Firefighters brace for hot, dry weather at Oak Flat fire

SELMA, Ore. -- With extremely hot and dry weather hitting today, firefighters are changing tactics against the Oak Flat fire northwest of Selma to protect private land near a campground.

Burnout operations will focus on tying the fire into containment lines protecting private land near Sam Brown Campground on the east, and a small area in the northwest, near Chrome Ridge, according to fire managers. By late Saturday a cooling trend is expected to bringing higher humidity and lower temperatures through the following week, which will ease the fire's behavior.

The fire is at 6,515 acres and is 70 percent contained with 668 firefighters working the blaze.

If holding the fire at its current northerly spread is successful, the required burnout could be significantly reduced. This would reduce the eventual size of the fire by approximately 2,000 acres, and significantly reduce the work needed by firefighters.

Water drops from heavy lift helicopters will help check the fire's expansion to the north, where extremely rugged territory has made it impossible for ground-based fire crews to get in.

Sam Brown Campground, the 2500 road (Taylor Creek Road), and the 2402 road remain closed to all but fire traffic.