Blue 190 Unit Declared Wildfire Review 2024

On June 10th, 2024, when conditions aligned with the weather and fuel guidance parameters noted in the Blue Timber Sale Prescribed Fire Plan and the Go/No Go checklist had been completed, the moderate complexity Blue 190 prescribed fire was ignited. While the 39-acre Blue 190 unit is relatively steep and bisected by two untreated riparian areas, implementation went well and without incident. Fire personnel were relieved to have completed the ignition and holding portion of the steep unit. However, over the next month the area experienced both seasonal and excessive drying due to a heat dome. With the drying environment, unit patrols began to pick up holdover smokes that had not been present in the weeks prior. Local and staged fire resources spent significant time and effort to mop up and patrol the prescribed fire through July 14th. Ultimately, the Blue 190 prescribed fire would escape its control lines on July 16th and be declared the Ore Wildfire on July 17th.