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JOSEPH, Ore. — August 30, 2019 —A little rain Wednesday night and Thursday coupled with higher humidity slowed fire activity and spread on the Granite Gulch Fire, enabling fire resources to focus on spot fires cause by wind-carried firebrands late Wednesday. "The spots showed very little growth [Thursday] afternoon and are being held in the riparian area," Incident Commander Adam Wing said. None of the spot fires traveled more than 75 feet from the water's edge. Natural fire is part of the riparian stream bank and channel ecosystem and can improve habitat quality by adding woody material that slows the water's flow and provides refuge. Post-fire erosion adds gravel for spawning habitat. "Currently the Granite Gulch Fire is likely to result in overall positive benefits to aquatic habitat in the Minam River," said Alan Miller, a fisheries biologist for the Eagle Cap Ranger District, who also said that's not always the case. "Human land use,...

Area and road closures to be reduced on the HK Complex PENDLETON, Ore. – Forest officials will reduce the area and road closure for the HK Complex to provide access to Umatilla National Forest lands not impacted by the wildfire or suppression efforts. Effective Aug. 30, 2019, at 5 p.m. (pacific time), The HK Fire Road Closures include Forest Service Road (FSR) 2107-020, FSR 2107-021, and FSR 2100-122. A full description of the area closure is available on the Umatilla National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla. Fire officials want to remind everyone that the current fire danger rating remains at HIGH and Public Use Restrictions involving chainsaw use are in effect. For more information regarding Umatilla National Forest Public Use Restrictions, please contact: Umatilla National Forest: Information Hotline: Toll-Free (877) 958-9663 www.facebook.com/UmatillaNF Twitter: @UmatillaNF The latest fire information will be posted on the Blue Mountains Fire Information Blog. To...

A Community Meeting will be held this evening at the Prairie City Senior Citizens Center from 5-6 pm.Fire Size: 5,171 acresContainment: 5%Location: 15 miles southeast of Prairie City, OregonStart date: August 9Cause: LightningTotal Personnel: 590Management: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 Yesterday a very unstable atmosphere with high temperatures and gusty winds caused the fire to expand to the south and southeast. The resulting smoke column was widely visible, especially in contrast to previous days. The fire reached the primary containment line that had been prepared along the South Fork of Elk Creek. Thursday morning spot fires were detected across the containment line on the southeast corner of the fire. Firefighters are taking immediate action to control these spot fires. The 13 Road is closed at the Deardorff Summit, and the 16 Road is closed between the Short Creek Guard Station (13/16 Road junction) and the 1665 Road/16 Road junction. The North Fork...

The temporary flight restriction over the 204 Cow Fire has been expanded to provide more space for aircraft fighting the fire. The TFR includes Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, as well. Flying drones near wildfires could cause injury or death to firefighters as a result of a mid-air collision with tactical firefighting aircraft. NOTAM : 9/9780 Location : 15 NM SE PRAIRIE CITY, OR, Thursday, August 29, 2019 through Tuesday, October 01, 2019 UTC Please consult the FAA for a complete description at the following:

Quick response by firefighters on the ground and in the air Wednesday quickly contained several spot fires the Minam River caused by wind-driven fire brands. "The farthest spot was less than 75 feet south of the river, well within the riparian area," Incident Commander Adam Wing said. "Early detection from China Ridge lookout prompted the launching of air support, which put several drops on the spots and successfully prevented further spread." A heavy type 1 helicopter dropped water on the larger spots, while medium type 2 and 3 aircraft helped keep new spots from forming and suppress other flare ups of fire activity along the river. "Fire growth was in the direction and amounts we had expected, with the majority of growth being on the east side," Wing said. Thursday is expected to be cooler, with higher humidity and a 12 percent chance of precipitation in the fire area. "The wild card, of course, will be the winds," fire behavior analyst Bret Ruby said. "The...

Tuesday, fire managers reviewed the Granite Gulch Fire implementation plan and fire behavior modeling to ensure they are prepared for a storm front expected to move in Wednesday and Thursday. “The incoming hot, dry and windy weather will result in some uphill runs towards the ridge top and potentially a visible smoke column on the east side,” Incident Commander Adam Wing said. “We expect to see single and group tree torching in the coming days, but the fuels along the east flank become more sparse the further the fire progresses up the Minam valley.” Fire modeling shows the potential for some smoke haze in the mornings that should disperse relatively quickly. On the Minam side, the fire is stalled in an avalanche chute for the past four days. As it backs downslope later this week, there is potential for it to make a run, but that run would slow quickly when the fire reaches the burned area from the Last Chance Fire of 2010. To the west, the fire has...

Prineville, ORE. — The Canyon 66 prescribed burn, which will treat just over 5,000 acres between Ochoco Ranger Station and Walton Lake, is tentatively planned to begin next Wednesday, September 4, pending favorable weather and fuels

A Community Meeting will be held Thursday August 29 at the Prairie City Senior Citizens Center from 5-6 pm. Fire Size: 3,441 acresContainment: 5%Location: 15 miles southeast of Prairie City, OregonStart date: August 9Cause: LightningTotal Personnel: 595Management: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch for the fire area. Hot temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, shifting winds and very low humidity is forecast for the day, and could increase fire behavior from the past few days. The chance of thunderstorms increases in the evening and overnight through Thursday. The Incident Management Team is prepared to initial attack new fires in the vicinity of the Cow Fire, and support other efforts in the area as requested by local agencies. Primary control lines and landscape features are in place on all flanks. Firefighters will continue take advantage of any opportunity to control the intensity and rate of spread as the...

Fire Size:2,944 acresContainment:0%Location:15 miles southeast of Prairie City, OregonStart date:August 9Cause:LightningTotal Personnel:584Management:Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9A Community Meeting will be held Thursday August 29 at The Prairie City Senior Citizens Center from 5-6 p.m. Firefighters continue to use hand and aerial ignitions to reduce surface fuels between the fire’s active edge and primary control lines planned for final containment. The current weather has been favorable to this careful and deliberate process. This tactic is expected to span several days, and allows firefighters to control the intensity and rate of spread of the fire as it moves toward containment lines. The fire reached the 13 Road near the Short Creek Guard Station, resulting in a low intensity burn of surface fuels and enhancing protection of this facility. The fire has generally shown a low to moderate severity of effects on the forest, primarily consuming dead and downed...

JOSEPH, Ore. — August 27, 2019 — Smoke columns could form over the Granite Gulch Fire this afternoon or Wednesday as a new cold front moves into northeast Oregon. A wave of storm activity is expected to follow Thursday, bringing higher winds and potential lightning. There are three basics to fire behavior topography, fuels and weather but a tremendous amount of information is necessary to predict, or "model," a fire's level of activity. "If the data is accurate, the models are pretty accurate," said Bret Ruby, a long term analyst assigned to the Granite Gulch Fire. "The models have been pretty accurate for this fire." Fire modeling indicated fire activity would be minimal for the past several days, which is exactly what happened. New models suggest the fire will become more active and create more smoke, but will be disproportionate in size. "When the air is unstable, even moderate fire growth can put out a lot of smoke," Ruby explained. Some of the...

On Thursday, August 29, the Malheur National Forest is hosting a community meeting in Prairie City, to provide the public an update on the 204 Cow fire. The meeting will be held at the Prairie City Senior Citizens Center, located at 204 N. McHaley, Prairie

On Thursday, August 29, the Malheur National Forest is hosting a community meeting in Prairie City, to provide the public an update on the 204 Cow fire. The meeting will be held at the Prairie City Senior Citizens Center, located at 204 N. McHaley, Prairie

New TFR Established for the 204 Cow Fire Effective Monday, Aug. 26 A new TFR (temporary flight restriction) is now in place over the 204 Cow Fire during daylight hours.The TRF includes Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones, as well. Flying drones near wildfires could cause injury or death to firefighters as a result of a mid-air collision with tactical firefighting aircraft. NOTAM : 9/7890 Location : 15 NM SE PRAIRIE CITY, OR, Monday, August 26, 2019 through Tuesday, October 01, 2019 UTCPlease consult the FAA for a complete description at the

Firefighters working on the northeast and southeast areas of the fire were able to use hand and aerial ignitions to reduce surface fuels between the fire’s active edge and the control lines planned for final containment. The current weather has been favorable to this careful and deliberate process. On the fire’s north flank, handcrews and heavy equipment are building a control line along the 325 road to tie into an area where a previous fire reduced vegetation, creating a natural control feature. Along Forest Road 13, which will serve as the eastern control line, hand crews, and logging equipment are strengthening this control line by thinning and chipping brush and dead-and-downed lodgepole pine. On the fire’s south flank, crews have completed hand and dozer line west from Forest Road 13 toward Sheep Mountain, tying into another previous fire. These control lines are planned to establish containment of the fire and protect values at risk including a cow camp, the Short Creek...

JOSEPH, Ore. — August 26, 2019 — Cooler temperatures and higher humidity Sunday slowed the movement of the Granite Gulch Fire, which continues to do what nature intended clear the forest floor of excess fuels which encourages the growth of forage. "You couldn't plan a better burn in mid-elevation mixed conifer," Eagle Cap Ranger District Fire Management Officer Nathan Goodrich said. "Everything's cleaning up really nicely with very low levels of mortality in the overstory." Managing a wildfire for resource benefits works almost exactly like a controlled burns and is planned in the same way. The need is identified, objectives are developed, the right conditions are determined, and when everything comes together the plan is executed. Historically, mid-slope conifer density in the Eagle Cap Wilderness averaged less than 100 trees per acre, with skips and gaps in the forest canopy (tops of trees) that allowed sunlight to reach the forest floor and nurture new...

Williams Flats Fire Update - FINAL RELEASE - News Release August 25th, 2019 Keller, WA – Full containment has been achieved and the focus of work now shifts to general rehabilitation of the site of the fire. Local authorities will continue to monitor and patrol the fire for the next several days. The final shift under the Type 3 Incident Management Team is scheduled to end and the fire management transition to the local district for patrol of the area is scheduled to occur at 6 p.m. today. All evacuation orders have been lifted. Traffic on roads within the perimeter of the fire will continue to be limited to residents only and motorists are advised to exercise extreme caution when driving in the area of the fire and be mindful of firefighters still working in the area. The Northeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team 2 wishes to express sincere appreciation for the support given to our efforts by the residents of the Colville Reservation and surrounding areas....

Crews, dozers and other heavy equipment are working to contain the 2,053-acre 204 Cow Fire. On the fire’s north flank, handcrews and heavy equipment are building a control line along the 325 road, heading westerly to tie into an area where a previous fire reduced vegetation and created a natural control feature. Extensive work is being done along Forest Road 13, which will serve as the eastern control line. Hand crews, assisted by logging equipment, have made significant progress to strengthen this control line by thinning and chipping brush and dead-and-downed lodgepole pine. On the fire’s south flank, three hotshot crews have completed handline west from Forest Road 13 toward Sheep Mountain an another previously burned area. These control lines are planned to establish containment of the 204 Cow Fire and protect values at risk including a cow camp, the Short Creek Guard Station, grazing allotments, and active timber sales.Over the next several days, crews will conduct operations...

Williams Flats Fire Update News Release August 25th, 2019 Keller, WA – Firefighters have made excellent progress bringing containment to 97%. Today, crews will continue to strengthen lines and mop up in the northeastern section of the fire. The other sections are in patrol status. Today will be the heaviest day for resources being demobilized off the fire lines making them available to be reassigned to another incident and or return to their home unit. Fire managers expect to be able to turn the Williams Flats Fire back to the local jurisdictions this evening at 6:00 p.m. Weather: Dry and breezy conditions are expected on the fire area today as a dry cold front builds over the region from today onward through the middle of next week. Today’s weather is expected to be sunny in the morning becoming partly cloudy with a maximum high of 80° at lower elevations and 74° at elevations above 3,000 feet. Humidity will range between 26-32% with northwest winds 5-10 mph with gusts...

Granite Gulch Fire aiding recovery of whitebark pine JOSEPH, Ore. — Aug. 25, 2019 — Despite strong winds, limited spotting and active burning were observed on the eastern edge of the Granite Gulch Fire late in the day Saturday. Overall, there was little movement of the fire's perimeter. Helicopter drops are keeping the fire's western progress in check and guiding it toward the top of the Last Chance drainage as planned. Managing the movement of the Granite Gulch Fire is accomplishing several resource objectives. Over the past century, white pine blister rust has decimated whitebark pine populations in the western U.S. Fortunately, those that survive produce seeds that are genetically resistant to the disease, but the species still needs help to reestablish. "The trees that are left are hardier," Incident Commander Adam Wing said. "Those will be the next generation of trees." Whitebark pine cones remain hard rather than opening and scattering their seed....