September 20, 2020 9:40 a.m.
The Archie Creek Fire burning east of Glide is nearing 132,000 acres, and is 38 percent contained.
The latest update from the Southern Area Red Type 1 Management Team said fire behavior has been minimal for the past few days, but is expected to pick up. On Saturday an infrared flight showed that the fire had grown along its southern edge above E-Mile Creek and down by Little River Road sometime before the low front arrived, likely on Friday. The acreage increase reflects better mapping of the fire in that area.
Rain totals from Friday and Saturday of a half inch to an inch have helped firefighters make good progress containing the fire by getting as close to its edge as possible with hand crews and heavy equipment. With sunny weather, live and dead vegetation is beginning to dry. Helicopters are ready to support suppression efforts if needed.
The update said areas of focus continue to be on the south, east and northern edges of the fire. In the south, this includes areas around Little River and Thunder Mountain roads to Highway 138. In the east, containment and mop up continues in three areas where the fire burned over containment lines in the Panther Creek Road area along 110 Road. Along the northeastern edge of the fire, bulldozers, logging equipment and crews will continue working to connect old logging roads for fire lines to protect threats to timber.
Fire mop up and improvement of fire lines continues throughout the fire, including mop up around structures in Glide, Idleyld Park and Rock Creek. Hand crews are helping build and fortify fire lines in steep areas that are inaccessible to heavy equipment. The fire has backed down to the river on the east side of the fire, and firefighters are monitoring it there. A fire scar from a 2017 fire is helping check fire progression in the southeastern edge of the fire and firefighters are using old timber sale roads to contain the fire in that area.
Highway 138E remains closed to all traffic from four miles east of Glide to the intersection with Oregon 230, except for firefighters and local residents.
1,121 people are assigned to the fire.