Beachie Creek 52% contained; Lionshead's footprint 204k acres

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Crews battling the Beachie Creek Fire in Marion County have established a contingency line around the blaze and continue to work on the fire line.

In an update released Saturday morning, officials monitoring the fire--now 52% contained--reported the communities of Wilhoit, Scotts Mills, Silverton, Silverton hills, and Silver Falls State Park were protected on the northern fire flank. The western flank communities of Sublimity, Stayton, Mehama, Lyons and Fox Valley were also reported as being secure; evacuation levels for North Fork and Elkhorn were lowered. And on the southern edge of the fire perimeter, the towns along Highway 22 of Mill City, Gates, Niagara, Detroit, and Idanha all have strong control lines.

For the remainder of Saturday, crews are slated to clear hazardous trees and mop up other debris.

A total of 677 fire responders have been working on the Beachie Creek Fire. The fire, which began on August 16, has burned roughly 193,000 acres. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Lionshead Fire's spread slows

After Friday's rain, officials monitoring the more than 200,000-acre Lionshead Fire listed multiple operations that would be underway Saturday:

Division A: firefighters will continue their work to secure the fire’s edge and reinforce the contingency line to the north.

Division E: Crews in monitor and patrol status; will continue mop up operations.

Division R: Contingency line on Road 12 established; hazard tree removal operations to continue.

Divisions S & T: Mop up operations

Division W & Y: Division W is being monitored by air and from lookouts; coordination witht he Beachie and Riverside fire operations continue in Division Y.

Division Z: Chipping operations

On Friday, evacuation levels around Detroit, Idanha, and the Elkhorn community along North Fork Road were reduced to a Level 2 – “Be Set” evacuation level.

"While residents will be able to return to these communities under strict safety conditions, many hazards remain," officials said in a release. "Due to the remaining hazards in the cities of Detroit and Idanha and lack of basic services, people who are not residents should avoid travel to this area."

The lightning-born Lionshead Fire began August 16 and as of Saturday was 28% contained.