CRAM FIRE UPDATE Sat., Jul. 19,2025

Size: 95,769 acres | Cause: Under Investigation | Total Personnel: 775

 Madras, Ore. – A public meeting was held last night at Jefferson County Middle School, where fire managers and local officials shared updates and answered questions. A recording of the meeting will be posted on the Cram Fire Facebook page. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the Cram Fire destroyed six structures, including four residences and two additional buildings.

Yesterday, fire activity moderated on the north side. Oregon State Fire Marshal task forces worked around homes, checking for heat and extinguishing hotspots. Crews are focusing efforts on limbing up fire-affected juniper trees near homes and mitigating hazardous fuels such as brush to prevent flare-ups and conducting mop-up. As crews make steady progress in the north, some personnel and equipment are being shifted to support areas of more intense fire activity, but firefighters are still maintaining a presence to ensure the safety of structures and conduct mop-up operations.

Fire behavior along the southeastern edge picked up again yesterday. Helicopters and airtankers dropped water and retardant to help slow the fire’s progression and give crews more time to prepare and strengthen control lines to the south. Crews and engines working the lines were supported by Rangeland Fire Protection Associations and were able to slow the fire’s spread to the south. As of yesterday, crews have established line around the entire fire and will be working in the coming days to solidify and strengthen the perimeter.

Today, firefighters remain actively engaged along the fire’s edge wherever conditions allow, keeping the fire from spreading toward values at risk such as communities, infrastructure, and natural resources. Work continues to protect and identify at-risk structures in and near the fire’s footprint. Dedicated aviation resources will continue to support by cooling hotspots and slowing fire spread, creating safer conditions for crews on the ground.

Weather: Cooler temperatures are forecast for the weekend and lower wind speeds will likely moderate fire behavior.  Monday brings a slight chance of thunderstorms, which the incident meteorologist will be closely monitoring.

Evacuations: Evacuations remain in effect. Jefferson, Wasco and Crook County Sheriffs have issued Level 3 (GO NOW), Level 2 (BE SET), and Level 1 (BE READY) evacuations across multiple zones. Please refer to official evacuation maps for the most up-to-date info: Jefferson County: tinyurl.com/JCSOEvacMap, Wasco County: tinyurl.com/WascoCountyEvacMap, Crook County: https://tinyurl.com/CrookCountyEvacMap

Recreation/Closures: At this time, there are no closures to BLM land. Be advised that conditions may change at anytime; before recreating, check local fire conditions and closures.

Smoke Outlook: An interactive smoke map for your area is available at https://fire.airnow.gov.

Safety: Please drive carefully in fire-impacted areas. Crews and heavy equipment are working along roadways, and visibility may be reduced due to smoke.