The Alder Springs Fire on Monday. (Oregon Department of Emergency Management)

UPDATE:

 

The Deschutes County areas of NW Steelhead Falls Drive, sections of NW Dove Drive and sections of NW Quail Road in Deschutes County have been placed on Level 1—Be Ready evacuation notice.  A temporary evacuation point has been established at Highland Baptist Church, 3100 SW Highland Ave., Redmond.

 

 

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The first large fire of the year in the tri-county area burned through around 1,500 acres of dry scrubland and juniper in southern Jefferson County on Monday, near Alder Springs.

At approximately 3 p.m. on Monday the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department reported that public lands south of Alder Springs were placed on a Level 2—Be Set (be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice) evacuation alert. Lake Billy Chinook public lands are on a Level 1—Be Ready) evacuation alert.

The area is near Crooked River Ranch, which is not yet at an evacuation level. 

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has issued Level 1—Be Ready evacuation notices for the area off of Holmes Road and Lower Bridge Way.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department is advising people in the area to sign up for Everbridge alerts to stay informed on the evacuation levels.

Kassiy Kern, public information officer for Central Oregon Fire Management Service, said the Alder Springs Fire is being worked by Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management fire crews. Resources include four engines, two 20-person hand crews, eight repellers, smokejumpers and a water tender. 

“We have had fires to the north… but this is the one that is going to start letting people here know, in Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook counties, that we are officially in fire season in Central Oregon,” said Kern.