Road Closures Lifted and Area Closure Reduced on the Grizzly Bear Complex

Pendleton, Oregon: The closure area associated with the 79,400-acre Grizzly Bear Complex Fire, burning on the Umatilla National Forest, continues to be reduced as containment lines are strengthened, suppression activities decline and weather conditions improve. Road closures outside of the closure area will also be lifted effective Friday, September 18, 2015. Roads within the closure area remain closed. The fire is 44% contained.
This most recent adjustment in the closure area provides limited access to portions of the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness where contingency or suppression efforts have been completed. Areas within the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness that remain closed to public entry include:
• South and east of Forest Trail #3113 (Misery Trail)
• East of Forest Trail 3256 (Sawtooth Ridge Trail) and Forest Trail 3241 (Elk Flat Trail).
The closure area also includes non-wilderness national forest lands north of Forest Road 62 from Elk Flats Trailhead to the forest boundary near Troy, Oregon. (A full description of the area closure is provided at the end of this news release.)
Hunting season continues to bring increased interest in accessing the fire area to set up camps and scout for big game. Forest officials understand the importance of these activities and are reviewing the situation daily to take advantage of opportunities to further reduce closures. Future closure reductions will be based on strategic trigger points that consider the current and predicted weather, anticipated fire behavior, and planned suppression and rehabilitation activities. “Safety of both our firefighters and the public remains our highest priority,” said Mike Rassbach, Walla Walla District Ranger.
A closure description and map of the reduced closure area are available at all Umatilla National Forest offices as well as on the Umatilla National Forest website: www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla/, forest Facebook: www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF, and
Grizzly Bear Complex Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grizzly-Bear-Complex-Fire-1152633018086248/timeline/
Closure description effective Friday, September 17, 2015:
Area Closure:
The area within the following boundaries: starting at the Sawtooth Trailhead, south on Forest Service Trail (FST) 3256 trail to FST 3106. From the junction of FST 3256 and FST 3106 following FST 3106 west to the junction of FST 3241. From the junction of FST 3106 and FST 3241 following FST 3241 south to Elk Flat Trailhead. Elk Flat Trailhead following Forest Service Road (FSR) 6200 290 east to FSR 6200. From the junction of FSR 6200 290 and FSR 6200 following FSR 6200 east to the Umatilla National Forest Boundary. From the junction of FSR 6200 and Umatilla National Forest boundary continuing along the boundary east and north to the junction of the Wenaha Tucannon Wilderness boundary near County Road 162 (excluding County Road 162). Following the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness boundary north and west to Diamond Peak Trailhead. Following FST 3113 west and south from Diamond Peak Trailhead to the TeePee Trailhead. From the TeePee Trailhead following the FSR 4608 west and south to the junction with FSR 4600. From the junction of FSR 4600 and FSR 4608, west and south on the FSR 4600 to FSR 4600 420 spur. FSR 4600 to FSR 4600 420 spur junction to the Sawtooth Trailhead on the FSR 4600 420 spur