Portland — A 40,000-acre wildfire at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation has destroyed several homes and caused three neighborhoods to be evacuated on Saturday, according to the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s office.
In response, Gov. Kate Brown authorized the Oregon National Guard to provide more fire suppression resources across the state on Saturday.
An additional 125 service members will be activated today, her office said in a news release. The move comes one day after Brown declared the reservation blaze a conflagration — a fire that threatens lives, health or property — and gave the state fire marshal the green light to mobilize extra resources.
“As several quickly-burning fires spread throughout Oregon, and as state and local authorities prepare for the total solar eclipse, we need to be ready to put more boots on the ground,” Brown said in the statement.
Fire officials on the reservation previously said resources were thin and taking longer to arrive because of the number of wildfires burning in Oregon.
The reservation wildfire, dubbed the Nena Springs Wildfire, was started by a person near the northern part of the reservation on Tuesday and quickly spread to destroy homes and historic outbuildings. The fire is 25 percent contained as of Sunday morning, with helicopters and tankers dropping water and retardants to stop the flames from spreading.
Firefighters are working to contain the fire and keep it east of Bear Springs Cutoff, north of U.S. 26 and Warm Springs rural zone, west of the Deschutes River and the ridge above Eagle Creek, and south of U.S. 216 and Walters Road.
The Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, the Charlie Canyon Subdivision and Wolf Point are under a Level 1 evacuation notice, meaning they should continue to monitor fire conditions.
The Fish Hatchery Grade area is under a Level 2 evacuation notice. They should be ready to evacuate when notified. The Schoolie Flats, Simnasho, and S-300 neighborhoods are under a Level 2 evacuation notice as well.
The S-300 Road is closed. Oregon 3 is also closed, except for local residents.
Several other wildfires continue to burn across the state. The wildfires and hot, dry conditions prompted Gov. Brown to declare a state of emergency last week. The declaration allows the Oregon National Guard to assist the state Department of Forestry and state Fire Marshal’s Office.
Fires across Oregon
Here’s a rundown of other wildfires in the state:
Trout Creek Complex: Lightning sparked nearly 30 new fires on Oregon Department of Forestry lands in unincorporated Lane County overnight Thursday. Other fires have caused residents in Douglas County to prepare for the possible evacuations.
The complex, which includes a fourth fire that was already burning, spans a total of nine acres. The largest fire among them, the Goat Point Fire, is torching five acres on steep terrain.
Meanwhile, Level 2 evacuation notices have been issued for residents from Moore Hill Lane to Dry Creek along Oregon 138 East, according to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The designation means residents should be ready to leave their homes at a moment’s notice. The most serious notice is Level 3, which calls for an immediate evacuation.
• Cinder Butte Fire: The largest active fire in Oregon, at more than 52,400 acres, is 95 percent contained as of Saturday morning, authorities said. The fire started Aug. 2 about 10 miles west of Riley.
• Whitewater Fire: The 5,844-acre fire, burning 13 miles east of Detroit in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness area, has closed all trail access points into Jefferson Park, including a 28-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. It was sparked by lightning on July 23 and is not expected to be fully contained until the end of October.
• Chetco Bar Fire: Nearly 70 firefighters are working to put out this wildfire burning six miles west of Pearsoll Peak. The 5,286-acre fire, believed to have been caused by lightning on July 12, is mostly burning on steep slopes in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness. Crews estimate the fire will be fully contained by Oct. 15.
• Blanket Creek Fire: The lightning-caused Blanket Creek Fire, seven miles east of Prospect, is now 20 percent contained. It’s been burning timber, mixed conifer and other materials since July 26. Authorities are concerned thunderstorms in the forecast may cause heavy winds that could cause flames to spread to its present 4,820 acres.
• Spruce Lake Fire: The Spruce Lake Fire near Crater Lake has burned 4,885 acres and continues to spread. The fire is 35 percent contained. Recent storms and lightning have caused three dozen small fires in the area, ranging from one-tenth of an acre to 20 acres.
• Rebel Fire: The fire near the South Fork McKenzie River in the Three Sisters Wilderness has grown to 756 acres and is 5 percent contained. Crews face steep terrain and dense vegetation. A cause has not been determined. The fire began Aug. 4 and is expected to be contained by the end of September.
• Flounce Fire: Now at 690 acres, crews estimate it will take another two weeks to fully contain the Flounce Fire. Timber, brush and tall grass have been torched near Shady Cove since Aug. 7 and about 730 firefighters are battling the flames. The fire is 45 percent contained.
• Bear Butte Fire: The 499-acre fire near Baker City has closed Forest Road 73 and evacuated the Anthony Lakes Resort area. The wildfire is 75 percent contained. Crews hope to have the fire fully under control by Aug. 20.
• Falcon Complex: More than five fires are burning a total of 425 acres near Tiller. The blazes are burning timber and brush since the fires were started by lightning storms between Aug. 7 and 10. The fires could be contained by the end of the month.
• Indian Creek Fire: The 83-acre fire hasn’t grown much over the past couple of days in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. The fire has closed access to Wahtum Lake and the Indian Springs Campgrounds. It has been active since July 4. The fire could be fully contained by the end of September. The cause remains under investigation.
