Fire threatening Paisley, Oregon, now 40 percent contained

PORTLAND — Firefighters have contained a sizable portion of a wildfire threatening Paisley, Oregon.

Tamara Schmidt of the U.S. Forest Service says the blaze burning northwest of town was 40 percent contained Friday morning. Crews planned to reinforce containment lines during the afternoon and start mopping up the fire that’s burned more 5 square miles.

Elsewhere, a 200-acre wildfire burning west of Sunriver was about 25 percent contained. Roughly 70 homes remained on alert to be ready to evacuate if the situation worsens.

In Eastern Oregon, the state’s largest active wildfire has now scorched 45 square miles near Unity.

The western edge was the center of activity on Thursday as spot fires continued to burn vigorously.

As the Rail fire moves into the Monument Rock Wilderness Area, it’s confronting the scar from the 2002 Monument fire, and that is expected to slow its southern advance.

The team fighting the fire will discuss its strategy at a community meeting Friday in Prairie City.