11:00 am update:The Department of Natural Resources now says that about 200 firefighters are working on the Speelyai Fire near Lake Merwin, and that the fire has grown to about 70 to 80 acres. Incident Commander Jim Shank says that they now consider the fire to be about 25% contained, and they’re still shooting for full containment by 6 pm tomorrow. Shank says that the fire crews are working in extremely steep terrain, and he says that they’ve brought in a specialized explosives crew to help cut lines where it’s too difficult for fire crews to work. He says that they also dealt with three small spot fires that spawned from the main fire, but all three of those fires have been dealt with. The 6600 and A-1000 forest roads remain closed at this time, so fire equipment can move freely. Shank says they still haven’t identified the cause of the fire, which was first reported at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon.
The Department of Natural Resources says that several dozen firefighters and three helicopters are battling the region’s fire wildfire of the season, a fire that has scorched between 50 to 70 acres of forestland near Lake Merwin. Dubbed the Speelyai Fire, it was first reported Saturday afternoon at about 2:30 pm. The fire is burning in steep and rocky ground that’s covered with logging slash, seedlings and growing timber, in a mix of private land and DNR property. Inmate crews from Larch Corrections Center and two Forest Service “Hot Shot” crews are joining DNR personnel in fighting the fire. As of 7 am yesterday, DNR declared the fire at about 5 percent contained, but later estimates put the containment at 10 percent. DNR officials say that they expect to have full containment in the next few days. Several homes were initially threatened by the fire, but quick work by the fire crews eliminated that hazard. Two forest roads are closed by the fire, the 6600 road and the A-1000 road. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
