Firefighters reach 47 percent containment on Grasshopper Fire; teams prepare for Fire Weather Watch

Firefighters reached 47 percent containment on the Grasshopper Fire Monday morning as operations focused on securing lines and protecting communities ahead of a predicted Fire Weather Watch issued by the National Weather Service.

The lightning-caused blaze, which has burned 90,667 acres, remains active with 1,511 personnel assigned to the incident. Despite warmer temperatures and declining relative humidity, crews made significant progress Sunday strengthening containment lines, particularly on the northeastern portion of the fire.

Oregon State Fire Marshal structural resources, supported by National Guard personnel, continue to work on the eastern flank of the fire. Teams are engaged in methodical mop-up operations around homes in the Friend Road, Rail Hollow, and Winslow Road areas to identify and extinguish hot spots. In the Shadybrook area to the southeast, structural protection plans are being implemented as National Guard crews work to boost defensible space around homes.

Overnight, fire activity remained minimal on the southern end, though a visible glow was reported from an interior island of fuels burning within the perimeter north of Little Badger Creek. Structural crews also quickly extinguished a flare-up near Winslow Road during the evening hours.

Operations on the southwest corner of the fire are being helped by highline equipment, a specialized cable system that allows heavy machinery to work safely on steep terrain that is otherwise inaccessible. On the northwest corner, unmanned aircraft systems are providing real-time intelligence to ground crews to monitor fire activity and improve safety.

Fire managers are closely monitoring a Fire Weather Watch issued by the National Weather Service for Tuesday afternoon. Near-critical fire weather is expected as winds and low relative humidity could increase the potential for active fire behavior.

Evacuation notices remain in effect for portions of Hood River, Wasco, and Clackamas counties. Residents can track their status through the interactive maps for Wasco and Hood River and Clackamas County. An evacuation shelter is open at The Dalles Middle School, located at 1100 East 12th St..

Travelers are urged to use extreme caution along Highway 35, where hazard tree mitigation and heavy equipment operations are ongoing. A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the fire area, and the use of unauthorized drones is strictly prohibited.

Relevant Links and Resources:

• Real-time Air Quality: fire.airnow.gov
• Smoke Outlook: outlooks.airfire.org/outlook/50aab846
• Road Conditions: tripcheck.com
• National Forest Closures: Mt. Hood National Forest Alerts
• Local Fire Restrictions: oregon.gov/odf

For additional fire information, the public can call 541-982-5802 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m..