The Bachelor Complex Fire as seen Tuesday evening. 

Wildfire activity in Central Oregon kicked up on Wednesday as 30 mph winds raked the High Desert and eastern Cascades and temperatures hovered in the mid-70s.

“We are seeing some spotting out in front of where there are uncontained fire lines and we are responding to it,” said Kassidy Kern, a public information officer for Central Oregon Fire Management Service. That is why we still have firefighters engaged. They have all the tools in the toolbox they need to manage that.”

Kern said it’s likely that the Bachelor Complex — burning between Mount Bachelor and Sunriver in the Deschutes National Forest — will grow in size due to Wednesday’s fire activity. With winds coming from the south, Kern said, most of the growth will be on the northern end of the complex.

As of Wednesday the Bachelor Complex had burned 11,742 acres, according to data compiled by InciWeb. The complex fire, now 50% contained, is staffed by 140 wildland firefighters. Despite the increased fire activity, no evacuation levels rose on Wednesday, said Sgt. Jason Wall, a spokesperson for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office.

A report issued by Central Oregon Fire Info said fire-line construction is complete near the Edison Trail and firefighters continue to work within the interior of the fire, suppressing isolated pockets of heat with help from helicopter bucket drops.

Elsewhere on the Deschutes National Forest, the Flat Top and Firestone fires burning southeast of Paulina Lake were about 90% contained after burning a combined 45,742 acres.

The fires created moderate levels of smoke in Bend, although air quality index levels were mostly good across Central Oregon.

In the Ochoco National Forest, the Rail Ridge and Wiley Flat fires have burned a combined 164,158 acres and were 61% contained. On Wednesday hotshot crews and aerial resources were being used to catch spot fires, according to the incident management team handling these fires. Strong winds and relatively low humidity created conditions for these fires to spread.

Kern said firefighters were prepared for increased fire conditions and additional resources were not needed as of Wednesday. Crews were putting out spot fires and holding existing containment lines, she said

“We knew this was coming, and so we were able to ensure that everyone was well briefed that this weather was coming,” she said.

“This was the critical weather day that everyone was watching and getting prepared for.”

Nearly five months in, Oregon wildfire season expected to last into mid-October