The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Today the Deschutes and Jefferson County sheriff’s offices adjusted evacuation levels around the Grandview Fire, in coordination with fire managers. To ensure public safety and prevent conflicts between citizens and fire operations, please refrain from travel through evacuation areas as fire equipment and personnel are moving through the area.

Wilt Road is only open to local and fire traffic from Buffalo Road north. FS 6360 (Alder Springs Road) is also closed at Holmes Road.

Current maps including evacuation areas can be found at https://deschutes.org/emergency. For fire information, visit the Central Oregon Fire Information site at http://www.centraloregonfire.org.

Due to great progress firefighters have made on the Grandview Fire, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office will be demobilizing their remaining fire crews at the end of the day. Two task forces of structure fire engines and a structural hand crew will continue working around homes in the fire area. Oregon Department of Forestry crews are still on the blaze.

Two National Guard helicopters are supporting ground crews today. This extra assistance will aid firefighters in keeping the Grandview Fire inside the established containment lines.

Overnight crews used infrared equipment to identify hot spots near the fire lines that the day shift is working to extinguish. Crews also worked to improve roads around the fire to reduce dust and improve access.

Last night at 11 p.m., a red flag warning over the fire area expired with overnight temperatures dropping into the 40s and humidity recovering to reduce fire activity. With these better weather conditions, crews can continue to build and strengthen containment lines by cutting back or removing fuel on the perimeter, extinguishing hot spots near the fire line, and removing hazard trees. This will allow crews to start mopping up deeper into the fire perimeter.