Crews Make Progress on Western Pines Fire Near Davenport

Fire crews battling the Western Pines Fire northeast of Davenport made more progress Friday, despite challenging terrain and flare-ups along the fire’s western edge. 

As of Saturday morning, the fire remains over 5,800 acres with containment slowly improving. On Sunday, hand crews successfully linked fire lines along the western and southern perimeter, while interior hotspots were actively mitigated. Structure protection teams continued evaluating homes and building fire breaks using dozers and hand crews. 

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Decreased fire activity along the perimeter allowed firefighters to move deeper into the interior to assess risk and begin more targeted suppression. 

Earlier in the week, aerial support played a key role, especially on Wednesday, when helicopters and air tankers helped crews establish initial fire lines. Terrain in Harker and Mill Canyons made some areas inaccessible to dozers, requiring 20-person hand crews to extend the fire line manually. 

Friday saw a short-lived flare-up on the western flank, but crews and aircraft were able to re-establish control and hold lines through the night. 

Officials say efforts today will continue to focus on extinguishing heat sources within the fire’s interior and reinforcing containment lines. 

Mandatory and voluntary evacuations remain in place in parts of Lincoln County. Residents are urged to stay alert and check the sheriff’s Facebook page and official fire updates for the latest information.