September 20, 2023 4:00 a.m.

With the successful transition of command of the Tyee Ridge Complex from the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Type 1, Incident Management Team, back to the Douglas Forest Protective Association’s Type 3 Team, progress on containment continues.

DFPA Public Information Officer Rachel Pope said collaborative efforts from DFPA, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon Department of Forestry, local landowner resources, and contract crews continue to mop up the fire perimeter, with portions already meeting the 200-300-foot mop up standard.

The complex is listed at 7,946 acres and is 91 percent contained. 228 people are assigned to the complex.

Pope said daily air reconnaissance flights continue to monitor and identify new smoke within the fire perimeter during the day shift. Handheld infrared cameras continue to be used during night operations to identify areas of heat within the fire perimeter. These hotspots are then marked with flagging for firefighters to mop up and check until no heat remains.

Firefighters continue to patrol fires that have reached 100 percent containment. Repair work continues throughout the complex, including the installation of water bars for diverting rainwater and reducing soil erosion.

Pope said as containment continues in the complex, smoke may be visible as vegetation within the fire’s interior continues to burn.