BLACK BUTTE, Ore. -- Travelers on Highway 20 near Sisters need to use caution even as cooler temperatures Tuesday helped firefighters battling the 650-acre blaze burning on the east side of Black Butte.

“We are encouraging residents and visitors in the Sisters area to be very careful when driving on Highway 20 and in Sisters," said Mark Rapp, incident commander on the fire. "There is heavy equipment and fire-related traffic in addition to increased tourist traffic associated with the quilt show.”

The fire, burning less than 2 miles from the Black Butte Ranch and 7 miles from the town of Sisters, is 10 percent contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

There are 352 people fighting the fire, including four air tanker crews, nineteen 20-person hand crews, six helicopter crews, five dozers, fifteen engines, six water tenders and fire managers.

• No residences or structures are threatened at this time
• The Black Butte Trail and the Metolious Windego Trail are closed
• Indian Ford Campground has been evacuated for public safety reasons
• Forest Roads 11, 1120 and 1430 are closed for fire suppression efforts.  Signs are posted on Forest Roads 64 and 1170 (Lake Billy Chinook side) stating that the roads are closed ahead. 
• A temporary flight restriction is in place for a 5-mile radius

The "Black Butte II" fire -- the fire gets sequel status for its proximity to the Black Butte fire that burned in the same area in the 1980s -- is one of two large fires burning on national forestlands in Oregon.

The Twelve Mile fire near Long Creek, Ore., on the state's eastside had burned 630 acres and was estimated at 70 percent contained Wednesday morning.

Other fires

The #308 Fire, located north of Cultus Lake on the Deschutes National Forest, remains at ½ acre in size. Firefighters successfully contained the fire Tuesday evening and two firefighters remained to staff the fire overnight. A five-person hand crew is staffing the fire today to continue with mop up efforts.

The #305 Fire, located six miles west of Moro on the Prineville Bureau of Land Management, remains approximately 100 acres in size. Three engines and a five-person hand crew worked until midnight last night and are continuing with mop up efforts this morning.

The 183-acre Baldwin Gulch Fire 3 miles from the Twelve Mile Fire was burning in grass and juniper. Two engines, 2 crews and 1 tender were assigned to this fire. The fire is 100 percent contained.