Unified Command:
Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2
Information Contact:
541-943-3513
Winter Fire Update
July 15, 2002
8:00 AM
The Winter Fire, 12 miles northwest of Paisley, Oregon, has grown to 2600 acres. A holdover fire from last Friday’s lightning storm, located two miles north of the Winter Fire, sprung to life Sunday afternoon. During the night the new fire, called the Rim Fire, was actively burning toward the main fire.
As fire continues to spread, it threatens an eagle nest site, six private residences, and a commercial lodge. The fire, ignited by a lightning storm on July 12th, is burning on private and US Forest Service lands.
Over three hundred fire-fighters are committed to the blaze, as well as 7 engines, 4 dozers, and two helicopters.
Control problems include extremely steep and rocky ground with little access and few natural barriers to the fire. Bug-killed trees, of which there are many, are quick to ignite and burn explosively. Winds are strong and erratic, with dangerous downdrafts because of local geography. The fire is spreading to the north and to the south along the western edge of Summer Lake, and has burned past the top of Winter Rim at one point.
The fire was active last night, with spot fires igniting ¼ mile ahead of the main fire. In spite of aggressive fire behavior, falling dead trees, hot weather conditions, and steep, rocky ground, there have been no injuries among the firefighters.
The firefighting effort is being managed by a unified command consisting of Fremont National Forest representatives and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Incident Management Team 2.
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