MITCHELL, Ore. – As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 3, 2024, Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Incident Management Team 1 assumed command of the Shoe Fly Fire. The fire was first reported early Monday morning, burning in grass, brush and timber north of Highway 26 near Girds Creek. Firefighters from ODF’s Central Oregon District, Wheeler County Fire and Rescue, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Twickenham Rangeland Fire Protection Association initially responded, along with local landowners.
Numerous fires were reported following thunderstorms late Sunday evening and overnight. Many of these fires were caught during initial attack. Near record-dry fuel conditions challenged firefighters on the Shoe Fly Fire, combined with limited available resources and erratic winds from passing thunderstorms on Monday. This resulted in growth on all flanks of the fire and prompted burning throughout the night. Infrared imagery Tuesday morning mapped the fire at 20,247 acres.
Two structural task forces from the Oregon State Fire Marshal are working for the Wheeler County Fire Defense Board to provide structural protection for homes near the fire. For public safety, the Wheeler County Sheriff has issued evacuation notices for residents around the fire. More information on current evacuations is available below.
Tonight, firefighters will establish access points into the fire, identify areas for fireline development, and build direct control lines where possible. Numerous fires in the area continue to make resources scarce; additional crews, engines, and equipment have been ordered.
The fire is burning on private and BLM land protected by ODF, and private rangelands protected by Twickenham RFPA and Wheeler County Fire and Rescue.
Evacuations: Evacuation notices are in effect for areas around the fire. An evacuation map is available at: https://tinyurl.com/RAPTOR-Evacuation-Info
