Sunday'S Update, September 20, 2009
Incident: Tumblebug Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/20/2009
(Oakridge, OR) The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the northern Cascade Mountains. Hot, dry weather with gusty east winds and poor nightly humidity recoveries are predicted from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. Extremely dry relative humidity in the single digits is possible for the Tumblebug Complex area. Sustained east winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts from 30 to 35 are expected.
Because of the extreme weather conditions and the expected significant impact on fire behavior, the Willamette National Forest is bringing in the Northwest Oregon Interagency Incident Management Team. The incoming team, with Carl West as Incident Commander, will assume command of the 300-acre Tumblebug Complex at 6 AM Monday.
Willamette National Forest officials issued an area and road closure on Saturday affecting most of the Tumblebug drainage. A closure map can be viewed on the incident website at www.inciweb.org/incident/1894/, and closure information can be obtained by calling the Middle Fork Ranger Station at 541-782-2283 on week-days. Roads affected by the closure are listed in the sidebar. District Ranger Chip Weber apologized for the inconvenience, but added "for the sake of public and firefighter safety, and because of the potentially explosive fire conditions, it is imperative that the public respects the closure."
Crews were successful yesterday in establishing containment line to the northwest of the 119/123 fire, and initial handlines are now in place to the east, where the fire had previously crossed the 2153-370 road. Today, fire crews will be brushing out potential containment lines south of the fire. Firefighters have been holding the west side of the fire at the 2144 road.
A Type 3 Interagency Team, led by Incident Commander Chris Hays, is managing the incident.
Fire At A Glance
Approximate Size: 300 Acres
Containment: 10%
Location: 24 Miles SE of Oakridge, OR
Cause: Lightning
Date of Ignition: September 12
Personnel: 465
Helicopters: 7
Crews: 12
Engines: 9
Closures/Restrictions:
The following Forest Roads are closed: 2144, 2153-370, 2153-375, 2153-369, 2144-305, 2143-311.
An area closure is in effect. The complete description and a map of the area is posted on the incident website.
Sacandaga Campground is the spike camp for 100+ firefighters and is therefore not available to the public.
Fire Information:
Contact: Tom Berglund
Phone: 541-554-5293
Email:
