Firefighters work on mop-up, rehabilitation

Firefighters continue to mop up hot spots. photo by Lynn Woodward

Firefighters are mopping up inside fire lines and beginning to repair some of the damage done to the landscape in battling the B&B Fire west of Sisters.

The 90,824-acre fire is 86 percent contained (88 percent contained east of the Cascades), according to fire officials.

The east flank of the fire facing Camp Sherman appears to be secure. Crews have been working hard to extend their mop-up operations up to 300 yards inside the fire perimeter. Firefighters have also been working to douse hot spots in the northeast corner of the fire, west of Green Ridge and the Metolius River.

"There was a little bit of concern about that Green Ridge area (just east of the Metolius River) because of the access to good fuel sources," Fire Information Officer Smitty Parratt said. "But that seems to be locked up pretty good. They seem to be pretty confident about that."

Parratt said resource specialists have begun extensive rehabilitation work on the east flank and in the area near Hoodoo Ski Area. They are repairing bulldozer lines and hand lines, trying to cover up the scars left on the land by fire suppression efforts.

Burning hot...Some of the area west of the Metolius River burned at high intensity. photo by Lynn Woodward

A Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) team completed its assessment of the fire area on Saturday, September 13.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, initial rehabilitation will focus on reducing threats to residents in the Camp Sherman area and recreationists within the B&B Fire area; reducing downstream sediment delivery that would affect private property values and the water quality of the Metolius Wild and Scenic River; and reducing the threat of noxious weed expansion.

Rehabilitation crews will work on stormproofing roads (including Highway 20) and removing hazards in campgrounds and on trails.

Safety measures will include removing hazard tree snags and putting up warning signs. Storm-proofing will include roadbed stabilization, culvert replacement, trail drainage reconstruction and other mitigation measures.

Many of the areas closed by the fire are being reopened.

Suttle Lake Resort is scheduled to reopen Friday, September 19.

Resort staff members who have been working at the site report that there are large numbers of animals that have been displaced by the fire. They are coming down out of the forests to the vicinity of Highway 20, perhaps seeking food.

They warn drivers to be alert when driving in the fire area.

Highway 20 remains open, though Oregon Department of Transportation crews closed one lane September 15-16 for clean-up.

The B&B Fire has cost $31,851,000 to fight and currently involves 1,883 personnel.

The cause is still under investigation by an arson task force.

"We're all real curious about that, but nothing's been released outside the investigating team," Parratt said.

"They're still investigating," he said.