The lightning-caused Pacific Fire is currently burning in the Mt. Washington Wilderness on the Sisters Ranger District of Deschutes National Forest and is approximately ½ acre in size.
“Fire behavior is low, and the incident objectives are being met,” reported Incident Commander Nate Robinson. Robinson is also the captain of the Metolius Wildland Fire Module (WFM), which has been regularly patrolling the fire perimeter and reviewing aerial imagery of the fire.
The fire is consuming the dead and down fuels under the green canopy. Past fire scars and lava in the surrounding area limit potential fire spread. In addition, moisture from recent rains as we move into fall weather patterns has provided an opportunity to actively manage the fire using a confine and monitor strategy to meet a combination of wilderness character and ecological condition objectives.
Current models using the Wildland Fire Decision Support System show limited future fire spread within the wilderness. Management Action Points have been developed to identify key locations for fire managers to engage additional firefighters using Minimum Impact Suppression Techniques if necessary.
There are no trail closures in place. Some smoke may be visible from Sisters, parts of Highway 20, and surrounding areas. However, no smoke impacts to the community and upcoming Sisters Folk Festival are expected.
