Skyline Ridge Complex Information Friday Evening, August 6, 2021

Smoky morning gives way to clear afternoon and increased fire activity CANYONVILLE, Ore. - On the Skyline Ridge Complex, a thick inversion of smoky air Friday morning gave way to clear skies and fresher air. The improvement in air flow and rising temperatures caused many fires in the complex to become more active. Both O'Shea Creek and Poole Creek fires had flames cross portions of their fire lines Friday afternoon. Fire personnel will be working tonight to re-establish these lines and cool the fires edges. If conditions allow, they may burn roadside vegetation on Shively Creek, near the Poole Creek Fire. These burns operations will help stop the fire's spread to the southwest. Despite the increased fire activity Friday afternoon, most fires in the complex stayed within their control lines. Firefighters worked to improve control lines and cooled residual heat. McGinnis and Ike Butte fires have been mopped up 50 feet inside their perimeters, helping make them more secure. The Poole Creek Fire continues to pose control challenges. Fire managers and landowner representatives scoped areas near its north edge, aiming to locate safe places to build direct control lines. Due to steep canyons, fire managers determined that a direct approach near the fire’s edge could not be done safely. Instead, fire crews will take an indirect approach—building control lines on ridgetops and roads and using burning operations to stop the fire’s spread. In addition to being safer, these tactics have a higher likelihood of successfully stopping the fire’s spread. Weather continues to be a concern for the firefighters. Two Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS) have been set up in the vicinity of the Skyline Ridge Complex to help provide more accurate forecast. Fire behavior is expected to become much more active next week as hotter, drier weather moves back into the area.