Green Ridge Fire Update - July 17, 2021

 Dayton, WA. (10 a.m.) —The Green Ridge Fire is burning in steep, rugged terrain on the Pomeroy Ranger District, approximately 30 miles east of Walla Walla, Washington. Values at risk include structures, the Mill Creek Watershed, wilderness, and recreation areas in the vicinity.

The Umatilla National Forest implemented a Forest-wide closure across the entire Umatilla National Forest effective immediately. The Forest is closed due to extreme fire danger and multiple fires across the Forest. Additional information about this closure is available on the Forest website.

The fire grew approximately 472 acres yesterday, moving north along the ridge between Turkey and Meadow Creeks and east across Turkey Creek onto West Butte Ridge. This expansion brings the fire deeper into the Wenaha-Tucannon Wilderness and into areas burned in the 2006 Columbia Complex fire. Firefighters scouted locations for indirect fire line to the east and cleared fuels along Kendall Skyline Road and the 4608 Road. Crews also strengthened water delivery systems and protective wrapping of structures at risk. The fire has not moved significantly to the south or west, remaining east of Meadow Creek.

Today, firefighters will continue work to improve indirect fire lines on roads to the west and south of the fire. Crews are cutting, clearing, and chipping vegetation to create a wider fire line, and continuing developing

hose lays and water delivery to support the fire line. Scouting and line location continues to the east to identify features on the landscape where indirect fire line will be most likely to contain the fire. Crews will continue improving structure protection around Godman Guard Station and the Little Turkey Tail Recreation Residents tract. Where terrain and fire behavior allow crews to safely engage, firefighters will directly limit the fire spread using helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

Fire officials remind everyone that the current fire danger rating is EXTREME and public use restrictions involving chainsaw use, smoking and off-road travel are in effect.

The latest fire information will be posted on the Blue Mountains Fire Information Blog. To receive updates on fires in the Blue Mountains, follow our blog at http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/. Additional information about the Umatilla National Forest is available at: http://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.

Prevention Message: Now, more than ever, we need you to do your part and prevent wildfires.

###