News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Sisters, 6 p.m., July 29 -- As of Monday afternoon, firefighters were battling the Cache Mountain fire to a standstill.
There was no repeat of the wind-driven spot fires that pushed the conflagration onto Black Butte Ranch on Sunday, July 29. Winds stayed relatively calm, though conditions were hot and dry.
The fire burned hot on the slopes of Cache Mountain itself, where terrain is rugged and fires hard to fight. There was also fire activity reported on the southern flank of the blaze, according to Fire Information Officer Greg Kujawa.
The bulldozer lines and protective "burnout" areas on the fire perimeter nearest Black Butte Ranch seemed to be holding steady.
Estimated acreage on the fire is still reported at 4,200 acres, though Kujawa said the fire has grown.
The situation was not nearly as urgent on the lines today as it was yesterday when gusty winds caused the fire to run. According to Kujawa, the mood of the line firefighters was positive.
"It just seemed like a whole different day going on compared to what was happening 24 hours ago," Kujawa said.
Kujawa said there are 770 fire personnel on hand, with 470 of them actually on the fire line. There are 13 bulldozers cutting fire lines and 13 brush engines on the blaze.
Helicopters and retardant tankers continue to attack the fire from the air.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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