More progress on 500-acre E. Oregon fire as new blaze grows

Firefighters had a productive night battling the Weigh Station Fire near Meacham in Eastern Oregon, after Interstate 84 reopened and mapping reduced the fire’s size to 500 acres, with 25 percent containment achieved.

A new Eastern Oregon blaze, the Rail Fire, had grown by Monday to 700 acres, burning in lodgepole Pine about 10 miles southwest of Unity.

Officials said the fire is about two miles long and a half-mile wide.

There are currently four fire engines, two hand crews and a bulldozer on scene. Air resources will resume initial attack operations Monday. Additional resources are in route. The nearest private land is two miles to the east.

Firefighters are focusing on line construction on the north and east sides of the fire.

The nearby campgrounds of South Fork, Stevens Creek and Elk Creek, Mammoth Springs have been closed.

The cause of the fire is unknown.

Here’s the 10 a.m. Monday Weigh Station Fire update from the fire’s InciWeb page:

Fire crews worked through the night cooling hotspots on the Weigh Station Fire near Meacham. Weather conditions were cool and calm, allowing continued progress to be made on the line with 35 percent containment. The fire size remains at approximately 500 acres.

Conditions today call for warm temperatures with a light and variable wind. There is a fire weather watch in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Tuesday evening calling for gusty winds and low humidity.

The lands north and south of Interstate 84 from the Weigh Station on Deadman Pass to Emigrant Springs State Park remain at a “SET” Level 2 evacuation status, and the Emigrant Springs State Park remains closed. Residents seeking shelter assistance from American Red Cross can call the Red Cross Dispatch phone, 888-680-1455 .

Interstate 84 has continued to remain open to all travelers, but caution is advised. Firefighting operations are still occurring along the freeway and areas of smoke may be present so travelers are urged to be alert. The Deadman Pass rest area will reopen today for westbound travelers but the eastbound rest area will remain closed until further notice.

Firefighters will work today to continue to strengthen control lines and work on mopping up hot spots. Work on hazard tree removal as well as utility right of way rehab are objectives for today . New fire starts in the region will cause increased competition for resources.

Citizens are asked to continue to use caution and adhere to regulations. The public is reminded that ODF is currently in Regulated Use Closure in Northeast Oregon and federal lands are currently under public use restrictions.

About 20 homes were evacuated east of Pendleton late Saturday and officials on Sunday had told residents in the nearby small town of Meacham to be ready to leave, an alert dropped later in the day.

ODOT reported eastbound I-84 reopened to one lane in the fire-affected area Sunday afternoon, nearly 24 hours after traffic in both directions were shut by the Weigh Station Fire. The westbound lanes opened earlier in the day.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding as fire and highway crews work to keep travelers and local residents safe,” ODOT’s Sunday afternoon advisory said.

http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/ is your spot for current fire information in the Blue Mountains. To report a fire, call Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch at (541)963-7171 or dial 9-1-1.