Firefighters expect Van Meter fire lines to be tested

STUKEL MOUNTAIN, Ore.– Evacuation orders are still in place for the Van Meter Fire, just southeast of Klamath Falls.

Officials did an infrared flight over the fire Friday to get a better look at its path.

Thursday, fire officials estimated the Van Meter Fire at around 3,500 acres.

Now, the fire is about 1,000 acres smaller.

The fire is still at 0% containment

There is currently a red flag warning in place with winds up to 10 miles per hour.

ODF’s Tom Fields said they expect their fire lines to be tested.

“The security of those containment lines isn’t where we’d like them to be to keep that fire in place so we’re trying to do all we can to strengthen those,” Fields said.

Fields said ODF brought in a type one incident management team Thursday to replace a type three team.

He said the type one team allows them to bring in more regional or even national resources.

Fields said as of Thursday night there are 350 firefighters working the fire.

He said they have quite a few more en route to the fire.