Update from U.S. Forest Service – Umatilla National Forest
Monday, Aug. 17
Pendleton – The Turner Basin Fire is burning roughly eight miles east of Dale, Oregon and is now estimated at 60 acres; the size was reduced today with better mapping. The fire was determined to be human caused and is currently under investigation. (Dale is on Highway 395 about halfway between Pendleton and John Day).
Fire behavior was reduced last night with an inversion and higher humidity, allowing dozer line and hand line to be constructed around a good portion of the southern flank. The western flank of the fire is anchored into a road and multiple retardant drops earlier today slowed fire spread to the east. The fire became active again with running and active torching as the inversion lifted early this afternoon.
Today, a heavy air tanker and two single engine air tankers made retardant drops on the fire. A Type 1 helicopter has been assigned to the fire to do water drops with a bucket.
A Type 3 Team from New Mexico, led by Incident Commander Ryan Romero took over management of the fire this morning. The Incident Command Post (ICP) will be located at Twin Ponds on the North Fork John Day District. The team will be working on the fire as well as local Forest resources, including a task force and hand crew.
Fire officials want to remind everyone that the current fire danger rating remains at EXTREME and Public Use Restrictions involving campfires and chainsaw use are in effect on the Umatilla National Forest. Regulated closures are in effect on State and private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon. Similar restrictions are in effect on state and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
For more information about the Umatilla National Forest’s Public Use Restrictions, please contact any forest office, call our Forest Information hotline at 1-877-958-9663, or visit our website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/.
