The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing three structural task forces and its Red Incident Management Team to the Flat Fire in Jefferson County. The fire is burning west of Culver. It sparked Thursday and quickly spread, prompting levels 1,2, and 3 evacuation notices by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Since the fire was first reported, local and regional firefighters worked through the night. Gusty winds, low humidity, and warm temperatures pushed the fire. Hot and dry conditions are expected over the weekend.
“Triple-digit temperatures and red flag conditions are expected across the state for the next few days and is extremely concerning,” State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “We’re calling on all Oregonians and visitors to aware of the changing conditions and do what you can to prevent sparking a wildfire.”
On Thursday night, a Central Oregon Fire Management Services type 3 team took command of the fire. On Friday morning, the Emergency Conflagration Act was invoked, allowing the state fire marshal to mobilize resources. The structural task forces were mobilized from Lane, Marion, and Washington counties.
Information about evacuations can be found here. Learn about wildfire prevention at https://preventwildfires.
Start Date: August 21 at 4:29 p.m.
Location: Approximately 3 miles west of Lake Billy Chinook
Fire Size: Approximately 3,300 acres
Cause: Under Investigation
Fuels: Grass, brush, juniper
Resources: Aviation, Engines, Dozers, Crews
Evacuations: The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has issued the following:
- Lake Billy Chinook 5 (Black Zone): Level 3 – GO NOW
- Lake Billy Chinook 6 (White Zone): Level 2 – BE SET
- Lake Billy Chinook 4 (Blue Zone): Level 1 – BE READY
For the most up to date information on evacuations visit https://www.facebook.com/JeffersonCountyORSheriff.
A Central Oregon Type 3 Incident Management Team assumed command of the Flat Fire late yesterday evening, bringing additional resources and capacity to support firefighting operations and protect nearby communities. The fire is in Unified Command with Ochoco National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry, and Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue.
The fire was active overnight and grew to 3300 acres. Firefighters worked through the night to protect structures and build fire line.
Fire Behavior & Weather
Hot and dry conditions persist across Central Oregon, sustaining active fire behavior on the Flat Fire. Smoke is expected to linger in the area, with impacts varying throughout the day depending on wind direction. These conditions will continue to challenge firefighting efforts and may affect visibility and air quality for nearby residents.
Visit the official source for wildfire information in Central Oregon at centraloregonfire.org for wildfire updates or follow fire information on X/Twitter @CentralORfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire. For smoke and air quality information visit fire.airnow.gov.
Planned Activities
Firefighters will secure line created last night, continue to build fire line along the east, west, and southern end of the fire, and continue protecting structures. Fire behavior is anticipated to be similar to yesterday with the continued hot, dry and breezy conditions.
