Cedar Creek Fire August 21, 2022 Daily Update – 10:00 AM

Cedar Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 6,472 acres

Contained: 0%

Start Date: August 1, 2022

Location: 15 miles E of Oakridge, OR

Cause: Lightning

Total personnel: 788

Resources:16 engines

16 crews

40 heavy equipment

7 helicopters

Current Situation: Late yesterday afternoon fire was carefully and deliberately introduced into an unburned area of the Waldo Lake Wilderness, between the lake and the eastern edge of the wildfire. This is being done so firefighters can enter the wilderness and create a fireline to stop the fire from spreading further to the south. In the coming days, firefighters will hike into the wilderness and create an “anchor” point for the line where the fire meets Waldo Lake. They will then engage the fire using Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST), including setting up pumps and hoses. These tactics also take advantage of natural barriers like lakes and marshy areas to balance suppression objectives with environment impacts. Waldo Lake will not be used as a water source for this operation. Also Saturday, firefighters successfully brought fire down to the primary line on Black Creek Road (FR 2421) west of the Joe Goddard Interpretive Site. Night shift personnel monitored that area overnight to keep fire north of the road.

Today’s Activities: Crews will use masticators, chippers, and other heavy equipment to fortify both primary and alternate firelines on roads throughout the fire area. While firefighters do not anticipate fire to pass the primary line, these alternate lines are being prepared as a precaution to protect the values at risk, including the community of Oakridge. On the small Slapjack Fire, near Hills Creek Reservoir, crews expect to have a line around the 3.5-acre fire by the end of today. Helicopters with water buckets are available to support firefighters on the ground on both fires.

Huckleberry OHV Park is open today but only via High Prairie Road, from the south. In the interest of public and firefighter safety, access will be closed at the Forest Service Rd. 19/Forest Service Rd. 1928 intersection, through the weekend. The OHV park will again be closed from both directions beginning tomorrow morning, August 22.

Virtual Community Meeting: A virtual community meeting is planned for Tuesday August 23rd at 7:00pm and will be streamed live on the Cedar Creek Fire Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/

Evacuations: Currently, there are no evacuations in place.

Weather: Today is expected to be increasingly hot sunny, and dry, with only light winds. The conditions may promote increased fire activity, especially at higher elevations.

Closures: An Area Closure is in place for the Cedar Creek Fire. This includes all trailheads and dispersed camping west and north of Waldo Lake. The lake itself, campgrounds, and trails (including the PCT) on the east side remain open. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place.

Restrictions: Fire restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest with the exception of the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Washington, Waldo Lake, and Diamond Peak Wilderness areas.

Smoke: Smoke Forecast Outlooks are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook.

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 541-201-2335 | Email: [email protected] | Online: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8307/ | https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022/ | https://www.facebook.com/willamettenf | https://twitter.com/willametteNF | YouTube: https://www.tinyurl.com/cedarcreekfireyoutube

Cedar Creek Fire
Public Information Officer
(541)201-2335