Firefighters take on Milli Fire

Located in the Three Sisters Wilderness, the Milli Fire is estimated at 150 acres and 2% contained. There are currently 141 personnel on the fire including three type 2 crews, 5 IA crews, 3 dozers, 2 masticators, and a variety of overhead resources. The Milli Fire is currently 8 miles west of Sisters and about one and a half miles southwest of Black Crater Lake. Moderate fire activity was observed yesterday and is expected again today with continued fire spread to the east and northeast. (EDITOR'S NOTE: The fire has grown considerably since Tuesday, due to winds on Wed., Aug. 16 firefighters were unable to map the fire for size.)

Yesterday, crews worked to establish containment line in the wilderness using minimum impact suppression tactics and outside the wilderness, equipment was utilized to improve Forest Service roads and create new containment lines in anticipation of fire growth outside of the wilderness to the east. Today, direct and indirect suppression tactics will be utilized, while continuing Forest Service road improvement and fire line construction outside of the wilderness boundary. The fire is partially burning in an old fire scar with significant stands of dead timber caused by the Black Crater Lake Fire.

The Willamette and Deschutes National Forests have implemented a closure order for a large portion of the Three Sisters Wilderness beginning today. The Willamette National Forest will close all trails south of Highway 242 into the Three Sisters Wilderness on the Willamette National Forest with the exception of Proxy Falls, which remains open. Also closed is the Obsidian Trailhead and Obsidian Limited Entry Area.

The area closure also includes Deschutes National Forest managed lands within the Three Sisters Wilderness that are threatened by fire activity.

The northern closure area border includes trails south of Highway 242 and west of Forest Road 1018 and east of the Three Sisters Wilderness Boundary on the Willamette National Forest down to approximately Scott's Pass Trail, which is also included in the closure.

In addition, the closure area contains trails north of Cascade Lakes Highway, west of the South Sisters Climber Trail and includes all of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Elk Lake north to the PCT Trailhead near Lava Camp Lake Campground.

For up-to-date information on closures on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and trail reroute options, visit https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/trail-conditions-and-closures/.