A grass fire southeast of Dufur, Ore. first reported yesterday around 4:30 pm quickly spread yesterday afternoon and evening. As of 2 am this morning the fire size is estimated at 15,000 acres. It’s now called the Long Hollow Fire.
BLM and Forest Service firefighters spent the evening fighting the fire alongside Wasco County and local rangeland fire protection association firefighters. The effort included 2 single engine air tankers, 3 heavy air tankers, 2 helicopters, and five engines, among other resources.
The fire has reportedly burned down to the Deschutes River, prompting Level 3 evacuation orders yesterday afternoon from Wasco County. The area under evacuation is from Sherars Falls to Mack’s Canyon. Follow Wasco County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook for updated emergency information: https://www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff
Both the cause of the fire and any structural damage it has caused so far are under investigation.
A Type 3 Incident Management Team will take command of the fire this morning and continue working to suppress the fire as quickly as possible. Expect to see more resources arriving today and more fire suppression activities throughout the day.
