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Resources: 299 Total Personnel | 5 Hand Crews | 7 Engines | 0 Heavy Equipment | 7 Water Tenders | 1 Fixed-Wing Aircraft | 1 Helicopter

(Dufur, OR) The Boulder Fire started on July 8 near Boulder Lake Trailhead 26 miles southwest of Dufur in the Mt. Hood National Forest Barlow Ranger District. An estimated 233 acres have burned, and the fire is now 100% contained. Completion of the objectives on the Boulder Fire include suppression repair, backhauling equipment and patrolling the fire area. Fire managers continue to right-size by releasing resources as objectives are met.

While active firefighting has concluded at the Boulder Fire, there are tasks that must be completed before management of the incident is returned to the Mt. Hood National Forest. Suppression repair is one of these important activities and fire managers have assigned some of the remaining crews to do this work, returning disturbed areas to as natural a state as practical. Resource advisors with expertise in environmental and/or cultural resource preservation guide this work. Berms of dirt and vegetation debris, created as crews constructed fire lines, have been dismantled. Where possible, hazards like fire-weakened trees are removed. Roads that were heavily used during firefighting operations are being restored to their previous condition. To limit run-off and prevent erosion, water bars or cup trenches are installed across handlines. Firefighters are also removing equipment including porta-tanks (mobile water reservoirs), pumps, miles of hose line, radio repeaters and weather stations.

Weather: Today’s forecast includes slightly lower temperature and higher humidity with light east winds shifting to 4 – 9 mph west winds in the afternoon.

Closures and Restrictions: Many of the roadways, campgrounds and trails north and east of Forest Road 48 in the Barlow Ranger District are closed during the Boulder Fire. Due to the high fire danger, open fire and target shooting restrictions have been implemented. For more information or to view the full closure order, visit the Forest webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mthood/alerts-notices.   

Evacuations: Boulder Lake Campground, Little Boulder Lake, Bonney Meadows Campground, Badger Lake Campground, Camp Windy and Port Camp Campground are under a Level 3 – Go Now evacuation. Evacuations levels are Level 1 – Be Ready to Evacuate, Level 2 – Be Set to Evacuate, and Level 3 – Go Now. More information is available from the Wasco County Sheriff’s Office at www.facebook.com/WascoCountySheriff

Public Safety: Firefighters and heavy equipment continue to work on and around the area roadways, including Forest Road 48. Drivers can help keep everyone safe by avoiding these areas.

Investigation: The cause of the fire remains under investigation. If you have information that could assist fire investigators of the Boulder Fire, please contact: SM.FS.R6TipHotLine@usda.gov

Smoke: Currently, there are no significant smoke impacts from the Boulder Fire. For air quality updates, visit www.oregonsmoke.org or www.airnow.gov