A bulldozer cuts a line while fighting the Juniper Creek Fire on Monday near Lake Billy Chinook. By Tuesday, the fire was 75% contained.

Smoke from the Juniper Creek Fire in Jefferson County worsened air quality Monday that was already unhealthy across Central Oregon due to fires in other parts of the state.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hilary, having soaked parts of neighboring California over the weekend, moved north into Oregon, but was considered an unlikely threat to Central Oregon.

The Juniper Creek Fire, located near the Three River area west of Lake Billy Chinook, started Sunday on private land for reasons that are still unknown. As of Monday afternoon, the fire had consumed 106 acres of ponderosa pine and juniper and was 30% contained, according to Ben Duda, protection supervisor for the Central Oregon district of the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Duda said visibility was poor on Monday due to the wildfire smoke, hampering air support efforts, but crews remained busy attacking the fire on ground level.

“We were able to get around it with dozers,” said Duda. “It’s in pretty rough country. Several tires popped on tenders so water shuttling has been a struggle.”

Around 120 people were providing an initial attack on the fire on Monday. A portion of the resources are from an Oregon Department of Forestry strike team that staged in the area before the fire started.

Level 2 — Get Set — evacuation notices were in place for areas near the fire on Monday.

The fire was just one of several burning in Oregon. West of the Cascades in the Willamette National Forest, the Lookout Fire had burned 11,174 acres and was 5% contained Monday while the 30,486-acre Bedrock Fire was 35% contained.

Rain from Hilary was expected to skirt the eastern edge of Central Oregon as it passed through Monday, said Thomas Schuldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Pendleton.

“Bend and Redmond area will be in a drier section, but over in Grant County we have flood watches that are in effect. Grant County could see 1-3 inches of rain through Tuesday,” said Schuldt.

Schuldt said wildfire smoke is expected to linger in parts of Central Oregon into Tuesday. After that, westerly winds should begin to push smoke out of the area.

Around noon Monday, air quality in Bend was reported to be unhealthy, and very unhealthy in Redmond and Madras. When air is at the very unhealthy level or above, the general public is recommended to stay indoors. Air quality levels are good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups, unhealthy, very unhealthy and hazardous.

This year, Bend has had nine days when the average air quality level was above moderate levels, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Last year the city had just five total days with similarly poor air quality.

The smoke has had an impact on athletics for regional high school sports. Jesse Eveland, the assistant principal and athletic director for Redmond High School, said football, soccer and cross country teams have been affected.

When smoke levels rise, practices are moved into the gym and when the weather allows, students move back outdoors.

“It has had a great impact on us,” said Eveland. “They are going to the gym and doing what they can do safely. We have been outside about half the time. It has been day to day.”

Eveland said teams are rotating through the gym and adjusting schedules as needed. Volleyball practice times have also changed to accommodate the needs of other teams to be indoors.

“The air quality had minimal impact before last Monday. The air quality before that was pretty good,” said Eveland. “But since last week, when official practices started, it has been a nightmare every day trying to get them practice time.”

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