Baker County Sheriff's Office Dispatch received several reports of lightning strikes and visible smoke in the Durkee area late this afternoon. Resources from Vale BLM, Keating Rural Fire Protection District, Powder River Rural Fire Department, Baker Rural Fire Rescue, Burnt River RFPA, Baker County Road Department, Baker County Emergency Management and Baker County Sheriff's Office responded. Three new fire starts were located.

Deputies performed Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation notifications to residents in the area of Plano, Vandecar and Manning Creek Roads. Multiple structures are threatened at this time.

I-84 is closed to all traffic.

Within minutes of the first lightning strikes in Durkee, reports then came in of visible flames in Timber Canyon near Eagle Valley. Lookout-Glasgow RFPA, Pine Valley Rural Fire District, and Eagle Valley Rural Fire Protection District responded.

Evacuation Advisory 

The Tulare County Sheriff's Office has issued an evacuation advisory for zone TLC-E297-A. 

At this time, there are no current threats to life or property for zone TLC-E297-A. However, an advisory message is to notify the residents there is an active fire in the area.

Search for your address or zone in the interactive evacuation map.

Zone TLC-E297-A.jpg

Mon, 07/22/2024 - 21:26

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Zone TLC-E297-A.jpg

Please join us for our next public meeting to learn more about the Falls Fire's current status.

Date: Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: The Harney County Chamber of Commerce, 484 North Broadway Ave., Burns, Oregon 97720

Attend to receive a full fire briefing, ask questions and hear from local officials. The event will be live streamed - past internet/audio issues have been fixed.

Swawilla Fire Announcement   

ROAD CLOSURE: Peter Dan - Manilla Creek Road

   July 22, 2024 4:40PM (1640)

   Peter Dan Road and Manilla Creek Road are closed due to the fire burning over the roadway.

   For public and firefighter safety, the road is closed to all access.

Join us on Wednesday, July 24 from 6:30-7:30 pm for a Durkee Fire community meeting at the Baker City Fairgrounds, Conference & Event Center (2600 East Street, Baker City, OR).

We will discuss fire updates and have fire resources there for you to connect with.

Questions? Call: 541-208-4371

*A recording of the meeting will posted afterwards on the Cow Valley and Durkee Fires Facebook page.*

Miners Complex fires

3:30 PM, July 22, 2024

Estimated size:                 500 acres

Start Date/Time:               July 17, 2024

Area of Origin:                  21 air miles east of Darrington WA

Cause:                              Lightening

Fuels/Topography:            timber, rugged terrain

Structures Damaged:        None, there are no homes threatened at this time.

The Miners Complex consists of nine wildfires caused by lightning strikes in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The fires included in the complex are: Miners Fire, Vista Ridge Fire, Dolly Creek Fire, Sulphur Three Fire, Sulphur Four Fire, Sulphur Thirty-Four Fire, Upper Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, Lower Sulphur Thirty-Two Fire, and Plummer Fire.

Closures:

Trails: Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000.2 from Mica Lake to Suiattle Pass, Suiattle River Trail #784, Miners Ridge Trail #785, Buck Creek Pass Trail #789, Miners Cabin Trail #795, Grassy Point Trail #788, and Sulphur Mountain Trail #794.

Campgrounds and Roads: Cascade River Road at and including Marble Creek Campground, Mineral Park Campground, and all tributary roads, trailheads, and trails.

Full closure orders available at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

Evacuations: None, there are no homes threatened at this time.                                             

Update: The Miners Complex continues creeping with low flame and slow spread, flanking, which is burning along the sides of the fire, and some group tree torching. The five Sulphur Fires have grown together and are the most active fires in the complex. The Plummer Fire has progressed slightly. The Dolly Creek Fire is only showing a small column. Vista Ridge and Miners Fires had minimal growth over the last 24 hours. The incoming weather is anticipated to be cooler over the next few days.

Few natural holding features and no existing roads in deep Wilderness severely limit effective options to quickly corral any of these fires. Firefighters will continue to engage where terrain and conditions allow them to safely do so. In other words, traditional firefighting tools to put in containment lines like dozers, water tenders, and engines are not an option.

The fires continue to threaten the Miners Ridge Lookout, Pacific Crest Trail, and several other trail systems including Sulphur Creek/PCT access. Yesterday, crews hiked in and wrapped the Canyon Creek suspension bridge as a precautionary measure.

Smoke: In Washington, communities closest to active wildfires will continue to observe the greatest smoke impacts. The current Air Quality Alert for Chelan County and Methow Valley remains in place. Air quality will likely be unhealthy on the Colville Reservation due to smoke from the Swawilla and Bridge Creek Fires. Increasing winds from the west starting this evening will clear out lingering haze in the rest of the state. Please continue to recreate responsibly and heed all burn bans..  For more information on smoke and air quality please visit: https://wasmoke.blogspot.com/

Air Space Restrictions: There are no air space restrictions at this time.

Campfire Restrictions: The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie will be elevating to a full campfire ban, even in developed campgrounds, starting Wednesday July 24, 2024 to help prevent human-caused starts in this critically dry period. Additional details at: www.fs.usda.gov/mbs

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Swawilla and Owhi Fires

Update July 22, 2024

Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 6 assumed command of the Swawilla, Owhi and Bridge Cr. fires on July 22nd, working with the Colville Agency of Confederated Tribes and Department of Natural Resources in fire suppression efforts. Team 6 deeply appreciates the great work accomplished over the last few days by Northeast Washington Incident Management Team.

The Swawilla Fire was initiated by lightning on July 17th, 2024. It is located 9 miles south of Keller. Owhi fire (88 acres) is currently in patrol status.

Yesterday (July 21st), the Swawilla Fire progressed north and east, burning onto Mica Peak and Mica Ridge. Fire progression slowed after it reached the ridge and fire behavior reduced. A similar story is occurring on the eastern flank of the fire, as fire behavior was reduced as it backed towards Highway 21. Crews were able to hold the fire along Swawilla Basin road and constructed further line on the western edge; holding the edge around Kwei Kwei Canyon. Wind and topography drove the fire through these areas. Crews worked in conjunction with aerial support to maintain and expand fire lines. Firefighters worked on structure protection along Highway 21 and Manilla Creek Road. Today (July 22nd), additional crews are arriving, along with dozers and other heavy equipment. Crews will continue to construct fire line north of Mica Ridge, where safe and advantageous to do so, working in tandem with aerial support to further reduce fire behavior.

Swawilla Basin Road and Highway 21, south of Manilla Creek Road, is temporarily closed. Crews are working along the roadside and active fire could be present along these routes. The public should remain vigilant that additional roads (for example, Manilla Cr. Road) could be closed due to fire behavior.

Keller Ferry and Highway 21 south of Manilla Ck. Road will remain CLOSED. Staff will reevaluate fire conditions daily to determine when the ferry will reopen.

Hill Fire Community Meeting July 24, 2024 at 7pm

Location: Willow Creek Bible Church 

39 Brannon Mt. Rd., in Willow Creek

Hosted By: Hill Fire Incident Management Team

Watch Live on Facebook or YouTube. See the flyer for QR Codes, and the link below.

Bridge Creek Fire   Update July 22, 2024   Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 6 assumed command of the Swawilla, Owhi and Bridge Cr. fires on July 22nd, working with the Colville Agency of Confederated Tribes and Department of Natural Resources in fire suppression efforts. Team 6 deeply appreciates the great work accomplished over the last few days by Northeast Washington Incident Management Team.

The Bridge Creek Fire started on July 19th, 2024. It is located 11 miles north of Keller and roughly estimated at 1,500 acres.

Yesterday (July 21st), the Bridge Creek Fire pushed south along the hillside adjacent to the SanPoil Road (Old River Road). Firefighters stopped fire progression along the road as well as protected structures as the fire approached them. The fire also progressed easterly along the cliffs and canyons adjacent to Bridge Creek Road and along 30 Mile Creek. Dozers and wildland firefighters worked on connecting a fire line between Bridge Creek Road and 30 Mile Road. A helicopter aided crews in reducing fire behavior as they worked on firelines, primarily along Bridge Creek Road.

Today (July 22nd), crews will continue to conduct structure protection along the SanPoil (Old River) Road and look for opportunities to connect fire lines between 30 Mile Road and Bridge Creek Road.

SanPoil Road (Old River Road) is restricted to local residences. Upper Bridge Creek Road, 30 Mile Road, and Keno Mine Road are closed for fire operations. Bridge Creek Road remains open, but crews could be working along this road and increased smoke during these operations can reduce visibility. Evacuations: Level 2 evacuations are in place for residences the SanPoil Road (Old River Road), between Bridge Creek Road to 30 Miles Road. Level 1 evacuations are in place for residences along Highway 21, between Bridge Creek Road to 30 Mile Road