KWSO News Fire Update 6/21/21 9:00am

Warm Springs, Oregon – This update is for the S-503 Fire burning on the Warm Springs Reservation. Northwest Incident Management Team 8, a local type 2 team with Incident Commander Kevin Stock assumed management of the S-503 Fire this morning at 0600. The Incident Command Post (IC) is being set up at the Tygh Valley Rodeo Grounds.

The S-503 fire has grown to an estimated at 6200 acres and is officially 0% contained but this will be updated today. Resources of crews, engines, dozers, water tenders and aerial support arrived in force yesterday. Firefighters were able to hold the north flank. This was an area of concern as Pine Grove residences lay just to the northeast of the S-503 perimeter. Efforts were aided with lighter winds from the northeast as the footprint moved to the southwest at a slow pace. There was a spot fire to the southeast. The S-503 is roughly 2 miles east of HWY 26 and 7 miles northwest of Simnasho.

Safety of personnel and communication are the number one priority today as command of the fire operations is transferred. The values at risk are the private structures and other infrastructure in the Pine Grove area but also natural, archeological and cultural resources on the Warm Springs Reservation. Crews will work aggressively to hold the northwest anchor point and establish some new control line along both northeast and south west flanks.

Temperatures today in the lower 90’s and very low relative humidity. Winds are predicted to be light but shifting throughout the day from the northeast at 7 mph in morning and becoming northwest in the afternoon. The fire is burning is several drainages and ridges with mixed timber fuels and brush to west and southwest with a grass and shrub combination to the majority of the northeast flank. There is a low risk for spotting if the winds are light.

Closures and Evacuations:

As of Sunday at 1200, All residences west of Kelly Springs Rd/Back Walters Rd have been lowered from level 3 to level 2 – Get Set . There is a Level 2 GET READY: Anything else previously under level 1 EAST of Kelly Springs to Reservation Rd including Walters Corners and the community of Pine Grove. A Temporary Flight Restriction will be established over the S-503. Wildfires are a No Drone Zone.

For more information please call the Warm Springs Public Information Officer at 541-553-2004.

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