A new wildfire broke out Thursday evening after several old log decks at the former Warm Springs mill site spontaneously combusted.
Warm Springs Wildland Fire Management said the “Lower Deck Fire” was burning around 1,300 acres.
The combustion sparked several small fires on the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation.
Officials said one of the easternmost fires was across the Deschutes River and climbed up the ridge of a canyon, spreading to the north and south.
Highway 26 was closed for a period of time, but reopened late Thursday night.
Crews stopped the fire’s progression on the north and south flanks along the eastside of the Deschutes River canyon wall in the Mecca Flat area.
Central Oregon Fire Information said the fire burning in Jefferson County is also burning on Bureau of Land Management – Prineville land in addition to the reservation.
Warm Springs fire resources were assisted by Warm Springs and Zig Zag Interagency Hotshots, a BLM hand crew, and four BLM wildland engines.
A large air tanker, two single-engine air tankers, and three helicopters were used to slow the fire’s growth.
