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Fire Size: 6,708 acres Containment: 5% Location: 15 miles southeast of Prairie City, Oregon Start date: August 9 Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 636 Management: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 A return to higher temperatures, lower humidity and breezy winds allowed active fire behavior Saturday. As the fire moved toward primary containment lines, crews intentionally ignited surface fuels along the containment line to reduce the potential for high intensity burning near lines. Two fixed-wing air tankers dropped retardant along a ridgetop road north of Swamp Creek which is the northern containment line, reducing the opportunity for airborne embers to ignite fuels across the containment line. With light evening winds from the north, crews worked into the night to take advantage of favorable conditions, accomplishing additional burning within the Swamp Creek drainage in anticipation of today’s drier weather and increased fire behavior. With today’s...

JOSEPH, Ore. — September 1, 2019 — With the onset of September, the chances of the Granite Gulch Fire escaping confinement drop fast. "Conditions moderate pretty quickly through September," said Bret Ruby, a fire behavior analyst assigned to the fire., explaining that monsoonal rains start moving into northeastern Oregon in early fall. Statistically, the likelihood of a season season-ending event sufficient precipitation to fully suppress a fire, if not extinguish it increases to 50 percent by September 29; reaches 75 percent by October 8; and hits 90 percent by October 15. "In reality, fire spread events drop off before that," Ruby added. "We may be able to just let it kick around it there." Explorers and pioneers named the Blue Mountains for the smoky haze generated by low intensity fires clearing the forest floor naturally in the late summer and fall. "It's a very natural, common part of the landscape, Ruby said. "When we do get starts in...

Fire Size: 6,108 acresContainment: 5%Location: 15 miles southeast of Prairie City, OregonStart date: August 9Cause: LightningTotal Personnel: 593Management: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 Friday, crews took advantage of higher humidity and recent rainfall to mop-up areas where the fire has reached containment lines on the south flank, and spot fires outside the containment line resulting from aerial ember transport. Work continued to remove and chip vegetation along containment lines including roads. With the return of higher temperatures and lower humidity today, fire spread in unburned areas within the containment area is likely. Firefighters will use this to their advantage to burn these surface fuels between the active fire edge and containment lines. This planned burning will begin at the active fire edge and progress outward toward the lines, so that the fire does not develop unwanted intensity or have a severe effect on remaining healthy trees. Burning will...

High clouds and humidity kept the Granite Gulch Fire from spreading much at all Friday, with the most active burning being on the west flank where the fire is backing down the slope into Last Chance drainage. Today, the firefighters stationed around the perimeter of the fire will rotate out after five 12-hour days of observation duty. "It is a tough duty sitting on an exposed ridge for 12 hours a day staring at smoke, but they couldn’t have a more beautiful place to do it," Incident Commander Adam Wing said, "With temperatures in the low 30s and highs in the 80s, it can be a harsh environment to live and work exposed on a ridge, yet they all volunteer for another stint." Each of these firefighters is certified in Fire Effects Monitoring, meaning they have been trained in taking spot weather checks, fire activity observation, collecting before and after photos as the fire moves around, estimating the fire's rate of movement, inventorying the types and amounts of...

As winds push smoke from the 204 Cow Fire to the north and northeast, residents and visitors in Prairie City, John Day, Unity and Baker City can expect light to moderate smoke in their communities tonight and tomorrow.Smoke impacts should dissipate in the John Day Valley Saturday afternoon, but increase in the Unity and Baker

MALHEUR NATIONAL FORESTForest Order# 2019-0604-MAL-03CCOW FIRE AREA CLOSURE ORDERMALHEUR NATIONAL FORESTPursuant to 36 CFR, Sec. 261.50 (a) and (b ), the following acts are prohibited in the area described in this order and depicted on the attached map within the Malheur National Forest, County of Grant and Baker, State of Oregon. This order is in effect from August 29st, 2019, until December 31st, 2019 unless rescinded earlier.PROHIBITION:1. Entering or being in the Cow Fire Closure Area. 36 CFR § 261.53(e)2. Being on National Forest System Roads. 36 CFR § 261.54(e)3. Being on any National Forest System trail within the Cow Fire Closure Area. 36CFR § 261.55(a)ROAD AND TRAIL CLOSURES: FS Road 13 - T15S R33.5 SECTION 15 - In between the junction with FSR 16 and junction of the FSR 13-600FS Road 16 - T15S R35 SECTION 9 - In between the junction with FSR 13 and junction of the FSR 1665FS Road 1675 - T15S R35.5 SECTION 26 - The 1675 from the junction of the 16 to the North Fork of...

Fire Size: 5,516 acres Containment: 5% Location: 15 miles southeast of Prairie City, Oregon Start date: August 9 Cause: Lightning Total Personnel: 603 Management: Northwest Interagency Incident Management Team 9 Thursday, firefighters detected and contained a number of spot fires southeast of the fire, as far as one mile outside the primary containment line, resulting from the fire’s rapid expansion to the southeast on Wednesday. Thunderstorms brought rainfall ranging from .01 inches to .2 inches across the fire area. While lighter fuels such as grass and small branches are unlikely to carry fire early in the day today, the heavier concentrations of dead and downed trees are expected to be receptive to the fire. By afternoon, high pressure and warmer drier weather will begin to build over the area. The Incident Management Team is prepared to initial attack new fires in the vicinity of the 204 Cow Fire, and to support other efforts in the area if requested by local agencies. ...

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