SUMMARY: Pursuant to 43 CFR 8364, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hereby provides notice that effective immediately, the public lands described below are closed to all forms of public access. This action is in response to a fire currently active in the area. The BLM is closing public lands to reduce conflicts with emergency crews and allow for fire suppression and to ensure public safety, land health, and resource integrity. 

AFFECTEDAREA: The following BLM-managed lands in Wheeler and Grant Counties are affect by this closure: All BLM-administered lands along the main stem John Day River corridor from Service Creek to Kimberly, OR. AllBLM administered lands along the North Fork John Day River from Kimberly, OR to Dale, OR. 

DATES: This closure is effective immediately and will remain in effect until such time as conditions allow for safe use of the public lands.

The area within the following boundary:

Starting at the northwest corner of the Proclaimed Boundary for North Fork John Day Ranger District located in T. 6 S., R. 32 E., Section f6 follow the Proclaimed Boundary until you get to the northwest corner of T. 4 S., R. 33 E, Section 31 where it junctions with State Route 244, turn northeast following State Route 244 until you come to the Ranger District Boundary with Wallowa-Whitman National Forest at T. 4 S., R. 34 E., Section 31 turn south and follow that boundary until you reach the starting point at the Proclaimed Boundary for North Fork John Day Ranger District located in T. 6 S., R. 32 E., Section ^.

The area within the following boundary:

Starting at the Proclaimed Boundary of Heppner Ranger District where it meets with Ranger District Boundary between NFJD and Heppner Ranger Districts in T. 6 S., R. 29 E., Section 32 follow the Ranger District Boundary North until you meet the Proclaimed Boundary of Heppner Ranger District turn west following the Proclaimed Boundary around until you reach the starting point at the Proclaimed Boundary of Heppner Ranger District were it meets with Ranger District Boundary between NFJD and Heppner Ranger Districts in T. 6 S., R. 29 E., Section 32

Baker County -Evacuation Level Update for 7/28/24-

Level 2 (BE SET) has been issued for Rye Valley Lane and Mormon Basin Road, south to the Baker County line. This area was previously a Level 3 but has been reduced.

All other evacuation levels are expected to remain the same throughout today.

Durkee Fire Update for Sunday, July 28, 2024

DURKEE FIRE

• Size: 288,690 acres                             
• Containment: 49%                
• Location: 1 mile west of Durkee, OR
• Start Date: July 17, 2024                   
• Personnel: 608                       
• Cause: Lightning

DURKEE FIRE PUBLIC MEETING – MONDAY JULY 29, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. PDT

A public meeting on the Durkee Fire will be held at the Churchill School, 3451 Broadway St., Baker City, OR at 6:30 p.m. PDT on Monday July 29, 2024.

Change in Incident Management Team

Today at 6 a.m. the Southern Area Gold Complex Incident Management Team assumed management of the fires under the leadership of Incident Commander Debbie Beard. The Gold Team expresses its appreciation to NW Team 6, Oregon State Fire Marshals, cooperators, collaborators and the community for their support to the firefighters.

Current Situation

Yesterday’s weather helped firefighters make good progress, increasing containment on the Durkee Fire to 49%. Crews engaged on the active area of the fire that is backing slowly down towards I-84, continuing to check its progress and mop up where possible. On the north side of the fire, conditions allowed firefighters to engage in direct attack, setting up control lines and mopping up along the edge. Crews constructed a key dozer line in Dark Canyon. Along the east and south sides of the fire, crews patrolled and mopped up. In the Bridgeport area, firefighters have been working to complete dozer lines east of the 245 Road system, tying together some of the roads and putting in contingency lines. Crews have also begun mopping up along those lines. On the northwest edge of the fire, firefighters are scouting out potential lines and securing the edges of primary dozer lines to prepare for strategic firing operations if needed.

Firefighters sometimes use strategic firing operations to bring uncontrolled fire to a more manageable location within fire control lines. Strategic firing operations are also used to bring fire to a specific control feature (road, trail, handline, dozer line) where firefighters can safely and effectively manage and monitor the fire. They also can be conducted by helicopter or drone when conditions are too dangerous to place firefighters in the area. 

Today firefighters will continue working on spot fires near I-84 and on a pocket of active fire in Shirttail Creek. They also will continue to connect and secure containment lines on the fire’s north side and finish prepping line on the 11 Road. On the fire’s west side, firefighters will continue to hold, mop up and patrol containment lines. 

Two helicopters are assigned to the fire. Other aircraft in the area are available if needed. Firefighters will be flying a reconnaissance mission and using the heavy helicopter for bucket work on the north side of the fire.

OSFM is demobilizing all task forces today as the structural threat from the Durkee Fire has diminished.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Today northwesterly winds will continue until early afternoon when southwest winds begin gusting 25-35 mph creating difficult firefighting conditions on the uncontained northern edge of the fire. Northwesterly winds will resume in the evening. There is a 5% chance of rain. Humidity recovery continues to be poor with minimum relative humidity in the teens creating dangerous burning conditions. Possible thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday are unlikely to bring much rain. However, lightning could threaten very dry fuels. 

Evacuations

The Malheur County Sheriff’s Office (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069245917855) and the Baker County Sheriff’s Office (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064434892363) have issued evacuations for multiple areas during the Durkee Fire. Some evacuation levels have lessened. 

Residents in Level 3 Evacuations “GO NOW” should leave immediately and not return to their property until evacuation levels are removed. Carry enough supplies to support you and your family for multiple days. A real-time map of fire evacuations is available on the State of Oregon Fire Dashboard (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/instant/portfolio/index.html?appid=22d04c007866419c91ccf00d097526c8).

Closures:

• The Baker County Sheriff's Office has closed Burnt River Canyon Road to non-local, non-emergency traffic.
• I-84 and other highways: Please go to tripcheck.comfor current road closures as the situation is dynamic and subject to change.
• A Burn Ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County (https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices), and all Bureau of Land Management lands in Malheur and Baker counties. For more information, visit.
• A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in effect over the Durkee Fire (https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_6061.html). Please remember, if you fly we can’t! If a drone or other aircraft enters the air space, all firefighting aircraft will be grounded.

Additional Resources:

• For current smoke information, visit airfire.org.
• Weather and fire behavior could impact transportation, power transmission, cell service and other utilities. Monitor IdahoPower.com for information.

Microwave Tower Fire Update, Mosier Community School, July 28, 2024, 7 PM

Pioneer Fire Evacuation Level Updates: Along with the new Level 3 from just north of Moore Point through Stehekin, evacuation levels changed down lake as well today. They are being downgraded.

Moore Point to Safety Harbor has been downgraded to a Level 2. Safety Harbor to Camas Creek has also been downgraded to a Level 1 fire advisory. And the Level 1 fire advisory has been lifted from Camas Creek to Mitchell Creek.

Keep up on evacuation levels in Chelan County at https://chelangis.maps.arcgis.com/.../media/index.html...

Incident Commander:  A. Jones
Location:  10 miles southwest of Wise River
Start Date: 7/25/2024 
Cause: Undetermined
Size: estimated at 70-80 acres 
Resources on Site:  3 type 2 hand crews; 2 engines; 2 helicopters available to assist
Total Personnel:  approximately 80

KEY MESSAGES: 
Reduced visibility from smoke drifting in from fires in the Pacific Northwest prevented firefighters from flying aircraft to get a good visual on the fire’s location yesterday.

Fire managers are urging people to stay out of the fire area for safety reasons.

CURRENT STATUS/PLANNED ACTIONS: 
The fire is burning in the upper end of Grouse Creek off the Pioneer Scenic Byway on the Wisdom Ranger District. Firefighting resources responded to the fire, and three helicopters assisted with water bucket drops during the initial attack phase. Fire retardant from air tankers is not effective in these fuel and landscape conditions. Crews disengaged during the afternoon hours of July 26 due to active fire behavior and the lack of safety and/or landing zones for helicopters. Firefighters will assess the situation on the ground, scouting for opportunities to access the fire and create safe anchor points for firefighting operations. Ensuring firefighter safety and protecting life and property are of the utmost importance.

Working in cooperation with our interagency partners and local community officials, fire managers will be meeting to identify and prioritize critical values at risk. Additional resources have been ordered. As they arrive, fire managers and agency officials will collaborate to utilize resources to protect the prioritized values.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
The fire is burning mainly in a subalpine fir fuel model, in heavy timber on steep rocky terrain. Available fuels include large amounts of dead and down trees. These conditions pose additional hazards to firefighters, limiting access and affecting on-the-ground progress.

Fire behavior has been very active and extreme, including individual and group tree torching on all flanks and spotting. Dead fuels along the ridges at the highest elevations are consuming completely, given the intense fire behavior.

The forecast includes a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon and early evening. Light and variable wind becoming west 8 to 13 mph in the morning.  Winds could gust as high as 23 mph.