Smoke expected to clear from Sisters

A smoky morning is expected to give way to clearer skies today as winds shift to push the 4,610-acre Shadow Lake Fire back toward the west.

An inversion pushed smoke down into Sisters this morning, but weather is expected to change this afternoon. The rest of the week is expected to bring hot, dry conditions and winds out of the east. That will make for active burning on the fire, but very likely means that smoke will be pushed away from the Sisters Country.

A burnout was undertaken yesterday along the 960 road and the Historic Santiam Wagon Road to secure the line and protect the campgrounds and structures adjacent to the Big Lake area.

A short window of opportunity existed for crews to successfully burnout the north and northwest sections of the fire line before unstable air, warmer temperatures and increased winds come into the area on Thursday, pushing the fire west back towards Big Lake.

Yesterday, as predicted, the fire continued to burn steadily making its way northwest towards the Santiam Wagon Road. Single tree torching with some spotting was observed along the northwest perimeter, while activity was minimal along the northeast portion where it bumped up against the old fire scars. Dozers were used to control the spot fire that crossed the Santiam Wagon Road, although the area needs more work. Fire behavior today is predicted to be similar to yesterday with less activity and a northerly spread.

Warm temperatures and low humidity will continue today and throughout the week. Beginning Wednesday, fire activity will increase and growth is predicted to be driven by winds out of the east. Smoke is expected to remain in low lying areas in the morning with winds switching to an easterly flow, resulting in the potential for light smoke in the Willamette Valley.

Visitors should check with Shadow Lake Fire Information for updates on closure areas and fire activity. Area maps have been posted to keep hikers and travelers informed. Maps and fire updates are also available at http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2550.