∎ Kiahanie Campground
∎ Alpine Segment #3 Trailhead (Windy Pass)
∎ Alpine Segment #4 Trailhead (FS Road 1912-143)
∎ Alpine Segment #5 Trailhead (FS Road 1825)
∎ Box Canyon (South) Trailhead
∎ North Fork Segment #2 Trailhead (FS Road 1910)
∎ North Fork Segment #3 Trailhead (FS Road 1920)
∎ North Fork Segment #5 Trailhead (Shale Ridge)

✅ Newly OPENED Trails
∎ Alpine Trail #3450 (accessible from FSR 1910)

✅ Newly OPENED recreation sites and trails, but not accessible from Westfir via FSR 19
∎ Constitution Grove Trailhead
∎ North Fork Segment #5 Trailhead (FS Road 1944)
∎ Shale Ridge Trailhead

⛔ CLOSED Recreation Sites and Trails
∎ North Fork Segment #2 Trail #3666.2
∎ Huckleberry Flats OHV (west of FSR 1928)
∎ North Fork Segment Trailhead #2 (FSR 1912)
∎ North Fork Segment Trailhead # 3 (FSR 1919)

For a map of all the closure areas and a complete list of recreation sites and roads included in the orders, visit our website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/willamette/alerts-notices.

09/30/2024

Willamette Complex South September 30, 2024 Operational Update with Planning Operations Section Chief Andy Pascarella. Video is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/KL-ydabJbTg