Warm Springs fire nearly contained

Published 6:30 am Wednesday, July 4, 2018

The Mecca Fire burning on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation was mostly contained as of Tuesday afternoon.

Stacy Lacey, spokeswoman for the Central Oregon Fire Management Service, said the fire, which burned 737 acres on the reservation on Monday and Tuesday, was 90 percent contained as of 4:30 p.m.

Lacey said the wildfire ignited at the old yard mill in Warm Springs, an abandoned lumber mill east of U.S. Highway 26, on Monday afternoon. Lacey attributed the fire to “spontaneous combustion,” caused by layers of wood debris left over from the mill.

The fire closed Highway 26 for part of Monday, but Lacey said the highway had fully reopened by Tuesday afternoon. Likewise, the evacuation notice in place Monday evening for Greeley Heights subdivision was removed on Tuesday, Lacey said.

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