News Release from Oregon Dept. of Forestry – Posted on FlashAlert: August 17th, 2015 10:07 PM
Oregon Department of Forestry
Incident Management Team 3
Incident Commander Link Smith
Eldorado Fire Evening Update – August 17, 2015
Unity, OR – Tonight over 25 Ironside community members and some of the Oregon Department of Forestry wildfire team’s leadership reviewed the Eldorado fire’s potential activity and strategy to contain it as quickly as possible. With maps and cookies on the truck’s hood, the group shared information and had their questions answered.
The arrival of hand crews to the Eldorado Fire paid dividends today as they were able to tie dozer and hand lines together on the west side of the fire. The night shift will work to complete the task by widening lines and burning out small pockets of vegetation from established containment lines to strengthen them. The fire is 20,500 acres and 20 percent contained.
The southern portion of the fire is burning in light fuels along rocky cliffs and has not advanced in the last two days. While crews shore up the fire’s west and southwest corner under moderate conditions, they will also take advantage of even cooler weather to build containment lines along the fire’s south end in the next couple of days.
The portion of the fire north of Highway 26 is nearly mopped up. Crews on the north end will soon begin transitioning to assist the operation on the southern end of the fire.
There are 275 people working on this fire. Resources on the fire include seven 20-person crews, seven dozers, 14 engines, five water-tenders and four helicopters. The National Guard also delivered air power to help fight the fire today.
The following evacuation level notifications remain in effect.
Level 1 (Ready): Shirts Creek; Job Creek and south of Job Creek Road; East of Bull Run Road; and south of Campbell Lane.
Level 2 (Set): Dry Gulch area and Ripley Gulch area.
Level 3 (Go): Beam Creek area; Eldorado Ditch area; Long Creek area (Baker County); Long Creek Reservoir; and Camp Creek south of Highway 26.
More information about evacuations available at: http://tinyurl.com/Evacuation-Level-Meaning
FIRE AT A GLANCE
FIRE NAME: ELDORADO
LOCATION: 8 MILES SE OF UNITY
FIRE SIZE: 20,500 acres
CONTAINMENT: 20%
CREWS: 7
ENGINES: 14
WATER TENDERS: 5
DOZERS: 7
HELICOPTERS: 4
AIR TANKERS: 0
TOTAL PERSONNEL: 285
ESTIMATED COST TO DATE: $973,000
MORE INFORMATION:
BAKER CITY
JOINT INFORMATION CENTER
(541) 523-2905
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4502/
www.facebook.com/ElDoradoFire2015
eldoradofire2015@gmail.com
#EldoradoFire
Ready Set Go Evacuation Information: www.wildlandfirersg.org
Our mailing address is:
Eldorado Fire
S 1st Ave
Unity, OR 97884
