Firefighting conditions have been challenging Saturday on the Akawa Butte Fire near Sisters. A red flag warning was in place for parts of Saturday due to dry conditions, low humidity and strong winds. The Oregon Department of Forestry told OPB that winds picked up earlier than expected, creating hazardous conditions for aircraft to fly safe and be effective.
Despite the dangerous conditions, firefighters made steady progress overnight Friday, strengthening control lines on the fire’s northern, southern and eastern edges as decreasing winds allowed crews to gain ground.
Evacuation levels for the Akawa Butte Fire did not change on Saturday.
The fire has burned 26,400 acres as of Saturday evening. It remains the nation’s top priority for firefighting resources.
This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
