Ore Fire spurs closures

A wildfire reported on the afternoon of July 16th suspected to be human-caused has led to the closure of sections of public lands in the Willamette National Forest. The closure, ordered for for public and firefighter safety, is expected to continue through November 15th, unless rescinded or modified sooner.

Fire suppression efforts continue on the Ore Fire, which is burning in steep, rugged terrain 7 miles northeast of Blue River. It had grown to approximately 750 acres by Tuesday.

On Sunday, a specialized felling module cleared hazardous trees along Forest Service Road 15 Road while aerial water drops were employed to moderate fire behavior, causing the fire to slowly back down the hillside. Crews and heavy equipment have continued the work of widening roads and removing vegetation along roads in the area. On the southwest edge where fire behavior is most active, hose lays have been installed near Ore Creek and along FS Road 15.

Impacted areas include Buck Mountain Trail, Tidbits South and West Trail, Gold Hill Trail, Mona Campground, Lookout Campground, and the Saddle Dam Boat Launch.

The closure boundary starts at the junction of Forest Service Road (FSR) 15 and Highway 126 and proceeds north along FSR 15 to the Sweet Home Ranger/McKenzie River Ranger District boundary. The closure then extends west and south to Simmonds Creek. The closure then follows Simmonds Creek south until it aligns with FSR Road 2620-122 and continues south down FS Road 2620-122 until it reaches the junction of FSR Road 2620- 125 and continues south along FSR 2620-125 until it reaches Hwy 126.

The closure then continues east along, but not including Highway 126, until it reaches the starting point at the junction of FSR Road 15 and Highway 126. Outside the boundary, a small portion of the Tidbits Trail is also closed.

For the complete list of recreation sites and roads included in the Ore Fire closure order, visit our website at tinyurl.com/2fx9echb

Officials are advising people to be aware of current restrictions before heading out into the forest and sharing information with others. As fire restrictions change, information will be available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire.

Updated information is also available on Facebook and Twitter @WillametteNF. To report a wildfire, call 9-1-1.