The Crazy Creek Fire burns in grass and juniper on July 30, 2024.

PRINEVILLE — The Crazy Creek Fire grew by several thousand acres over the weekend, with much of the increase due to backfiring operations and pockets of vegetation igniting within the fire perimeter, fire managers said in an update on Monday, Aug. 12.

The fire, burning 5 miles south of Paulina, has consumed an estimated 84,512 acres, up from 81,000 on Saturday, and remains 60% contained. A total of 699 personnel are assigned to fight the blaze, an increase of 70 since Saturday.

The Crazy Creek Fire’s perimeter was unchanged on Monday from the day before, fire officials said. The total acres burned increased by 2,233 acres from Sunday, while containment stayed at 60 percent.

The increased acreage was attributed to successful firing operations and pockets of vegetation that burned inside the fire perimeter.

The northeast edge of the fire has the focus of the team on Monday, and crews were shifted to address the hottest areas around Little Summit as well as Wolf and East Wolf creeks.

Daytime winds out of the southwest blew embers over the northeastern perimeter, resulting in sporadic spot fires. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish them, and overnight infrared monitoring did not reveal any additional heat outside the fire perimeter.

Firefighters will focus on patrolling established containment lines and extinguishing isolated hot spots within the fire’s interior. Daytime winds out of the southwest and pockets of unburned vegetation near the northeast perimeter will again be a cause for concern for that section of the fire.

Evacuations: Evacuation orders remain in effect for areas in Crook and Wheeler counties for areas in or near the fire. Level 3 evacuations have extended from the Forest Boundary to Highway 380. Level 2 evacuations have extended south of Highway 380. For further information, please refer to the Crook County Office of Emergency Management evacuation map.

Weather: Monday and into next week hot, dry weather will persist throughout the area with temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s, light winds gusting to 21 mph and low humidity.

Importance of Fire Prevention: All public lands in Central Oregon, including the Ochoco National Forest, are in Stage 2 Public Use (Fire) Restrictions. All open flames, including woodstoves and charcoal briquette fires, are prohibited. In times of high fire danger, it is crucial for everyone to follow prevention measures to avoid additional strain on overburdened resources.

Fire Restrictions and Closures: The Ochoco National Forest has implemented a forest closure for the Paulina Ranger District. The Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for public lands in Crook and Grant counties.

More Information:

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orocf-crazy-creek

Facebook: Facebook.com/Crazy Creek Fire

Central Oregon Wildfire Information: https://centraloregonfire.org/

Crook County Emergency Information Map: https://arcg.is/1ij0vb

Acres: Crazy Creek – 84,512; 60% contained

Kitty Creek – 73; 100% contained

Location: Crazy Creek: 5 miles north of Paulina, Oregon; 498/Kitty Creek: 7 miles south of Mitchell, Oregon

Start Date: July 22, 2024

Personnel: 699

Resources: 19 crews | 1 helicopter | 36 engines | 13 bulldozers | 19 water tenders | 3 masticators | 27 skid steers