Fire SW of Bend prompts trail closures, dismal air quality

A view of the smoke from the Pete's Lake Fire on Sunday.

U.S. Forest Service officials announced closures of some trails and sno-parks in the Deschutes and Willamette national forests due to the Pete’s Lake Fire burning west of Elk Lake in the Three Sisters Wilderness.

Forest Service wilderness rangers are evacuating hikers and campers as the fire is anticipated to grow.

The Pete’s Lake Fire is at zero percent containment, as weather and the remote location of the fire contribute to challenging conditions for firefighters. The fire was first reported on Friday and was likely ignited by a lightning strike. The fire, which is approximately 30 miles southwest of Bend, is expected to grow due to dry forest conditions and hot temperatures.

“We have quite a few large fires in the landscape from our Oregon border all the way up to Washington,” said Jaimie Olle, a spokesperson for the interagency Central Oregon Fire Management Service.

Cooler temperatures at night can cause smoke to hover near the ground instead of billowing upwards, and when smoke from multiple wildfires converge, said Olle, that concentration of smoke across the landscape can obscure essential aircraft operations. There’s no road access to the location of the fire, so wildland firefighters must either hike or rely on aircraft to deliver equipment, resources and manpower to contain the fire.

“It’s really challenging for aircraft to fly, and often those aircraft, which are key pieces supporting firefighters, end up being grounded,” Olle said.

So far, six smokejumpers and multiple crews, including one hotshot crew and two hand crews, who create fire lines to try and contain the blaze, have been deployed to the Pete’s Lake Fire.

The fire might continue burning east toward the Cascade Lakes Highway throughout the week due to projected high winds.

Between the Deschutes and Willamette national forests, nearly 40 trails, including a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, are closed. Forest Service officials relied on the self-issue permits available at trailheads to identify and evacuate around a dozen people in the wilderness area, Olle said.

Areas west of Cascades Lakes Highway remain under a Level 3 — go now evacuation notice. Areas east of Cascade Lakes Highway including Elk Lake and Lava Lake, remain under a Level 1 — Be Ready notice.

According to the Deschutes National Forest, firefighters are using Kapka and Wanoga sno-parks to support operations on the Pete’s Lake Fire, leaving them temporarily closed to the public.

FAQ: Here's how to manage air pollution when the AQI spikes

The Pete’s Lake Fire, which has spread to more than 300 acres, tanked Bend’s air quality index overnight.

Prior to the Pete’s Lake Fire, Bend’s air quality had been improving, if modestly. Early Sunday evening, Bend’s air quality index was rated at 59, which is considered moderate and acceptable for most people without prior respiratory conditions.

By 1 a.m. Monday, , the air quality index peaked to a hazardous rating of 405. Due to the high levels of wildfire activity, Oregon currently has the worst air quality in the country, according to IQAir, a website that monitors air quality globally.

“People in our community with lung conditions such as asthma or emphysema will experience increased symptoms during periods of poor air quality,” said Jessica LeBlanc, the chief health officer for Mosaic Community Health. “When AQI (air quality index) is over 100, we encourage people to stay indoors, and use air filters as much as possible. For those who work or live outside, wearing a N95 mask or respirator can help protect your lungs from irritating particles in the air.”

Peter Prieve co-owns the Elk Lake Resort on the Cascade Lakes Highway, not far from the Pete’s Lake Fire, and has talked with Forest Service officials daily about wildfire risk. The smoke negatively affects his business, Prieve said, but unless winds accelerate the fire eastward, he’s cautiously optimistic that the wildfire won’t cause him and his customers to evacuate.

“When those wind events happen, you never know what a fire is going to do,” Prieve said.

Also on Monday, firefighters responded to three fires in the Skyliners Road area west of Bend. Firefighters stopped forward progress on all three incidents, according to Central Oregon Fire Info, but due to fire activity in the area, the Tumalo Creek Trail was closed between Skyliners Lodge and the junction with the South Fork Trail.

An interactive map that shows the location, size and perimeter of fire, as well as air quality and smoke levels

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