Firefighters brace for 'dangerous' winds as Rowe Creek Complex reaches 57% containment

Firefighters are preparing for a rare, dangerous weather warning today as the lightning-caused Rowe Creek Complex grows to 313,439 acres.

Weather forecasters issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Red Flag Warning for the area from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.. Strong winds and very dry conditions could cause the fire to move quickly and challenge existing control lines this afternoon.

Overall containment on the fire is now at 57%. The complex includes the Crosswhite fire at 295,835 acres and the Camel Hump fire at 6,614 acres. A smaller fire, Incident 594, is now fully contained.

To prepare for the high winds, more than 2,300 personnel are working to strengthen barriers around the fire. Crews are clearing dry plants from around homes and setting up water hoses to protect buildings. Structural firefighters are also working extra shifts to be ready if the fire spreads toward neighborhoods.

On the northern and eastern edges of the fire, crews have spent two weeks cooling hot spots up to 200 feet deep into the burned area. Firefighters believe these deep lines are more likely to hold when the wind picks up.

A new management team will take over the fire Sunday at 6 a.m.. The Oregon State Fire Marshal currently has 11 teams assigned to help, including 10 task forces and one strike team.

Evacuation levels 1, 2, and 3 remain in place for parts of Crook, Jefferson, and Wheeler counties. Oregonians and visitors can find the latest evacuation maps on their local sheriff's office Facebook pages and can sign up for emergency alerts at oralert.gov.

Public lands in the Ochoco National Forest and the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument remain closed. People are also reminded not to fly drones near the fire, as doing so will force all firefighting aircraft to stop flying for safety reasons.

For the latest road conditions and closures, travelers should visit TripCheck.com.