Massive smoke from the Cram Fire hovers to the east of Deer Ridge Correctional Institute, in the foreground. On Thursday, the blaze advanced generally southeast and away from the Madras area. Photo by Tony Ahern

The Cram Fire, which started near the Willowdale area Sunday afternoon, was huffing to more than 90,000 acres by Thursday afternoon, July 17.

The flames were burning through the high desert grassland, sage and juniper and moving southeasterly after Wednesday’s winds pushed the fire and smoke closer to the Madras area.

Structure firefighters have been positions to protect buildings and homes in the rural part of the county, including on the Hay Creek Ranch east of Madras. The blaze was reported by the Watchduty.org to be 91,860 acres as of 6 p.m. Thursday.

A community meeting on the Cram Fire will take place at the Jefferson County Middle School at 5:30 p.m. Community members will have the opportunity to learn about the fire and have their questions answered. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office will livestream the event through its Facebook page.

Also Thursday, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners issued a state of emergency that was retroactive to Sunday, July 13, when the Cram Fire began.

A Crook County section was put on Level 1 evacuation notice (Get Ready) on Thursday for the first time since the blaze started. The fire was nearing the northern Ochocos and private timberlands in the northernmost region of Crook County, under the east “panhandle” of Jefferson County.

In Madras, fire fighters were staging and camping at Madras High School and the Madras Performing Arts Center.

According to the Centraloregonfire.org Friday morning report, the northern part of the fire, along Oregon Route 293, exhibited decreased fire activity on Wednesday, July 16, allowing firefighters to continue securing the line, mopping up hot spots and patrolling in that area. Anticipating high winds on Thursday, crews focused on structure protection, and aviation operations continued in areas of increased heat.

On the southern portion of the fire, heavy equipment was utilized to complete and connect together unfinished fire lines. During the night shift, two additional strike teams of engines patrolled and mopped up to ensure those lines held through the night while personnel further bolstered structure protection. Strategic firing operations, intentional burnings, were successfully implemented to remove unburned fuel east of Hay Creek between Northeast Old US Highway 97 and the fire’s edge.

Fire crews utilized Ashwood Road east of Madras to attack the encroaching fire on Friday. North of East Ashwood Road, ground personnel working closely with aerial support constructed line directly on the fire’s edge where conditions allow. Fire managers continue to evaluate terrain, fire behavior and hazards to determine the safest and most effective tactics. Crews will monitor expected dynamic fire behavior throughout the day and focus on strengthening containment lines and tying together unconnected sections.

Weather forecast: Dry, hot, windy conditions fed the fire on Thursday, with higher winds expected to continue until about 10 p.m., and unfortunately for Madras residents, the winds were expected to shift to the northwest, increasing to 10-15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph possible. Winds are expected to decrease overnight but may increase again on Friday before the passage of a cold front this weekend, which will bring cooler temperatures and higher humidity.