One of the many tasks that firefighters have been working on over the course of the Holiday Farm Fire is accurately mapping the perimeter. This effort has been hampered by steep terrain and fire line hazards. The fire is now being reported at 173,393 acres. The increase in acreage is from these mapping efforts. Firefighters have been able to gather more precise information. The fire remains in the same footprint and has not experienced any growth in the past two weeks. The fire is 82% contained.
The marine air layer that was forecast to begin today, has settled over the western portion of the fire. Areas of fog and drizzle were reported by the Incident Meteorologist this morning at the operational briefing. The eastern portion of fire area has not yet been influenced by the marine air push and is still reporting clear skies and dry conditions. Weather is expected to be cooler today across the fire area, with higher relative humidity as the onshore flow continues to increase. The weekend weather is expected to be wetter, breezier, and cooler.
Although the weather pattern is changing, the fire area is still under numerous closure orders. These closures are intended to provide for public safety in the long-term. Many hazards will remain after the suppression efforts have terminated. Overhead hazards such as dead or fire-weakened trees, as well as broken tops and branches from standing trees will continue to be a hazard. This danger is especially pronounced during windy conditions.
Other hazards inside the fire perimeter can include ash pits, stump holes, and rolling or falling logs and other debris. Please adhere to area and road closures. For information regarding Willamette National Forest closures, please visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire
Information on Bureau of Land Management closures can be found at: https://www.blm.gov/alert/fire-closures-and-fire-restrictions
Closures may be implemented by private landowners as well. Know what the closures and restrictions of the area are before you head out on your trip.
Lane County will be hosting a Facebook Live event at 12:00 p.m. today. McKenzie Rebuilds: Recovery Update will focus on debris management and long-term housing options. A fire management representative will discuss the transition of the fire and what that means for the area. You can watch the presentation at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/352378852646439
For fire information inquiries, call (541) 357-9729 or visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7170/. The Holiday Farm Fire Facebook page will also continue with updates (@holidayfarmfire).
