7/20 Boulder Fire Update

7/20

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. An estimated 233 acres have burned, and the fire is now 100% contained. Completion of the objectives on the Boulder Fire include suppression repair, backhauling equipment and patrolling the fire area. Fire managers continue to right-size by releasing resources as objectives are met.

While active firefighting has concluded at the Boulder Fire, there are tasks that must be completed before management of the incident is returned to the Mt. Hood National Forest. Suppression repair is one of these important activities and fire managers have assigned some of the remaining crews to do this work, returning disturbed areas to as natural a state as practical. Resource advisors with expertise in environmental and/or cultural resource preservation guide this work. Berms of dirt and vegetation debris, created as crews constructed fire lines, have been dismantled. Where possible, hazards like fire-weakened trees are removed. Roads that were heavily used during firefighting operations are being restored to their previous condition. To limit run-off and prevent erosion, water bars or cup trenches are installed across handlines. Firefighters are also removing equipment including porta-tanks (mobile water reservoirs), pumps, miles of hose line, radio repeaters and weather stations.

Weather: Today’s forecast includes slightly lower temperature and higher humidity with light east winds shifting to 4 – 9 mph west winds in the afternoon.

Closures and Restrictions: Many of the roadways, campgrounds and trails north and east of Forest Road 48 in the Barlow Ranger District are closed during the Boulder Fire. Due to the high fire danger, open fire and target shooting restrictions have been implemented. For more information or to view the full closure order, visit the Forest webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mthood/alerts-notices.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy and Port Camp Campground are under a Level 3 – Go Now evacuation. Evacuations levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff

Public Safety: Firefighters and heavy equipment continue to work on and around the area roadways, including Forest Road 48. Drivers can help keep everyone safe by avoiding these areas.

Investigation: The cause of the fire remains under investigation. If you have information that could assist fire investigators of the Boulder Fire, please contact: [email protected]

7/19

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. The fire has been burning in dead and down woody material located in steep, rugged, alpine-like terrain. An estimated 233 acres have burned. Firefighters have completed mop-up and, as of this morning, containment has increased to 100%. Fire managers are releasing resources to right-size the team. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The temporary flight restriction over the fire has been lifted.

By the end of shift yesterday, firefighters had finished mop-up. Mop-up is the process of ensuring that the fire will not spread beyond existing containment lines, and it is very labor and time intensive. On the Boulder Fire this work has been especially challenging at the southern edge where the vegetation is very thick and dense. Firefighters have gridded the ground to systematically seek out and extinguish any remaining heat. When heat has been found, crews have used hand tools and water to ensure that the ground remains cool and free of flammable materials. Multiple heat-detecting flights have found no hot spots.

Also on Tuesday, one of the helicopters assigned to the Boulder Fire was reassigned to the growing Flat Fire in southwestern Oregon and many of the hotshot crews on the incident have been demobilized.

On Wednesday, the temporary helibase at Pine Hollow is closing and aviation resources will be consolidated at Dallesport. Crews will patrol the fire to watch for any new hot spots, work on repairing damage caused by suppression activities to roads and continue backhauling equipment. Firefighters are moving resources out of the Rock Creek OHV area.

Weather: Today is forecast to be the hottest and driest day of the week with temperature in the high 80’s and relative humidity in the low 20’s at mid-day. Light winds out of the east are expected.

7/18

Resources: 395 Total Personnel | 7 Hand Crews | 9 Engines | 3 Heavy Equipment |

10 Water Tender| 1 Fixed-Wing Aircraft | 3 Helicopters

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down woody material located in steep, rugged, alpine-like terrain. An estimated 233 acres have burned. The percentage of containment has increased to 58%. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire. Ensuring public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

On Monday, lower temperatures and moderate relative humidity persisted over the fire area. Gentle winds had little impact on the fire area, restricting fire activity to the interior of the fire where crews observed limited smoldering and creeping. Containment increased to 58% as crews continued to clear and grade Forest Road 4860 to the east of the fire. Clearing forest roads creates accessible routes for firefighters to build secondary containment lines as needed. Crews continued to make strong progress “mopping-up” around the entire fire perimeter, using water and hand tools to ensure that the ground remains cool and free of flammable materials. This ongoing process ensures that the fire will not spread beyond existing containment lines.

Today, mop-up continues as firefighters venture further into the fire’s interior. Crews expect to finish their grading work on Forest Road 4860 and will start removing heavy equipment from the fire area.

Weather: In the fire area, temperatures will slightly increase to highs in the mid-70s and relative humidity will drop back to levels around 25%. Gentle upslope winds will blow around 5 mph.

Closures and Restrictions: Many of the roadways, campgrounds and trails north and east of Forest Road 48 in the Barlow Ranger District are closed. Due to the high fire danger, open fire and target shooting restrictions have been implemented. For more information or to view the full closure order, visit the Forest webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mthood/alerts-notices.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp Campground are under a Level 3 – Go Now evacuation. Evacuation levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

7/17

1 Fixed-Wing Aircraft | 3 Helicopters

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. An estimated 233 acres have burned. The percentage of containment has increased to 46%. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

On Sunday, slightly lower temperature and higher relative humidity moved over the fire area. Fire activity was minimal even as winds picked up with the arrival of a cold front. The unmanned aerial system (UAS) equipped with a heat-sensing device flew over the fire area in search of hot spots and, for the second day in a row, none were detected. The percentage of containment increased to 46% overall and crews are almost finished opening the 4860 Road for better access to the ridge that lies beyond the east side of the fire. Firefighters made additional progress along every side of the fire moving toward mop-up (the process of ensuring that the ground is cool and free of fuels) objectives. Mop-up objectives vary with features such as fuel types, terrain, access and wind exposure but the goal is the same. Mop-up must be completed to a level that’s sufficient to keep the fire from escaping or spotting across existing containment lines, given current and expected conditions. Also, when another fire broke out near LaDee Flats southeast of the Portland area last evening, Boulder Fire managers temporarily assigned a large helicopter and a spotter plane to the initial attack.

Today, mop-up continues as firefighters extend further into the fire’s interior. Crews expect to finish their brushing work on the 4860 Road and will begin backhauling (returning) equipment.

Weather: Temperatures will be much lower, dropping into the 70’s, and the relative humidity will be significantly higher on Monday. Gusty winds are forecast throughout the day but will be strongest in the morning and calmer in the afternoon.

7/16

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. An overnight infrared flight confirmed that 233 acres have burned. The percentage of containment has increased to 30%. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Despite Saturday’s high temperatures, fire activity was minimal though crews observed isolated single tree torching within the fire’s interior where scattered pockets of unburned fuels remain. The unmanned aerial system (UAS) equipped with heat-sensing equipment flew over the fire area in search of hot spots, and none were detected. The percentage of containment doubled to 30% as firefighters completed line along the fire’s western flank. Work to strengthen containment lines continued to the north, south and east sides of the fire. In addition, masticating and grading was underway as crews improved access north to Grasshopper Point along the 4860 Road. Efforts were interrupted several times when recreationalists, who apparently missed notices of area and road closures, appeared near where crews were working.

Today, the UAS is flying over the area again. Work continues as firefighters further strengthen containment lines all around the fire. Crews are pushing toward the fire’s center, creating cool and fuels-free ground 100 feet inside the perimeter.

Weather: Temperatures are expected to be slightly lower on Sunday than Saturday and humidity, slightly higher. A cold front is forecasted to push in today, bringing gusty winds during the evening hours and into Monday.

7/15

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. Approximately 233 acres have burned. The change in size is due to ever-improving mapping. As of last evening, the percentage of containment had increased to 15%. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Mop-up was in full force around the entire perimeter on Friday. While firefighters focused mainly on ensuring containment lines are fuels-free and cold, crews also stopped a 20’ x 20’ fire that crossed over an established containment line when a burning tree fell across the north perimeter. Crews at the fire’s southwest corner extinguished several hot spots outside the fire perimeter with the help of bucket drops from helicopters dipping out of Boulder Lake.

Today, the unmanned aerial system (UAS) is flying over the fire area. Equipped with a thermal imaging camera, this UAS is most effective operating early in the morning when the contrast between cooler air temperatures and hot spots is strongest. The additional information provided by the UAS will help firefighters improve their efficiency as they seek out hot spots around the Boulder Fire. Work continues further strengthening containment lines. The need for contingency (or back-up) lines has decreased and crews previously assigned to those operations are joining in the mop-up efforts. The aircraft that had been scooping from Timothy Lake have been reassigned to other incidents but helicopters remain available if needed.

Weather: Very high temperatures and very low humidity are forecast for today and tomorrow before a cold front on Sunday evening brings some temporary relief. High winds are expected on Monday.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp Campground are under a Level 3 –Go Now evacuation. Evacuation levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

7/14

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. Approximately 238 acres have burned. The change in size is due to ever-improving mapping data. The past week’s hard work has resulted in less active fire and firefighters can focus more on mop-up operations. As of last evening, the percentage of containment had increased to 10%. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction remains in place over the fire. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Yesterday morning, fire managers and a small group of firefighters participated in a successful Incident-Within-An-Incident (IWI) drill to exercise the incident management team’s procedures for when a crew member is injured. While there have been no injuries on this incident, it is vital that the team’s emergency skills remain sharp. Also yesterday, fire crews completed containment lines and hose lays along the western flank. They used hand tools and water from the network of hose lines placed over the past few days to extend containment lines over 10 feet within the fire’s edge. Firefighters also cut off heat sources by attacking pockets of fire directly. Fire crews finished two-thirds of containment lines on the eastern flank. In the remaining one-third on the southeastern corner, crews searched for hot spots and found none in a systematic process called “gridding.”

Last night, local and incident management team officials spoke at a community meeting before a crowd of about 50 in person and over 60 via Facebook Live. A recording of the 37-minute meeting is available for viewing on the Mt. Hood National Forest Facebook page.

Today, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) equipped with thermal-imaging equipment is expected to arrive. Fire managers will use the UAS information to more effectively locate hotspots in the area’s thick underbrush. Firefighters will continue mop-up, working to create 10 to 50 feet of cold and fuels-free line around the fire perimeter.

7/13

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. Approximately 234 acres have burned. The change in size is due to improved mapping data. The efforts of firefighters on the ground combined with air resources have been so effective at limiting fire growth that fire managers are beginning to transition to the mop-up phase of suppression operations. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction is in place. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Community Meeting: A community meeting is scheduled for this evening, July 13, at 7 p.m. in the Wamic Community Hall (80192 Emigrant St. in Wamic, Oregon) and on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/mthoodnf

Yesterday, firefighters continued to work on handlines and hose lays around the fire’s eastern side. While checking for heat beyond the southeast corner of the perimeter, fire crews found and extinguished a new hot spot as well as one that had reignited from the day before. Firefighters used heavy equipment to progress on containment. On the west side, firefighters completed a hose lay along the entire western perimeter and reinforced bulldozer lines throughout the division. Helicopters, dipping from Little Boulder Lake in the center of the fire area, used bucket drops to cool hot spots. Unburned fuels were removed from the northern edge using controlled fire, resulting in 5% containment by the end of yesterday’s shift.

Today, fire crews plan to finish digging handlines, improving containment lines such as roads and bulldozer lines, and installing hose lays in preparation for mop-up operations. Mop-up efforts include carefully checking along containment lines and adjacent areas to locate and extinguish all heat sources so these lines will hold under current and expected fire behavior. Firefighters will also patrol for hot spots and use air resources as needed.

Weather: Conditions are forecast to continue warming and drying through the weekend, and fire managers are preparing for potentially critical fire weather early next week.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp Campground are under a Level 3 –Go Now evacuation. Evacuation levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

7/12

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. Approximately 236 acres have burned. Firefighters have been very productive, making great strides toward (containment). Fire managers have combined infrared flight data with information from personnel on the ground for a better estimate of the fire’s size. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A temporary flight restriction is in place. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Community Meeting: A community meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m. in the Wamic Community Hall (80192 Emigrant St. in Wamic, Oregon) and on Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/mthoodnf

Yesterday, fire crews made substantial progress on handline construction and road improvement despite challenges posed by terrain. Firefighters have nearly completed handline around the fire’s northeast corner to help prevent the fire from crossing the perimeter. The previous night’s infrared flight pointed out hot spots along Boulder Creek and fire crews extinguished these hot spots. A masticator processed debris that firefighters had cleared from the 4880 Road, further strengthening the line as a containment feature. To the west, fire crews nearly finished a handline around the northwest corner and helicopters dropped thousands of gallons of water to cool any flare-ups. Efforts to remove brush from the 4813 Road were ongoing as was grading along the 4816 Road.

Today, helicopters will operate out of Pine Hollow and Dallesport helibases to cool the fire’s edge as crews continue road improvements, line construction and hose lays. Rotor aircraft will also help meet logistical needs, delivering materials and equipment to the fireline with sling loads. Additional heavy equipment such as bulldozers will speed work to complete control lines.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp Campground are under a Level 3 –Go Now evacuation. Evacuation levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

Weather: The weather was warm and dry around the fire yesterday, with only light winds. A weak cold front is expected Wednesday, bringing cooling and higher humidity with partly cloudy skies.

Closures and Restrictions: Forest Roads 4880, 4881, and 4890 are closed. Due to the high fire danger, open fire and target shooting restrictions have been implemented. For more information, visit the Forest webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mthood/alerts-notices.

Public Safety: Firefighters and heavy equipment are working on and around the area roadways, including Forest Road 48. Motorists can help keep firefighters and visitors safe by driving carefully and avoiding these areas. Timothy Lake, a popular recreation site, is being used by water-scooping aircraft. Firefighters are using the Rock Creek OHV Area as a staging area. For everyone’s safety, the public is asked to stay clear of these fire suppression operations.

Smoke: Currently, there are no significant smoke impacts from the Boulder Fire. For air quality updates, visit www.oregonsmoke.org or airnow.gov.

7/11

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 25 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest’s Barlow Ranger District. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged and alpine-like terrain. Approximately 237 acres have burned. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire managers have received better mapping data from an overnight flight by aircraft with infrared capabilities. Firefighters are making good progress with work on the ground and from the air. A temporary flight restriction is in place. Public and firefighter safety are the highest priorities on the Boulder Fire.

Yesterday, initial attack and contingency groups were established. Crews on the fire’s eastern flank were able to build line directly on the fire’s edge, from Spur 123 to the 48 Road. Along the western flank, firefighters removed brush to improve access on existing roadways and scouted locations for contingency lines. Fixed wing and rotor aircraft helped fire crews stop isolated flare-ups. There were no new fire starts reported yesterday in the immediate area.

Today, a temporary helibase location will be established at Pine Hollow which is located about 12 miles east of the fire. Helicopters are also operating out of Dallesport. Firefighters will be working along the fire’s eastern flank to tie established handlines to Boulder Creek, a natural containment feature. As additional heavy equipment arrives to the fire, crews will make further progress on improving roads for access as well as for containment of the fire along the western flank.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadow campground, Badger Lake campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp campground are under a Level 3 — Go Now evacuation. Evacuation levels are Level 1 — Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 — Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

7/10

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8th southeast of Mt. Hood on the Barlow Ranger District near Boulder Lake Trailhead. The fire is burning in dead and down debris located in steep, rugged terrain. Local resources from the Mt. Hood National Forest have aggressively been fighting the fire over the last 48 hours with the support of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. Approximately 160 acres have burned, and the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire. Resources continue to arrive.

Northwest Incident Management Team 10, under the leadership of Incident Commander Alan Lawson, assumed command of the Boulder Fire at 6 a.m. this morning. The team is working closely with fire officials from the Mt. Hood National Forest. Approximately 200 personnel are assigned to the fire in addition to 2 water scoopers and 4 helicopters. Fire crews will spend the day assessing the fire activity, scouting the area looking for potential safety hazards and safe access to and from the fire. Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority on the Boulder Fire.

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp campground are under a Level 3 – Go Now evacuation.

Level 1 – BE READY to evacuate.
Level 2 – BE SET to evacuate.
Level 3 – GO NOW!

Weather: Clear skies and winds out of the west with gusts up to 25 mph are forecast over the fire area today.

Closures: Forest Roads 4880, 4881, and 4890 are closed.

Fire Restrictions: Due to hot and dry conditions, campfires are prohibited across the Mt. Hood National Forest. All campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires, or any other open fires are prohibited under a Forest Order, including in developed campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves, lanterns, and heating devices using liquefied or bottled fuel, such as propane, are still allowed as they can be instantly switched off. Target shooting is temporarily prohibited because of the risk of wildfire.

Public Safety: Firefighters and heavy equipment are traveling and working on and around the area roadways, including Forest Road 48. You can help keep firefighters and the public safe by driving carefully and avoiding these areas.

Additional Information: Evacuation information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

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Sandy, OR—July 9, 2023. Firefighters are engaged in suppressing the Boulder Fire, which started on July 8th southeast of Mt. Hood on the Barlow Ranger District near Boulder Lake Trailhead. As of this morning, the fire is estimated to be over 6o acres.

The fire is burning in a heavily forested area on steep slopes. Four engines, four hotshot crews and two heavy helicopters are actively working on the fire, with additional resources en route.

Boulder Lake campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadow campground, Badger Lake campground, Camp Windy, and Post Camp campground remain under a Level 3 – Go Now evacuation. Forest Roads 4480, 4481, and 4890 are also closed. An area closure is in the process of being implemented for public safety. Visitors are asked to avoid the area as conditions can change quickly.

Smoke impacts are anticipated in the vicinity of the fire, with warm and dry conditions forecast to persist throughout the week. Visit oregonsmoke.blogspot.com or airnow.gov for air quality updates.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A Type 2 Incident Management Team will transition to managing the fire tomorrow morning.

For additional fire information visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mthoodnf/.

Evacuation information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff.

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