Sweet Home – Wiley Creek Fire Update: August 11, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
Fire Suppression Efforts Continue to Strengthen Perimeter
Fire suppression efforts on the Wiley Creek Fire will continue to establish, and strengthen, the perimeter by using both ground crews and air assets. Area residents and the community may see an increase in smoke in the air as a result of today’s fire suppression efforts, and this is to be expected. A fleet of air assets are assigned to the Wiley Creek Fire, staged at a helibase nearby, and ready for deployment at a moment’s notice. In addition, scooper plane and fire retardant air tankers are assigned and available to be called upon by Fire Incident Command. However, with hundreds of ground crew personnel working the fire today, careful coordination must be conducted to ensure the safety of ground crews, in balance with air tanker efforts. Right now, ground crew efforts establishing and strengthening the perimeter is critical to prepare for the upcoming heat and windy conditions in the forecast.
According to Fire Incident Command, aircraft will be ordered as needed to cool any hotspots, cool the fireline for ground crews when safe, and support all ground fire suppression efforts. Green Peter Reservoir will remain closed.
The fire remains at 220 acres in size, with approximately 5% containment.
REMINDERS:
As a reminder, last night a LEVEL 1: BE READY Evacuation Preparedness Notification was sent to a large area around the existing LEVEL 2: BE SET Evacuation zone. The specific properties within the LEVEL 1: BE READY Evacuation zone can be found by viewing the attached maps, and by visiting the Linn County Wildfire Map for more details. https://tinyurl.com/LinnWileyFire. Residents are encouraged to search for their address at the Wildfire Map website to determine if they are within an evacuation alert zone.
Residents within the LEVEL 1: BE READY preparedness zone should take this time to develop a plan should fire behavior change, and evacuation alerts need to change. Linn County Parks within the LEVEL 1: BE READY preparedness zone (Linn County Riverbend Park and Cascadia County Park) remain open and usable for camping. No roads or other facilities are closed to public use within the LEVEL 1 preparedness zone.
All residents in Linn and Benton County are encouraged to sign up for Linn-Benton ALERT so you are registered in our system to receive emergency notifications through EverBridge. Visit: tinyurl.com/LB-ALERTto sign up.
Regular updates from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office are scheduled morning and evening, unless circumstances change and other notifications become necessary. Residents should follow the Linn County Sheriff’s Office Facebook for updates. Additionally, the Oregon Department of Forestry – South Cascade and the U.S. Forest Service – Willamette National Forest.
Sheriff Duncan passes along her thanks to all our volunteers, deputies and dispatchers, along with the Oregon Department of Forestry and Willamette National Forest, Sweet Home Fire District, the Office of the State Fire Marshall, and other cooperators for their continued support combating this wildfire.