Single Publication

Cedar Creek Fire Daily Update 9/5/2022

Cedar Creek Fire Quick Facts

Size: 17,625 acres

Contained: 12%

Start Date: August 1, 2022

Location: 15 miles E of Oakridge, OR

Cause: Lightning

Total personnel: 823

Resources: 15 engines

16 crews

27 heavy equipment

8 helicopters

Community Meeting: A community meeting will be held Tuesday September 6th, 6:00PM at Greenwaters Park, 48362 Highway 58, Oakridge, Oregon. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live on the Cedar Creek Fire Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CedarCreekFire2022

Current Situation: Fire activity remained moderate throughout most of the fire yesterday. The fire was burning in the Charlton Fire scar which burned over 10,000 acres in 1996. Helicopters assisted in this area by dropping water to slow fire activity. Behavior has been characterized by creeping, smoldering, and single tree torching.

Today’s Activities: Crews are making progress along the lower side of Black Creek by using sprinklers. They will start working on the upper side above Lillian Falls, and this work will take multiple days to complete. Firefighters continue utilizing the Winchester trail system as a check line to slow fire growth. In the northwest, the fire crews are enhancing contingency lines by chipping and masticating along roads with heavy equipment. To keep the fire north of Forest Service Road 2421, crews are utilizing small firing operations, in combination with aerial ignitions. Using Plastic Sphere Dispensers (PSDs) containing potassium permanganate, glycol is injected into the sphere, then expelled from the aircraft. This produces an exothermic reaction resulting in ignition of fuels on the ground.

Weather: Temperatures in the lower 80s. The inversion layer will break around noon. Weather is forecasted to change tonight into tomorrow with low relative humidity recoveries overnight and unstable air in the atmosphere, this has the potential to increase fire activity.

Closures: All trailheads and dispersed camping west and north of Waldo Lake are closed, this includes a section of Forest Service Road 19 (Aufderheide Scenic Byway). The Pacific Crest Trail is currently closed between Highway 58 north to the junction with Six Lakes Trail near Elk Lake. Long distance hikers can rejoin the PCT at Elk Lake via the Island Meadow Trail or the Horse Lake Trail. Visit the pcta.org for current information. The Deschutes National Forest implemented the Cedar Creek Fire Closure Order (Closure #06-01-22-02) on September 5. Closure Orders take precedent over evacuation levels meaning that if a location is within the closure area, it is closed to access regardless of current evacuation levels. Please visit Willamette National Forest and Deschutes National Forest for detailed closure orders. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place. Restrictions: Fire restrictions are in place on the Willamette National Forest and Deschutes 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: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Phone: 541-201-2335 | Email: 2022.cedarcreek@firenet.gov 

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

Evacuations: There continues to be multiple evacuations in campgrounds and recreational areas near Waldo Lake and Waldo Lake Wilderness. Please check with Lane County Sheriff’s Office 541-682-4150 and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office 541-693-6911 for updates and changes.