There was minimal fire activity on the 14,529-acre Little Lava Fire yesterday and it remains 63% contained. Firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures and cloud cover to continue securing and establishing control lines.
Yesterday, firefighters worked to extinguish sources of heat 100 feet in along the fire’s edge on the northeastern flank. Crews identified and mopped up a small spot fire east of the slopover across Forest Service Road (FSR) 45 near FSR 4188 that had been smoldering since the increased fire activity on Tuesday. Resources continued reducing fuels along FSR 45 on the eastern flank and FSR 4525 and FSR 4529 on the western flank to prepare the roads as control lines ahead of the fire.
Limiting fire progression to the east remains the priority today. Mop-up operations along the northeastern flank of the fire will continue to secure control lines. Firefighters are also gridding to the north and east ahead of the fire to look for any additional smoldering spot fires that might be lingering from the increased fire activity on Tuesday.
Crews and heavy equipment will continue constructing a shaded fuel break as needed along FSR 45 to reduce fuels and prepare the road as an eastern control line. Air resources are available to help the crews that are working to keep the northeastern corner of the fire in check while a control line is established along FSR 45. Resources are also assessing safe and effective opportunities to engage the fire more directly on the northeastern edge.
Cooler temperatures are expected over the next couple days which will aid suppression efforts.
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The Deschutes National Forest updated and increased the temporary emergency fire closure area for the Bachelor Complex Thursday. The closure area was expanded east to include the area west of FSR 4180 north to Cascade Lakes Highway. The expansion was due to continued fire activity on the Little Lava Fire as hot and dry conditions persist and incursions into the prior closure area. A map of the updated closure area and the order can be viewed here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices.For current wildfire information, the public can visit
centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on X (Twitter) @CentralORFire.
Effective immediately, the Deschutes National Forest has updated and increased the temporary emergency fire closure area on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District for the Bachelor Complex. The expansion of the closure area is due to continued fire activity on the Little Lava Fire as hot and dry conditions persist and incursions into the prior closure area.
The temporary emergency fire closure area has been expanded east to include the area west of Forest Service Road 4180 north to the Cascade Lakes Highway. This updated closure is meant to minimize impacts to those who want to hunt and recreate in the area while ensuring that fire operations, including the use of heavy equipment, can safely occur.
People hunting and recreating in the area should consult the attached closure map before heading out to ensure they are in an open area.
Bachelor Complex | Temporary Emergency Fire Closure
The updated emergency closure order for the Bachelor Complex of fires includes the following closed locations. Please see attached for full closure order and closure order map.
The following developed and dispersed recreation sites are temporarily closed:
- AC/DC Shelter
- Corral Swamp Trailhead
- Edison Shelter
- Edison SnoPark
- Kapka Butte SnoPark
- Kwohl Shelter
- Lucky Lake Trailhead
- Sheridan Shelter
- Six Lakes Trailhead
- Wake Butte Trailhead
Roads in the area:
- All National Forest System Roads found within the area closure are closed, with the exception of Cascade Lakes Highway (NFSR 46), and NFSR 40, which will both remain open for public use.
The Metolius-Windigo Trail between Quinn Meadow and Todd Creek remains closed.
For information regarding temporary emergency closures on the Deschutes National Forest visit fs.usda.gov/alerts/deschutes/alerts-notices.
