Update Thursday, September 24, 2009
Incident: Tumblebug Complex Wildfire
Released: 9/24/2009
Oakridge, OR ) Despite an active fire fueled by extremely dry, dense forest and unusually high atmospheric instability, firefighters were able to extinguish fires ignited by falling embers north of Forest Road 21 and also make progress in preparing Road 21 to stand as a line against the northern spread of the fire. Crews are also busy at the west side of the fire preparing a contingency line to contain the fire when weather conditions allow.
The primary growth of the fire on Wednesday was to the west, as it crossed Echo Creek and climbed to the top of Cougar Ridge, edging toward a late successional reserve of old-growth forest on the Staley Creek side of the ridge.
The fire also grew to the south, consuming forest land a mile up the Tumblebug Creek drainage to the confluence of the West Fork of Tumblebug Creek.
The Tumblebug plume punched through an inversion layer and reached an estimated 18,000 feet into the atmosphere. The inversion, however, kept sufficient smoke near the ground to cause concern about health conditions. Oakridge middle school cancelled a football game because of uncertainty about the effect of the smokey conditions.
The fire team will host a community meeting Thursday evening at 6:30 in the Oakridge High School auditorium.
A worker supporting the fire suffered a broken collar bone as a result of an accident on an all-terrain vehicle.
Forest Roads 21 and 23 are both closed at their junction near Highway 58 in order to ensure public safety. Most of the Middle Fork Willamette drainage is closed south of Hills Creek Dam. The complete closure description and a map of the area is posted on the incident website and the Willamette NF website at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette/.
Fire at a Glance (9/24/09)
Approximate Size: 9228 Acres
Containment: 5%
Location: 24 Miles SE of Oakridge, OR
Cause: Lightning
Date of Ignition: September 12
Personnel: 1136
Helicopters: 9
Crews: 31
Engines: 43
Dozers: 9
Closures/Restrictions:
The following Forest Roads are closed: 21 (partial), 23, 2102, 2106, 2110, 2115, 2117, 2118, 2119, 2120, 2124, 2125, 2127, 2129, 2133, 2134, 2135, 2136, 2137, 2143, 2144, 2154, 2302, 2303, 2307, 2308, 2309, 5850, 5851
Campground Closures:
Packard Creek, Sand Prairie, Camper's Flat, Sacandaga, Indigo Springs, Secret, Young's Flat Dispersed Area
Fire Information:
Contact: Lauren Maloney
Phone: 541-782-2870
Email: tumblebugfire@gmail.com
Web Site: www.inciweb.org/incident/1894/
