08/16/2023
WILEY CREEK FIRE
Evening Update: August 15, 2023, 7:45 p.m.
Quick Facts-
Size: 245 Acres
Location: 9 miles SE of Sweet Home
Containment: 30%
Resources: ODF Type 3 Team, hand crews, dozers, and aircraft.
Lands Affected: USFS Willamette National Forest, Private land
CONTAINMENT ON WILEY CREEK FIRE INCREASES
Sweet Home, Ore.— Despite hot and dry conditions, the Wiley Creek Fire continues to hold at 245 acres, and due to progress on the line today, the containment has increased to 30%. Firefighters are continuing to mop up fire lines 100 feet into the interior of the fire around the entire perimeter, which is presenting challenges in the southeast corner of the fire. Steep ground and hazards are requiring extra time and safety measures.
Today, resources focused on hotspots that were located using last night’s infrared (IR) flight. Firefighters extinguished areas of heat on the ground, and helicopters worked from the sky. Hot temperatures reaching into the triple digits caused safety concerns. Personnel are required to wear long pants, long-sleeve shirts, helmets, gloves and boots while working on a fire line, and often carry up to 45 pounds in their backpack, along with hand tools. Working in these conditions in the proper safety gear can be extremely taxing, and extra hydration and breaks as needed were encouraged.
Tonight, resources will continue working to locate hotspots and put them out, strengthening the perimeter. Temperatures are expected to dip into the high 60s tonight, and humidities are predicted to increase up to 68%, which will naturally help to decrease any fire behavior.
Smoke from the Lookout Fire continues to drift west into Sweet Home and nearby communities. Smoke drift maps and air quality information is always available on https://fire.airnow.gov/. A Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service will end tonight at 11:00 p.m., and an Excessive Heat Warning is in place until Wednesday at 11:00 p.m.
As of 4:00 p.m. today, Green Peter Reservoir officially reopened to public boating use. The Oregon State Marine Board has rescinded their temporary order, which closed the reservoir to boating. Level 1 (Be Ready) and Level 2 (Be Set) evacuations remain in place. For more information on evacuations, visit https://www.linnsheriff.org/. No campfires of any kind are allowed on the Willamette National Forest.
Please help firefighters by following all local regulations, found here: https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/pages/restrictions.aspx. Additional wildfire prevention tips are available at www.keeporegongreen.org.