{{Short description|2012 wildfire in Oregon}} {{distinguish|Lava Fire (2021)}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox wildfire | title = Lava Fire | image = 20120727-LavaFire-004 (7680422528).jpg | caption = Air tanker dropping retardant on Lava Fire | cost = | injuries = | fatalities = | reference = | date = {{Start date|2012|07|23}} – {{End date|2012|08|15}} | location = [[Lake County, Oregon]], U.S. | coordinates = {{coord|43.4892|-120.7572|display=inline,title}} | pushpin_map = USA Oregon | pushpin_map_caption = Location of fire in Oregon | area = {{convert|21546|acre|km2|0}} | cause = [[Lightning]] | landuse = Public rangeland and lava beds | buildings = }}
The '''Lava Fire''' was a [[wildfire]] that burned over {{convert|21500|acre|km2}} of [[Oregon]] rangeland during the summer of 2012. The fire began on 23 July 2012, the result of a [[lightning]] strike. The fire consumed rangeland vegetation and scrub forest located in and around lava beds in northern [[Lake County, Oregon|Lake County]]. The burned area was on public land administered by the [[Bureau of Land Management]] including a large area within a wilderness study area. Firefighters battled the blaze for over three weeks. At the peak of the firefighting effort, there were over 275 personnel working on the fire.
== Origin == In late July 2012, a [[thunderstorm]] passed over northern Lake County in south central Oregon. A lightning strike from the storm started a wildfire on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, approximately {{convert|15|mi|km}} northeast of [[Fort Rock, Oregon]]. The fire was reported in the late morning of 23 July. The bureau named it the Lava Fire.<ref name="LIO">[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/3064 "Lava"], Incident Overview, ''InciWeb Incident Information System'', Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 2 August 2012.</ref><ref name="HAN">Powers, Alex, [http://www.heraldandnews.com/members/news/frontpage/lava-fire-now-more-than-acres/article_dd791ffc-dad8-11e1-b4f5-0019bb2963f4.html "Lava fire now more than 9,000 acres"], ''Herald and News'', Klamath Falls, Oregon, 31 July 2012.</ref><ref name="KVA">[http://www.kval.com/news/local/Lava-Fire--163942116.html "Fire crews on alert as Lava Fire smolders"], ''KVAL News'', ''www.KVAL.com'', Eugene, Oregon, 26 July 2012.</ref><ref name="LT">Terry, Lynne, [http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/08/3_new_small_fires_in_oregon_as.html "3 New Small Fires in Oregon as Lava Fire Smolders"], ''The Oregonian/OregonLive'', Portland, Oregon, 1 August 2012.</ref>
A combination of hot dry weather and gusty winds created dangerous fire conditions in the Fort Rock area. As a result, the creeping fire ignited by the original lightning strike began to burn more actively. Firefighters battled the blaze for the next several weeks as the fire consumed public rangeland and scrub forest in and around remote lava beds on the Lakeview Bureau of Land Management District.<ref name="LIO"/><ref name="HAN"/><ref name="KVA"/><ref name="BLM">[https://www.flickr.com/photos/blmoregon/albums/72157630829320530 "Lava Fire"], ''Flickr'' photo album by ''BLM Oregon'', Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, Portland, Oregon, 30 July 2012.</ref>
== Chronology == * On '''23 July''', a fire was reported on public land about {{convert|15|mi|km}} northeast of the small unincorporated community of [[Fort Rock, Oregon|Fort Rock]]<ref name="LIO"/><ref name="KVA"/> in northern Lake County, Oregon.<ref name="HAN"/> Initially, the Bureau of Land Management dispatched five [[Fire engine#Wildland and interface fire apparatus|pumper engines]] and two [[water tenders]] to the fire. Over the next two days, warm temperatures and gusty winds pushed the fire along while crews worked to confine the blaze in remote lava beds.<ref name="KVA"/><ref name="BLM"/><ref name="NR1">[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/3064/15327 "Lava Fire July 26"], Lava News Release, ''InciWeb Incident Information System'', Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 26 July 2012.</ref> * By '''25 July''', the fire had consumed {{convert|130|acre|km2}}. The rugged lava beds made it difficult for firefighters to attack the fire directly. Instead crews worked around the perimeter of the fire while three [[Aerial firefighting#Airtankers|air tankers]] dropped six loads of retardant on the north end of the fire. On 25 July, the [[Fremont-Winema National Forest]] and [[Oregon Department of Forestry]] sent crews to the fire. The next day, the Bureau of Land Management added a 20-person hand crew and additional pumper engines were provided by from Fremont-Winema National Forest, the [[Modoc National Forest]], and Central Oregon Fire Management Services.<ref name="KVA"/><ref name="NR1"/>
[[File:20120727-LavaFire-006 (7680420602) (2).jpg|right|thumb|300px|Firefighter working the line on 27 July]] * On '''27 July''', the fire had covered {{convert|200|acre|km2}}. At that time, it was only 5 percent contained despite all the manpower and equipment that was deployed on the fire.<ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/07/daily-fire-update-07-27-12.html "Daily fire updates, 07-27-12"], ''Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry'', Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 27 July 2012.</ref> * Between '''28 July''' and '''30 July 2012''' multi-agency fire crews worked on the fire line as the blaze continued to grow. On 29 July, the fire covered to {{convert|5000|acre|km2}}. Late that afternoon, a leadership team from the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership arrived to oversee the fire suppression effort. By 30 July, the fire had grown to {{convert|8100|acre|km2}}. It was estimated that the fire was 20 percent contained and there were 232 personnel working on the fire. Fire fighters conducted burn out operations along the fire line and roadways. Hot and dry weather conditions spread smoke across a wide area while the Bureau of Land Management closed roads in the area around the fire.<ref name="BLM"/><ref name="NR2">[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/3064/15328 "Lava Fire July 29"], Lava News Release, ''InciWeb Incident Information System'', Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 29 July 2012.</ref><ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/07/daily-fire-update-07-30-12.html "Daily fire updates, 07-30-12"], ''Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry'', Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 30 July 2012.</ref><ref>[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/3064/15329 "Lava Fire July 30"], Lava News Release, ''InciWeb Incident Information System'', Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 30 July 2012.</ref> * On '''31 July''', the fire covered {{convert|10000|acre|km2}}. It was 25 percent contained and there were 250 firefighters working to control the fire. The terrain in the lava beds was too rugged for fire trucks so crews worked around the perimeter of the lava flow, building a {{Convert|300|ft|m|adj=on}} burned-out buffer between the fire and surrounding vegetation. During the day, three [[Helitack|helicopters]] began dumping water on the fire. Roads in the area remained closed. Fire officials told the media that it could be weeks before the fire was fully extinguished.<ref name="HAN"/><ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/07/morning-report-for-tuesday-july-31-2012.html "Morning report for Tuesday July 31, 2012"], ''Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry'', Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 31 July 2012.</ref><ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/07/lava-fire-updates-also-on-inciweb.html "Lava Fire updates also on Inciweb"], ''Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry'', Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 31 July 2012.</ref> * The progress of the fire had slowed by '''1 August'''. It only grew an additional {{convert|500|acre|km2}} overnight, so the burned acreage totalled {{convert|10500|acre|km2}}. There were 275 firefighters on-site and containment was 30 percent. Improved weather conditions helped fire crews as they worked to build fire lines around the perimeter of the lava beds. The goal was to keep the fire from leaving the lava beds and moving into an adjacent Bureau of Land Management wilderness study area. While fire vehicle traffic remained heavy, the Bureau of Land Management decided to reopen roads in the area. Fire managers estimated the fire would be fully mid-August.<ref name="LT"/><ref name="ODF">[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morning-update-august-1-2012.html "Morning update - August 1, 2012"], "Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 1 August 2012.</ref><ref>[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/3064/15365/ "Lava News Release"], "InciWeb Incident Information System", Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 1 August 2012.</ref> * On '''2 August''', the fire grew significantly as firefighter conducted large scale back burning around the fire's perimeter. The back burning operation torched [[western juniper]] trees, [[sagebrush]], and grass, clearing a buffer around the entire fire. By the end of the day, the total acreage burned by the Lava Fire was {{convert|21300|acre|km2}}. Fire officials estimated that the fire was 50 percent contained.<ref name="LIO"/><ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morning-update-august-2-2012.html "Morning update - August 2, 2012"], "Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 2 August 2012.</ref><ref>[http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/3064/15391 "Lava Fire Aug 2"], Lava News Release, "InciWeb Incident Information System", Lakeview Interagency Fire Center, Lakeview, Oregon, 2 August 2012.</ref><ref name="KA">Andersson, Kelly, [http://wildfiretoday.com/2012/08/09/oregon-fires-update "Oregon fires update"], ''Wildfire Today'', ''www.WildfireToday.com'', Hot Springs, South Dakota, 9 Aug 2012.</ref> * With the completion of the back burning operation on '''3 August''', the fire reached its final size. The total acreage burned was over {{convert|21500|acre|km2}}. At that time, it was estimated that the fire was 70 percent contained. Fire managers told the media that the public should expect heavy traffic for the next few days. They also said smoke would persist for a few weeks as the fire was being mopped up.<ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morninng-update-august-3-2012.html "Morning update - August 3, 2012"], "Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 3 August 2012.</ref><ref>MacAulay, John, [http://kbnd.com/kbnd-news/local-news-feed/31465 "Lava Fire"], "KBND Newstalk", KBND Radio, Bend, Oregon, 3 August 2012.</ref> * By '''6 August''', the fire was estimated to be 85 percent contained.<ref>[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morning-update-august-6-2012.html "Morning update - August 6, 2012"], "Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 6 August 2012.</ref> The last fire report for the Lava Fire was issued on '''7 August'''. Fire officials said that crews would continue working around the perimeter until the entire fire area was completely secure. The officials also said that they expected the fire to be fully extinguished by '''15 August'''.<ref name="LIO"/><ref name="KA"/><ref name="NR3">[http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morning-update-august-7-2012.html "Morning update - August 7, 2012"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031092227/http://wildfireoregondeptofforestry.blogspot.com/2012/08/morning-update-august-7-2012.html |date=October 31, 2016 }}, "Wildfire - Oregon Dept of Forestry", Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Oregon, 7 August 2012.</ref>
== Synopsis == In the Bureau of Land Management's final update, the size of the Lava Fire was reported as {{convert|21546|acre|km2}}. All of the burned area was [[United States Government]] land administered by the Bureau of Land Management.<ref name="LIO"/><ref name="HAN"/><ref name="NR3"/> The Lava Fire burned rangeland and scrub forest, primarily in and around lava beds. The main vegetation burned by the fire was sagebrush and grass along with scattered western juniper trees in some areas.<ref name="LIO"/><ref name="HAN"/>
On 1 August 2012, the Lava Fire was the largest active fire in the state of Oregon.<ref name="LT"/> At its peak, there were 275 firefighters from the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and the Oregon Department of Forestry working on-site. Equipment dispatched to the fire included pumper trucks, water tankers, helicopters, and air tankers.<ref name="HAN"/><ref name="NR1"/><ref name="ODF"/>
== Images == <gallery> 20120727-LavaFire-007 (7680419306).jpg|Pumper crew on line 20120727-LavaFire-005 (7680421628).jpg|Hand crew at work 20120727-LavaFire-002 (7680425298).jpg|Back burning crew 20120727-LavaFire-003 (7680423816).jpg|Hand crew resting </gallery>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * [http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/lakeview/index.php Bureau of Land Management – Lakeview District] * [http://www.scofmp.org South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership]
{{Oregon wildfires}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lava Fire}} [[Category:2012 in Oregon]] [[Category:2012 wildfires in the United States]] [[Category:Bureau of Land Management]] [[Category:Lake County, Oregon]] [[Category:Wildfires in Oregon]]