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The LeClaire Ranch was destroyed after the fire raced toward the Schoolie Flat area.
Warm Springs has about had it with disasters this
year. The Flood of '96 is still fresh in the minds of local
residents. Then, our community gets hit with the
biggest fire since the 1930s. The Simnasho Fire, which
began Saturday, August 10 about four miles north of
Simnasho, has consumed nearly 120,000 acres, or
about one-sixth, of the reservation. Ten homes were
destroyed as were four out-buildings. Luckily, no
serious injuries were reported.
DAY ONE: SATURDAY AUGUST 10
Fire Management in Warm Springs learned of the
Simnasho burn at 4:05 p.m. Local firefighters were
dispatched, but the blaze, moving in a southeasterly
direction, traveled too quickly and could not be
controlled. By the next morning, the fire had spread
considerably, threatening homes and livestock. The
fire was "human caused" and the cause is currently
under investigation.
DAY TWO: SUNDAY AUGUST 11
The National Interagency Incident Management
team, consisting of personnel from Federal Wildland
Managment agencies, arrived in Simnasho Sunday
afternoon, putting into action their plan of attack.
Additional fire fighting personnel were called in.
Strike teams were summoned to help protect homes
in the Schoolie Flat area near Simnasho. The fire
continued to rage out of control Sunday evening.
DAY THREE: MONDAY AUGUST 12
By this day, the Simnasho Fire had grown to nearly
12,000 acres. Warm temperatures, high winds and
low humidity of the day before caused the fire to
nearly double in size. Over 35 homes in the Simnasho
area were evacuated. On this day, there were four 20-
person crews, four dozers and 15 engines fighting the
fire. Evacuees were housed at the HeHe Longhouse
with support from the American Red Cross.
DAY FOUR: TUESDAY AUGUST 13
Fire camp was formally established at Simnasho
on this day. The troops rumbled in, set up and were
ready to go within hours. The cafeteria was on the
spot with hot meals and portable showers were set up
for weary firefighters. A not-so-small tent city popped
up just beyond the Simnasho School playground. If
tent room was not available, the tired fire warriors
simply laid down wherever and whenever possible.
A fire camp is totally self-sufficient, complete with
dining room, general store, first aid station,
communication center and much more. The fire
scuttled toward the Mutton Mountains, over Schoolie
Flat. No homes were burned in Schoolie Flat but
homes, near Indian Head Canyon, belonging to Olney
Patt, Sr. and the Tom LeClaire family, were destroyed
by the fire.
DAY FIVE: WEDNESDAY AUGUST 14
Called "Black Wednesday" by some, this day was
most devastating to residents, especially those living
in the Upper Dry Creek subdivision. An evacuation
notice was given at 10 a.m. and many residents in Dry
Creek, Sunnyside and Miller Heights prepared early
on for possible disaster. Driven by winds as high as 40
miles per hour, the fire, during this day, tripled in size
to 65,000 acres. The wide Dry Creek Valley was
blackened by 2 p.m. Eight homes were destroyed as
were four out-buildings. Those losing their homes
were Norma Smith, Sherry Smith, Leo and Vicky
Hellon, Robert Miller, Louis Bagley, Archie Caldera
and Thelma Dixon. Losing sheds were Jim and Neda
Wesley and Eunice Esquiro. Travel trailers, serving
has living quarters for individuals, also burned. Easton
and Tina Aguilar lost a garage which stored auto
body and construction equipment.
The fire also raced dangerously close to the
Industrial Park, which is home to Fire Management,
BIA Roads, the tribal Vehicle Pool and tribal Records
Center. The Natural Resources Department lost boats
stored in a warehouse in the Park and the roads
department lost a small shed.
By evening, fire officials decided to evacuate Wolfe
Point. Evacuees were sent to Kah-Nee-Ta, which had
been sealed off to traffic, coming or going, by severe
fire behavior. Highway 3, from Warm Springs to
Wapanitia was closed. US Highway 26, from Madras
to Highway 216 (Bear Springs Junction), was closed
as well. Non-emergency personnel were stranded in
Simnasho overnight.
The fire had more than one front: Firefighters had
a time of it keeping the blaze from crossing Highway
26 into the town of Warm Springs as it roared down
the grade. There were more than a few anxious and
smoky moments as residents began to actually realize
the gravity of the situation. Fire crews busily and
effectively cut short the fire's path near the homes on
Walsey Lane behind Warm Springs Plaza and behind
Warm Springs Forest Products Industries with back
burns.
DAY SIX: THURSDAY AUGUST 15
The fire on this day continued its march toward
the Deschutes River, prompting officials to continue
the river's closure to day use. Total acreage burned
neared 85,000. No further structure damage was
expected as the fire moved away from housing areas.
DAY SEVEN: FRIDAY AUGUST 16
This day, the fire has reached 95,000 and continued
to burn hottest near the Mutton Mountains and in the
Mill Creek area east of U.S. Highway 26. A large
number of firefighters were working in the Mutton
Mountain area to stop the spread. A visit to the
Simnasho Fire camp shows a much brighter mood,
however, many anticipate demobilization to other,
more serious fires throughout the Northwest.
DAY EIGHT: SATURDAY AUGUST 17
The fire is 60 percent to 70 percent contained this
day with a total 108,000 acres seared in the blaze. Fire
officials expect containment by August 20. Crews
were busy burning out the northeast corner of the fire
to secure containment lines near the Deschutes River.
The fire crept across the line near the Warm Springs
River east of U.S. Highway 26 with very little acreage
burned. Eleven crews were released to the Wildcat
Fire in eastern Oregon this day.
DAY NINE: SUNDAY AUGUST 18
Burnout operations on the northeast side of the
fire near Dant went as planned the day before and
containment was over 70 percent. Crews were
expected to aggressively mop up any hot spots within
300 feet of the fire perimeter. Two task forces patrolled
and mopped up in Schoolie Flats and Wolfe Point.
Crews continue to breathe more easily as weather
conditions remain cool.
More than one firefighter stated during this week
long siege that they had never before seen a fire burn
like the Simnasho Fire. Unpredictable winds drove
the fire in unpredictable directions at unpredictable
speeds. A drive through Dry Creek also causes one to
not only feel badly for those who lost their homes but
to also be awestruck as to what did not burn in that
big valley. Unpredictable and ruthless as the
Simnasho Fire may have been, we must count our
blessings.
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Pulaski's, shovels and hoes are used by
personnel to extinguish fires.
Smoke obscurred the sun August 13.
A windmill on Miller Flats provided a
perfect silhouette.
J