Oregon wildfires: Boxcar Fire roars to 23000 acres, evacuation issued for Maupin

Zach Urness Salem Statesman Journal

Published 9:10 p.m. UTC Jun 23, 2018

Updated at 1:59 p.m. Saturday, June 23:

Bakeoven Road will soon close for burnout operations along the southern side. It is unknown when it will reopen, according to a tweet from Central Oregon Fire Info.

A Level 1 evacuation has been issued for residents in the area from Highway 97 to Highway 216 to Deschutes River to South Junction Road out of caution.

Jean Nelson-Dean, public information officer for Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center, said that evacuation was issued to "increase awareness."

The Boxcar Fire grew to 23,000 acres Saturday morning. As of 9 a.m., it is estimated to be 10 percent contained.

Harpham Flat, Longbend, Wapinita and Devil’s Canyon campgrounds have been evacuated out of caution by the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management, but the fire has not reached those areas at this time.

U.S. Highway 197 from milepost 46 to 62 is currently open. However, Nelson-Dean said it is frequently changing and encourages drivers to check Trip Check for updates. 

Original story:

The largest wildfire of the young season grew to 18,000 acres Friday afternoon in Central Oregon. 

The Boxcar Fire, which started three miles south of Maupin, closed part of U.S. Highway 197 and is expected to grow. 

A level 1 evacuation — meaning "get ready" — has been issued for East Maupin, according to the city's Facebook page. 

Campers have been asked to stay out of Wapinita, Harpham Flat, Longbend, and Devil's Canyon campgrounds.

"This is pretty typical rangeland fire that can grow pretty quickly with a little wind, and that's what's happening now," fire spokeswoman Jean Nelson-Dean said. "We're expecting it to grow today.

"The biggest concern is that it could threaten Maupin, but people should also check TripCheck.com before heading out into the Highway 197 area."  

The fire hasn't moved toward the town as aggressively today, officials said. 

"Most activity now seems to be Bakeoven Canyon and related side canyons south and east of Maupin with some activity at the western edge upriver from Maupin," Central Oregon Fire Info said on Twitter. 

A type 2 fire management team will take over the fire at 6 p.m. tonight. Currently, teams are fighting the fire with three heavy air tankers and five single-engine tankers. 

Currently, Highway 197 south of Maupin is closed from milepost 46 to 62. Motorists should use other route, the Oregon Department of Transportation said in a statement. 

The air resources are being shared between the Boxcar and Graham Fire near Lake Billy Chinook.  

More: Oregon wildfire season: Graham Fire near Lake Billy Chinook prompts evacuation

More: 21 small wildfires ignited by hundreds of lightning strikes across Oregon

This story will be updated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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