NMAC IN PROX OF OSUA. NOTAM NOT ISSUED.

Narrative

THERE WAS A FOREST FIRE ADJACENT TO A LAVA FLOW S OF REDMOND; OR. WE DEPARTED SUN RIVER FOR A FLT TO SEE NEAR MOUNTAINS. ENRTE WE NOTICED A SMALL PLANE LEADING FIRE BOMBER SEVERAL THOUSAND FT BELOW. WE TURNED TO WATCH FIRE BOMBING; STAYING OUT OF SMOKE. UPON COMPLETION OF TURN; WE WERE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT A CESSNA 182 ON A COLLISION COURSE. WE BOTH TURNED TO THE R. WE COMPLETED OUR TURN TO THE E AND THE 182 FORMED UP ON OUR R REAR. WE TRIED TO CONTACT THEM ON 122.75 WITHOUT AN ANSWER. AFTER LNDG WE CALLED MCMINNVILLE AFSS TO SEE IF A NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED ON ANY FOREST FIRE IN THE REDMOND AREA. NONE HAD BEEN. WE DO NOT BELIEVE AT 3000 FT ABOVE THE BOMBER WE IN ANY WAY INTERFERED WITH THE BOMBING ACTIVITY. IF THE 182 WAS PART OF THE ACTIVITY AND WANTED AIRSPACE RESTR UP TO 4000 FT AGL; THE FIRM SHOULD REQUEST A NOTAM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR AFFIRMED THE POS THAT THE C-182; FIXED GEAR ACFT; WAS NOT PART OF THE FIRE FIGHTING BRIGADE AS OBSERVED BELOW HIS ACFT. HE WAS FLYING A GRUMMAN AMERICAN YANKEE ACFT OF THE AG5B 'TIGER' CLASS. RPTR WAS PART OF A 'FLY-IN' GROUP AT SUN RIVER. HE WAS ON A SIGHT-SEEING TOUR DURING THAT FLT. HE LEFT THE AREA IMMEDIATELY AS HE STATED; 'HE WASN'T GOING TO PLAY CHICKEN WITH THAT OTHER ACFT.' HE HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM ANY AGENCY REGARDING HIS POSSIBLE ENTRANCE INTO AN OSUA. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 309461: ONCE WE SPOTTED THE FIRE BOMBER THE PLT CIRCLED CLOCKWISE 2 OR 3 TURNS SO I COULD TAKE PICTURES OF THE BOMBER IN ACTION. AFTER THE LAST CIRCLE HE ROLLED OUT NBOUND. WITHIN SECONDS A C182 WAS HEAD ON WITH US AT OUR ALT. I POINTED OUT THE SIT AND THE PLT STARTED A L TURN AS DID THE C182. THEN DECIDED TO TURN R AS DID THE C182 WHICH PASSED OFF OUR L WING ABOUT 50 FT. AFTER WE LANDED THE PLT CALLED FSS TO CHK IF A LCL NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE AREA. NONE WAS. APPROX 7 HRS LATER I ALSO CALLED FSS TO SEE IF A LCL NOTAM HAD BEEN ISSUED. AGAIN I WAS TOLD ONE HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED. THE PLT ADVISED ME THAT IN CALIFORNIA DURING A PREVIOUS FIRE HE HAD BEEN TOLD BY FSS THE ONLY RESTR WAS TO STAY OUT OF THE SMOKE. WE WERE MONITORING 122.75 AIR TO AIR AND NEVER HEARD A CALL. EVEN AFTER THE C182 PLT FLEW FORMATION WITH US.