Evacuations Issued Due to Limepoint & OxBow Fires
Editor’s Note: For the most up to date fire information see inciweb.wildfire.gov.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office issued an “Evacuate Now” order for residents of Bear at 5:22 Sunday evening. The Sheriff’s office said that those living in Bear who needed to find a place to house their livestock could call the Sheriff’s office to find out where they could take them. An evacuation order for Cuprum has been in place for a number of days.
Carol Walsh, Emergency Services Director for Adams County, said that many locals had connections with people living in Bear and had volunteered to house their animals.
When contacted, Adams County Commissioner Joe Iveson said that when the evacuation order was issued, the Limepoint fire was still two and a half miles from Bear and that as far as he knew, most people were staying at that point, Sunday, evening, shortly after the evacuation order was in place.
On Monday morning, Brian Harris, Payette National Forest Information Officer, who was enroute to Council, said the Limepoint Fire near Cuprum and Bear had merged overnight with the Ox Bow Fire. On Sunday night the Limepoint Fire was 3,500 acres and the Ox Bow Fire was 6,000 acres.
“I don’t know if people have evacuated from Bear, but our evacuation orders come from the people on the ground who are fighting the fires. And if they think it is unsafe to stay in the area, they will recommend that residents evacuate, and the Sheriff’s office issues an evacuation order,” Harris said.
He said there are currently 120 firefighters working on the now merged OxBow and Limepoint Fires and that they are using a number of single engine air tankers and water scooping planes in an attempt to control the fire.
He said each firefighter has his or her own tent and that the forest service relies heavily on local restaurants to feed the fire crew.
“We live in a place prone to wild fires and the lightning storm last Wednesday started fifteen new fires in the Payette National Forest. Twelve of those fires were quickly put out; three large ones including the fire threatening Cuprum and Bear remain,” he said.
