UPDATE 8 | JULY 31, 2021

Incident Summary

The BOOTLEG FIRE was sparked by lightning on July 7, 2021. It is named after the nearby Bootleg Spring. It is located about 11 miles northeast of the town of Sprague River and 15 miles northwest of Beatty, Oregon.

The LOG FIRE has merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident name only, including stats. This occurred on July 20, 2021.

Current Status

The fire has consumed 413,734 acres of mixed grass and shrub, timber with understory, and timber with litter fuel with a 74% containment.

Fire Operations

“At this point in the fire, we have to think about two things,” says Fire Behavior Analyst Chris Moore, “the fire we know about and the fire we don’t know.” The fire we know is the actively and recently burned portions of the Bootleg Fire. Much of the recent fire activity has been torching and burning pockets of fuel within the burn area. While the fire is not yet contained, a fire line has been constructed around the entire perimeter. Now crews are working to ensure that perimeter holds (is secured) to contain the fire. In some places, fire line is 100 to 150 feet wide from the unburned into the burned area. But some places may require as much as 300 feet to confidently expect the fire to remain contained.  – PIO

South, west east perimeters: crews are patrolling and extinguishing fire and heat (mopping up) where fire is less active.

Northwest and Northeast: To strengthen and expand the fire line. contingency lines or fire breaks, are being constructed.

Fire Weather

Critical fire weather is projected for the weekend to include current drought conditions mixed in with low RH, strong surface wind and unstable air. Potential for wind to carry embers and spark new spot fires in areas where the fire line is unsecured.

Resources

Command is under Norm McDonald, Alaska Type 1 Incident Management Team.

There are 1,918 total personnel assigned.

Additionally, there are 51 crews, 95 engines and 10 copters.

Agencies and organizations that are assisting with this incident, are called Incident Cooperators. Below is the known partners but some could be missing from this list.

• American Red Cross
• BLM Fire
• South Central FMP
• Fremont-Winema NF
• Klamath County
• Lake County
• Oregon National Guard
• WA National Guard
• Civil Air Patrol
• Fremont FD (CA)
• SW Polk FD
• NWS Medford
• Metro Fire of Sacramento (CA)
• Nevada National Guard
• Baker Aircraft
• Portland FD
• American Forests
• Tanker 10
• NIFC
• Kirkland (WA) FD
• ODF
• OR’s 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz
• Medford Tanker Base

Damage Assessment

There has been 408 structures destroyed. The total CTD is $70.6 Million Dollars for fire suppression and containment costs.

Public Informaiton

Forest Service Closures | The Fremont-Winema National Forest is now open south of Oregon State Route 140. Closures remain in effect north of the highway to provide for public safety and the safety of firefighters. The full closure order and map are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/fremont-winema/alerts-notices  

Impacted Fire Victims/Evaucees

Insurance Assistance | How to File Fire-Damage Claims |  For additional information on submitting insurance claims after losing your home or property to a wildfire, please visit  https://dfr.oregon.gov/insure/home/storm/Pages/wildfires.aspx or call the state’s team of consumer advocates at 888-877-4894 (toll-free).   

Public Information

Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog

UPDATE 7 | JULY 30, 2021

Incident Summary

The BOOTLEG FIRE was sparked by lightning on July 7, 2021. It is named after the nearby Bootleg Spring. It is located about 11 miles northeast of the town of Sprague River and 15 miles northwest of Beatty, Oregon.

The LOG FIRE has merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident name only, including stats. This occurred on July 20, 2021.

Fire Operations

Thursday was filled with another day of escalated levels of active fire behavior, which was predicted for Fire. Per the IC, that crews are using hose lays, mop up and patrol to contain and improve them. It remains with creeping, torching and smoldering.

Reports of approximately 160 miles of uncontained line in a fire that has over 300 miles of perimeter.

Resources

Currently, there are 1,918 fire personnel, including 47 crews, 22 copters and 98 engines.

• American Red Cross
• BLM Fire
• South Central FMP
• Fremont-Winema NF
• Klamath County
• Lake County
• Oregon National Guard
• WA National Guard
• Civil Air Patrol
• Fremont FD (CA)
• SW Polk FD
• NWS Medford
• Metro Fire of Sacramento (CA)
• Nevada National Guard
• Baker Aircraft
• Portland FD
• American Forests
• Tanker 10
• NIFC
• Kirkland (WA) FD
• ODF
• OR’s 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz
• Medford Tanker Base

Current Status

The fire has burned about 413,562 acres of timber and brush and is 56% contained.

Damage Assessment

• Destroyed: 161 homes and 247 other structures destroyed; crews are reporting 408 structures to the NIFC July 30th briefing.
• Damaged: 16 homes and 15 other structures.
• Threatened: 2,066 homes.
• Cost-to-date: $67.4 Million Dollars.

Public Information — Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog

UPDATE 6 — JULY 26, 2021

INCIDENT SUMMARY

The BOOTLEG FIRE was sparked by lightning on July 7, 2021. It is named after the nearby Bootleg Spring. It is located about 11 miles northeast of the town of Sprague River and 15 miles northwest of Beatty, Oregon.

The LOG FIRE has merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident name only, including stats. This occurred on July 19, 2021.

Resources and Incident Cooperators on this incident are the following. (NOTE: Some are either assigned or have been released).

There are about 2,216 total personnel assigned along with 49 crews, 148 engines and 21 copters.

• American Red Cross
• BLM Fire
• South Central FMP
• Fremont-Winema NF
• Klamath County
• Lake County
• Oregon National Guard
• WA National Guard
• Civil Air Patrol
• Fremont FD (CA)
• SW Polk FD
• NWS Medford
• Metro Fire of Sacramento (CA)
• Nevada National Guard
• Baker Aircraft
• Portland FD
• American Forests
• Tanker 10
• NIFC
• Kirkland (WA) FD
• ODF
• OR’s 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz
• Medford Tanker Base

Current Status

The fire is about 23 miles east of Chiloquin, Oregon. Fire behavior is extreme with running, group torching and spotting. About 409,611 acres has been consumed but crews have successfully reached a 53% containment status.

Damage Assessment

There has been 184 destroyed structures and there have not been any new ones in this number, which is great news for property owners and fire crews knowing their efforts are starting to show they are fruitful. Damage costs-to-date has reached a high of $55.3 million dollars.

Restrictions

Public Information — Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog

UPDATE 5 — JULY 24, 2021 — SATURDAY — 2155 PT

Incident Summary

The BOOTLEG FIRE is located:

• 23 miles east of Chiloquin
• 28 miles northeast of Klamath Falls
• 11 miles from the town of Sprague River
• On the Fremont-Winema National Forest

— COMMUNITY MEETING —-

JULY 25, 2021 AT 1400 HOURS (2PM) PT — VIRTUAL FACEBOOK PAGE —-

No account needed to watch. Hosted by the Bootleg Fire Operations Center

The BOOTLEG FIRE began on July 7, 2021 from an unknown cause at the time of the sparked wildfire. It is named after the nearby Bootleg Spring.

The LOG FIRE has merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident only, including stats. This occurred on July 19, 2021.

Resources

There are 2,216 total personnel still assigned to this incident, along with 49 crews, 152 engines and 20 copters.

Resources and Incident Cooperators on this incident are the following. (NOTE: Some are either assigned or have been released).

• American Red Cross
• BLM Fire
• South Central FMP
• Fremont-Winema NF
• Klamath County
• Lake County
• Oregon National Guard
• WA National Guard
• Civil Air Patrol
• Fremont FD (CA)
• SW Polk FD
• NWS Medford
• Metro Fire of Sacramento (CA)
• Nevada National Guard
• Baker Aircraft
• Portland FD
• American Forests
• Tanker 10
• NIFC
• Kirkland (WA) FD
• ODF
• OR’s 2nd District Congressman Cliff Bentz
• Medford Tanker Base

Command is under the direction of an AK Type 1 Team, an Type 1 IMT.

There are 2,216 total personnel still assigned to this incident, along with 49 crews, 152 engines and 20 copters.

The Amazing Faces Supporting Firefighters and Other Incident Activities – Zuni Camp Crew

It takes a village to put out a wildfire, especially a large wildfire. In Silver Lake Spike Camp, we are supported by an amazing group, the Zuni Pueblo from New Mexico. The Zuni Camp Crew helps serve meals, keep the camp tidy and issue supply. – Bootleg Fire PIO

Current Status

The fire has increased to 408,248 acres and crews have made a significant amount of progress on this firestorm with reaching a 46% containment status.

Fire behavior at this time is extreme with running, flanking and group torching. Due to the extremeness of the fire intensity, it is creating its own fire weather. A stunning and rare event occurred on July 18, 2021, when a tornado appeared on the eastern perimeter of the fire.

Here is a photo of the aftermath and you can see what type of destruction it made on the land. Fire Officials and meteorologists will definitely looking at this phenomenal event for years to come.

Damage Assessment

Structure loss is holding at 184, but the cost-to-date expenses for fire suppression and containment has reached a whopping $48.7 Million Dollars.

Restrictions

Public Information — Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

Stark Stats

July 15, 2021

• 2 million people are said to be under RED FLAG WARNINGS across California, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon. Bootleg Fire deemed official “megafire” of 2021.

July 16, 2021

• The Bootleg Fire creates its own weather and with that comes lightning strikes within the pyrocumulus cloud it produces.
• Just on the same day, the weather produces a tornado on the east fire perimeter and clears out a whole area. This is very dangerous for those on the ground.
• Very Large Tankers (VLATS) Tankers 910 and 912 arrive to the Medford Tanker Base.

July 17, 2021

• The fire has burned two-and-a-half sizes of San Francisco worth of forest from July 13 – 17, 2021.

July 18, 2021

• Fire grows to be 467-square miles, is about 40% the size of Rhode Island (US).
• Mutual aid (fire agencies) respond from as far away as New York and Florida.
• Fire continues to remain extremely active. Fire Officials ask the public to avoid the area as it puts their firefighters and people at risk.

July 19, 2021

• Deemed as one of the largest U.S. wildfires, is said to be not only creating its own fire weather but is disrupting up to higher elevations in our atmosphere.
• Nationally speaking, wildfires were burning in 13 U.S. states where 80 large fires had burned a cumulative of 1,174,486 acres. More than 19,600 firefighters and support personnel were actively assigned to these events.
• Red Cross volunteers have provided 3,409 meals and snacks, 565 total overnight stays, 145 emergency supplies since July 9, 2021.
• The Bootleg Fire is deemed the 6th largest fire incident in Oregon’s Fire History with others listed as Silverton Fire at 988,000 acres (1865), Siletz Fire at 800,000 acres (1849), Biscuit Fire 500,000 acres (2002), Long Draw Fire 557,000 acres (2012), Buzzard Complex 396,000 acres (2014) and the Bootleg Fire 303,791 (reported on this day) (2021).

July 20, 2021

• Fire is deemed to be the 3rd largest fire ever in the State of Oregon’s Fire History.
• Fire burns into the The Nature Conservancy Sycan Marsh Preserve. The TNC works to protect its research station.
• Nine wildfires continue to burn across the State. Gov. Kate Brown recognizes this fire is the 4th largest to burn in Oregon since 1900.
• More than 900 airline flights into Denver (CO) are delayed mostly due to poor visibility from the smoke.
• Smoke from this wildfire is said to be impacting Philly (PA).
• Fire burns about one mile east Sprague River.

July 21, 2021

• Lightning is determined to be the cause of this firestorm.
• It’s smoke, along with other wildfires has spread across the entire North American continent and is swirling across the Atlantic Ocean towards Europe.
• The fire is thirteen-times larger than the City of San Francisco and the size of Los Angeles, California.
• Fire is visible from the JMU campus.
• Nevada National Guard pilot finds a missing Firefighter, only Nevada soldier assigned to this incident. Awarded by ONG’s General for his heroic actions.
• Hazy skies observed in Oklahoma.
• Air Quality Alert issued in Nashville (TN).

July 22, 2021

• General Daniel Hokanson with the Oregon National Guard thanks Guard members for supporting civilian agencies with firefighting efforts.
• Nine firefighters test positive for COVID-19, are quarantined.

July 23, 2021

• 70 homes are burned.
• Specialty local food cart: Anderson’s helps provide vegan/specialty diets for their firefighters. These guys deserve a HUGE Shoutout and some support to their business!! – ED.

“Local food cart at #bootlegfire helps 1 of our vegan firefighters get meals to fit his dietary needs. They drove 45 miles to closest store to get supplies. Thank you Anderson’s Food Cart.” – Gaston FD

• Kirkland FD’s Lt. Dave Nelson and Captain Ryan Riedl are assigned as line EMTs. Their role is to provide urgent medical care to firefighters on the fire line.
• American Red Cross is at this fire (70 are burning at this time) providing life-saving shelter, food and water services to anyone who has been forced to evacuate.

July 24, 2021

• Fire containment increases to just 4% since this morning, but activity has continued to increase.
• WA County (OR) Task Force 25 has been released from the incident after their 14-day deployment. They return back to their respective agencies and quarters.

• Firefighters were able to keep fire from moving east towards the towns of Summer Lake and Paisley (OR). Fire is said to be now longer than the I-5 corridor through Oregon at 321 miles.
• Fire is burning ancient forests, lakes and wildlife refuges, so you can imagine its impacts on the area.
• Montana Red Cross volunteer finds out one-week during his service on the Bootleg Fire that his own MT home is being threatened by the Harris Fire.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog

UPDATE 4 — JULY 24, 2021 — SATURDAY — 0010 PT

Incident Summary

The BOOTLEG FIRE is located:

• 23 miles east of Chiloquin
• 28 miles northeast of Klamath Falls
• 11 miles from the town of Sprague River
• On the Fremont-Winema National Forest

The BOOTLEG FIRE began

The LOG FIRE has merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident only, including stats. This occurred on July 19, 2021.

Resources

A total number of fire personnel is currently at 2,389 alongside 50 crews, 80 water tenders, 197 engines, 42 dozers, 28 other heavy equipment and 20 copters.

Mutual Aid Updates: These six Fremont firefighters deployed to the this ginormous fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest on July 8th with CAL OES Strike Team 2870C, remain healthy and all equipment is operational. – Fremont FD (CA)

Incident Cooperators

Incident Cooperators include the American Red Cross, BLM, S Central OR FMP, Fremont-Winema NF, Klamath County, Lake County, ODF, OR and WA National Guards, Civil Air Patrol, Fremont FD (CA), SW Polk Fire, local public health and Oregon Health Authority’s nine cases testing COVID positive cases among resources on the ground, which are now being quarantined from the rest of the crews.

Current Status

There has been 400.389 acres of timber, brush and closed timber consumed. A 42% containment has been reached. Fire crews will continue to strive for reaching all of their fire suppression and containment objectives.

Smoke is visible from OR Hwy 140, Sprague River Hwy, Chiloquin and surrounding areas.

Fire managers reported via the NIFC briefing, that fire behavior remains at extreme with running, flanking and group torching observed activities.

“Firefighters have been working around the clock, both day and night, in their continuous effort to contain this more than 400,000-acre wildfire.

Night has proven to be the best timeframe to successfully build line as fire activity generally decreases when the temperature drops and the humidity rises.

The day shift has been working diligently to hold established containment lines, by picking up spot fires and securing the fire’s edge.”

– Bootleg Fire PIO Brad Bramlett

Damage Assessment

184 structures destroyed.

CTD for fire suppression and containment efforts have reached $41.5 Million Dollars.

Restrictions

• TFR over the fire is in effect
• No DRONES in Fire Zones

Public Information | Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog

Welcome to Oregon’s Sit Rep on this Thursday, July 22, 2021, where many explosive wildfires are still burning. We are breaking down these incidents now individually.

May you all stay safe!

# # #

Heroic Actions Recognized on the Bootleg Fire: 4-Star Recognition by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Daniel Hokanson.

Nevada Army Guard helicopter pilot Chief Warrant Officer 4 Kevin Keeler was awarded a challenge coin by Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Daniel Hokanson, center, today in Oregon to recognize the pilot’s effort to locate a missing firefighter at the massive Bootleg Fire on Sunday.

Keeler located the firefighter and informed ground crews of the firefighter’s location; the firefighter is fine and already back on the front lines battling one of the nation’s largest active wildfires.

Keeler is a Lakota helicopter pilot with the 3/140th Security and Support Aviation Detachment based in Las Vegas.

Hokanson was the Oregon Guard’s adjutant general from 2013-2015. Military commanders often present challenge coins in recognition of special achievements or accomplishment.

# # #

USFS | Fremont-Winema National Forest

Bootleg Fire

23 miles E of Chiloquin, 28 miles NE of Klamath Falls, 11 miles of the Town of Sprague River

The many faces behind those who work tirelessly hours, exert lots of energy and are in the best times of their lives (loving their current jobs). We wanted to showcase some of these men and women.

Mutual Aid Updates: These six Fremont firefighters deployed to the this ginormous fire in the Fremont-Winema National Forest on July 8th with CAL OES Strike Team 2870C, remain healthy and all equipment is operational. – Fremont FD (CA)

The Bootleg Fire is now 399,359 acres of mixed grass/shrub, timber with understory with litter fuel types. The scorched area is mostly densely populated of timber stands, dry meadows and shrub fields.

The LOG FIRE merged in with the BOOTLEG FIRE and is under one incident only, including stats.

Additionally, the containment status has increased to 38%.     These are the images shared from Engine 8231’s assignment thus far.   

Assigned to this incident, there are 2,268 acres with 49 crews, 199 engines and 20 copters. Fire command is under Joe Hessel, Lance Lightly and Rob Allen.

Incident Cooperators include the American Red Cross, BLM, S Central OR FMP, Fremont-Winema NF, Klamath County, Lake County, ODF, OR and WA National Guards, Civil Air Patrol, Fremont FD (CA), SW Polk Fire, local public health and Oregon Health Authority’s nine cases testing COVID positive cases among resources on the ground, which are now being quarantined from the rest of the crews.

“Protecting the health and safety of firefighting personnel and those in the local community is the highest priority.” -Public Health.

Restrictions | TFR over fire is in effect, meaning “No drones in Fire Zones”.

Evacuations | Decreased for those in Lake County areas per the Sheriff’s Office.

Level 3 – GO NOW!

From 1 mile from Sprague River on the county line, east to Bear Flat, continuing to Dairy Point.

Level 2 – Be Set

From one mile south of the South Fork Sprague River, on the county line, south to Owen Butte, east to Quartz Valley Mountain, northeast to upper Coleman Rim.

Level 1 – Be Ready

From lower Coleman Rim north Highway 31, north to Owen Butte, east to Quartz Valley to the FS 28 Road.

Evacuation Notices

Quartz Mountain area from the FS 34 Road near Mitchell Monument to Hwy 140 east.

Public Information | Fire Information Public Phone – 541-482-1331.

(c) 2021 NW Fire Blog