The Akawa Butte Fire near Sisters, Oregon, has forced a wave of new evacuation orders and road closures this week as crews battle extreme fire behavior on the ground.
The fire pushed downhill toward the Indian Ford and Wilt Road areas and crossed Stevens Canyon Road, with firefighters reporting flame lengths of 150 to 200 feet. Crews on the south end of the fire had to pull back and change tactics to stay safe and keep homes protected.
New Evacuation Orders Cover a Wide Area
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office expanded evacuation notices on Wednesday, adding Forest Service and private land around Indian Ford Road, Camp Polk Road and Wilt Road. Level 3 “go now” orders cover forest land east of Stevens Canyon Road and south toward Wilt Road, an area often called the southern part of Sage Flat, along with private property on both sides of the northern stretch of Indian Ford Road.
Level 2 “be set” notices apply to Pine Ridge Road, Fox Ridge Circle, the section of Wilt Road up to Big Buck Road, part of Mountain View Road, and land between Indian Ford Creek and Camp Polk Road, including the Zimmerman Butte area.
Level 1 “be ready” notices stretch across a broader zone, including Whychus Canyon Estates, Henkle Butte, Sno Cap Vista, the Hill Subdivision and Cascade Meadow Estates. Indian Ford Road between Highway 20 and Meadow View Lane, along with part of Wilt Road, remain closed.
A Break in the Weather Helps Firefighters
Thursday brought a shift in conditions. A pyrocumulus cloud formed above the fire before storms arrived, generating its own lightning and weather.
Gusty outflow winds from afternoon thunderstorms fueled the fire’s push downhill, but the storm also dropped rain over the burn area, giving crews an opening to work the fire’s flanks. Incident Commander Craig Pettinger told night shift crews the rain gave them a chance worth taking advantage of.
Heavy equipment built containment lines near Wilt Road, and firefighters put out several spot fires in that area. Four structure protection task forces worked into the evening near homes in the Indian Ford and Wilt Road neighborhoods, and that point protection work was set to continue overnight along the fire’s southern and western edges.
A Red Flag Warning was in place until 11 p.m. Thursday, with winds expected to ease afterward and no further rain in the forecast.
Central Electric Cooperative has cut power to homes between Stevens Canyon Road and Pine Glen Road, and north of Indian Ford Road, as a safety precaution. The Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service have both issued closures covering the fire area.
What Comes Next for Residents
A community meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Sisters High School, with a livestream available through the Sisters Camp Sherman Fire District’s Facebook page for those who cannot attend in person.
The Red Cross is operating a shelter at Sisters High School for displaced residents, and a pet evacuation team is available for animal-related needs.
Residents can check current evacuation levels through Deschutes County’s online map, and air quality updates are posted through AirNow and regional smoke outlook tools as officials continue to monitor the fire’s spread.
