Wrights Spring Fire Reaches 65% Containment as Repair Work Expands
Crews deepen mop-up and restore suppression lines as resources begin leaving the incident.
FAST FIRE FACTS
Name:
Wrights Spring Fire
Location:
2 miles west of Sprague River, Oregon
Size: 55,133 acres
Containment: 65%
Personnel: 667
Evacuations:
Multiple levels remain in effect, with reductions across much of the area.
Command:
Northwest Team 7
Activity:
Crews are deepening mop-up, repairing roads and dozer lines, stabilizing soil, and releasing resources as containment improves.
Cover Photo / Mop-Up: Firefighters work through burned timber to locate and extinguish remaining heat as mop-up continues deeper inside the Wrights Spring Fire perimeter.
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — Containment on the Wrights Spring Fire has climbed to 65% as firefighters continue pushing deeper into the burned area and expanding suppression repair across portions of the 55,133-acre fire.
The number of personnel assigned has fallen to 667, down from 799 on Sunday, as crews and equipment are gradually released for other incidents around the region. Fire officials said the fire has remained within established containment lines despite several days of hot, dry, and windy weather.
Another Red Flag Warning is in effect Thursday, with ridgetop winds expected to gust to around 26 mph and very low humidity. Those conditions can still increase interior fire activity and create additional hazards from falling burned trees, but officials said recent burning has remained well inside containment lines.
CONTAINMENT CONTINUES TO BUILD
Much of the northern and eastern portions of the Wrights Spring Fire are now focused on mop-up, patrol, and suppression repair.
In Divisions R, X, and C, crews are continuing to find stubborn heat identified through infrared flights while also chipping vegetation, repairing roads, stabilizing soil, and restoring dozer and contingency lines.
Hidden Heat: Firefighters dig through burned ground and vegetation to expose and extinguish lingering heat during mop-up operations on the Wrights Spring Fire.
Division F has now gained additional containment, while firefighters in Division G continue working the remaining uncontained portions of the western side.
Operations Section Chief Jesse Kiene said mop-up along that area is averaging about 100 feet from the perimeter and reaching roughly 150 feet in some locations.
“You’ll see black lines showing containment start to increase in the coming 48 to 72 hours as depth of mop-up and confidence increases in those lines holding,” Kiene said.
REPAIR BECOMES A LARGER PART OF THE JOB
With the fire footprint increasingly secure, crews are spending more time repairing the landscape altered during suppression.
That includes grading damaged roads, removing or rehabilitating contingency lines, installing water bars to reduce erosion, and restoring dozer lines as close to their natural condition as possible. Crews are also working around cultural resources on BLM lands while completing repair work.
Suppression Repair: Heavy equipment works along a fire-affected road as crews repair surfaces and restore areas damaged during suppression operations.
Surplus equipment is being removed from the fire, and resources are steadily being released as the incident downsizes.
Interior islands of unburned vegetation may continue producing smoke, but fire officials say those areas remain well away from containment lines.
FIRE WEATHER REMAINS A CONCERN
Thursday’s Red Flag conditions remain one of the biggest operational concerns even as containment improves.
Very low humidity and gusty winds can cause dry fuels to burn more actively and increase the risk posed by weakened trees and snags. Crews continue using infrared detection and repeated patrols to identify heat near the perimeter before it becomes a problem.
Air quality across most of the Klamath Basin is expected to remain good Thursday and Friday, although periods of light smoke may continue around the Sprague River and Yonna valleys.
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