The deadly Substation Fire which began raging Tuesday afternoon is 82 percent contained, fire spokesman Kale Casey said Sunday morning.
Casey said there was zero fire movement Saturday and, after more accurate mapping, the total acreage damaged was reduced to 79,121 acres instead of the 80,000 originally reported. The fire took place in Wasco and Sherman Counties, southeast of The Dalles.
Wasco County has been lowered to a level one evacuation, Sheriff Lane Magill said.
Sherman County has also been been lowered to a level one evacuation, said Shawn Payne, emergency manager for the county.
“People still need to be vigilant and very very cautious because this is going to be a horrific fire season,” Payne said.
Most of the remaining isolated heat is in Eightmile Canyon and Deschutes River Canyon.
There are no fire-related road closures as of Sunday morning, he said.
The Deschutes River is open again, but Casey warned people to be careful when camping and boating in the area as there may be some hot ash pits.
The most recent count on damaged structures included four primary structures and four secondary structures, Casey said. A damage map is being put together to help with rebuilding.
While there was no damage to wind turbines, some of the buildings on the electrical grid were impacted, Casey said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office.
Though outside fire crews are heading back to their own communities, local resources will remain in place, Lt. Damon Simmons with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office said.
“Right now the situation is looking good,” Simmons said.
There will be a community resources meeting regarding the fire on July 30 in The Dalles, Ore., Casey said.
