Wildfire activity and extreme fire danger continues this weekend throughout Oregon.
In Central Oregon, the Milli fire in the Deschutes National Forest near Sisters has prompted the Level 3 (“Go Now”) evacuation of 600 residents in the Edmington/Ramuda Road and Crossroads subdivision, and a Level 1 (“Get Ready”) evacuation for the Tollgate subdivision. Officials have closed a large section of the McKenzie Pass Highway- Oregon Highway 242. There is a community meeting Saturday at 6 pm at Sisters High School. Representatives of the incident management team and local agencies will be there to provide the latest information on the fire and answer questions.
In Douglas County, the Umpqua North Complex fire has resulted in evacuation orders for the Dry Creek community, Illahee road, and the Last Resort RV park.
On the Willamette National Forest, the Jones fire is burning in heavy timber approximately 10 miles northeast of the town of Lowell. Fire crews are also working on the Staley fire south of Oakridge and the Rebel fire near McKenzie river. The French Fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain one mile from the town of Detroit. Meanwhile, the Whitewater fire in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness area continues to burn near and has charred 68-hundred acres.
Many of the fires are within the “zone of totality” for Monday’s solar eclipse. With the large number of visitors expected to visit the National Forest for the eclipse, the U.S. Forest Service is reminding motorists to not take vehicles off roads into dry vegetation that may spark a fire. When traveling, be prepared by bringing extra supplies and having an alternate plan if your travels are affected by closed roads and access.
Fire information can be found at https:/inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5512
