This is the Oregon Department of Forestry Fire Update for Friday August 8, 2008.

IRON 44 TRAGEDY RELIEF

Members of the public interested in providing support to the surviving families of the Iron 44 fatal helicopter crash that killed employees of Grayback Forestry, Carson Helicopters and one U.S. Forest Service employee can donate to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation through the foundation's website, www.wffoundation.org. The foundation provides direct financial support to the family members of fallen wildland firefighters.

Numerous fires across the state were reported due to lightning strikes, most were quickly contained on very small acreages.

ACTIVE FIRES (As of 10:30am Friday)

(South Cascades) The Noisy Creek was reported Thursday near Forest Service Road 2135 in eastern Lane County. The fire had consumed 15 acres by Thursday afternoon. Cause of the fire is believed to be lightning-started. Six ODF engines were dispatched with one crew, two water tenders, one bulldozer, three helicopters and two air tankers. Crew have been able to establish a hose line around one-third of the fire. No information at this time regarding when containment is forecast.

(Eastern Oregon) The Birch Creek fire was reported on Bureau of Land Management land three miles SE of Kimberly on Thursday. Cause of the fire is believed to be lightning-started. The fire has burned 300 acres of difficult terrain so far. ODF is responding to the fire under cooperative agreement with BLM. Six ODF engines are responding with five crews, one bulldozer and two air tankers. No information at this time regarding when containment is forecast.

FIRE SUMMARY n EASTERN OREGON

(John Day Unit) - The Waterman fire located 13 miles NE of Mitchell began about 2:30 Thursday afternoon. Cause of the fire is believed to be lightning-started. Fire was fully contained Thursday at 275 acres. Five ODF engines were dispatched with one crew along with 2 bulldozers. A DC-7 tanker with ASM lead plane was dispatched from Redmond with assistance from a second air tanker from Medford.

The Hill Creek fire was reported Thursday afternoon 10 miles NW of Durkee. Cause of the fire is believed to be lightning-started. Growth of fire has been controlled at 20 acres of grassland. ODF responded with five engines and one bulldozer.

The Horseshoe fire began Thursday in the vicinity of the Waterman fire, about 15 miles NE of Mitchell. Cause of the fire is believed to be lightning-started. Fire was fully contained Thursday at 61 acres. Five ODF engines were dispatched with 2 bulldozers.

The Coyote Canyon Fire, located east of Pilot Rock near Sumac Grade burned over 100 acres and is now fully lined and contained. Pilot Rock Rural Fire Department assisted the Oregon Department of Forestry with this fire.

(Northeast Oregon District, Pendleton Unit) - A 35-acre fire burning near Thorn Hollow south of Athena has been contained. Private landowners, engines from East Umatilla County Fire Protection District and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Fire Department responded to this fire on CTUIR land.

(U.S. Forest Service) A fire Thursday burned over 80 acres on the Umatilla National Forest about two miles east of Dale. Fire crews have built a line around this fire and continue with mop-up activities Friday.

ODF Klamath-Lake District reports 13 total fires Thursday with 8 fires within ODF areas; all fires less than one acre and all controlled or contained.

ODF Central Oregon District, Prineville & Sisters Units responded 16 fires, all less than 1/3 acres and all fires controlled or contained.

ODF Central Oregon District, John Day Unit reported 17 fires Thursday.

ODF Northeast Oregon District, Pendleton Unit reports 6 fires under ODF response including four at less than 1/4 acres, all fires controlled or contained.

ODF Northeast Oregon District, La Grande & Baker Unit reported 4 fires, all controlled or contained.

ODF Northeast Oregon District, Wallowa Unit reported 5 fires, all but one controlled or contained.

Other Fire information:

For information on ongoing wildfires in other jurisdictions within Oregon, go to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center website, http://www.nwccweb.us/ and to the national Incident Information System website at www.inciweb.org/state/38/.

ABOUT THIS UPDATE:

ODF is responsible for fire protection on private and state-owned forestland, and on a limited amount of other forestlands, including those owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in western Oregon. However, because fires starting on one ownership may spread to others, and because of the need to share firefighting resources, agencies commonly work together closely.

This update focuses on firefighting activity on ODF-protected land, and on ODF's role as a partner in fighting major fires that start on land protected by other agencies.

FIRE STATISTICS

Fire statistics for the current year and the average over the past 10 years for the 15.8 million acres of private and public forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry:

January 1, 2008, through the present date:

Lightning-caused fires: 145 fires have burned approximately 632 acres Human-caused fires: 401 fires have burned approximately 783 acres

Total: 546 fires have burned approximately 1,415 acres

10-year average (January 1 through the present date in 2007):

Lightning-caused fires: 205 fires burned approximately 14,788 acres Human-caused fires: 410 fires burned approximately 3,075 acres Total fires: 615 fires burned approximately 17,863 acres

FIRE INFORMATION

News media may contact the Oregon Dept. of Forestry headquarters office for fire information, (503) 945-7200, weekdays during business hours. After business hours and on weekends, media may obtain fire info by calling pager (503) 370-0403. The duty officer will return media pages promptly.

When fire activity increases, the department will maintain a recorded fire update at (503) 945-7428. The FireFone will be updated daily during peak fire periods. In addition, daily fire updates will be posted on the Oregon Department of Forestry website, http://egov.oregon.gov/ODF/. For information on all wildfires in Oregon and Washington, go to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center website, http://www.nwccweb.us/ and for incidents throughout the country go to the Inciweb web site at http://www.inciweb.org.

Carelessness can destroy Oregon's beauty. Learn what you can do to prevent wildfires. Visit the Keep Oregon Green Association on the web at http://www.keeporegongreen.org/.

Kevin Weeks

Public Information Officer

Oregon Department of Forestry

Contact Info: Kevin Weeks, ODF Agency Affairs (503) 945-7427 or kweeks@odf.state.or.us - on-call Fire Duty PIO pager (503) 370-0403

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