Containment reaches 16% on 133,000-acre Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County; state task forces depart as threat lessens
(Update: Sunday evening update; changes to evacuation levels_
IRONSIDE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The 5-day-old Cow Valley Fire in Eastern Oregon's Malheur County grew to more than 133,000 acres by Tuesday as firefighters brought the blaze to 16% containment and reduced the threat to communities, allowing state task forces to move on but with a lot of work and critical fire weather still ahead.
Tuesday morning update:
Daily Update, July 16, 2024: Cow Valley Fire
There will be a Community Meeting at the Vale Senior Center located at 100 Longfellow St. S, Vale, OR on Wednesday, July 17 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. MST.
Due to the reduced threat to structures and the hard work of firefighters, the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Red Team is demobilizing its incident management team and remaining structural task forces this morning. Several hundred wildland firefighters remain to work on the fire and will have resources assigned to structural protection.
“It’s been an honor to serve in Malheur County, working closely with our wildland partners and local fire protection agencies to keep this community safe,” said Incident Commander Ian Yocum. “We are leaving the Cow Valley Fire in the capable hands of NW Team 6, they will continue to ensure the safety of the surrounding communities.”
The Cow Valley Fire is 16% contained. The containment is located along the northern edge of the fire and will be shown as a bold black line on the map. Fire containment is based on a high probability that the fire will not move across the fireline under the predicted weather conditions. Firelines are strengthened by digging down to mineral soil, removing flammable debris, and reducing heat near the edge with water and tools. Areas of containment will be monitored periodically.
Yesterday, fire growth was minimal. The Cow Valley Fire is now 133,408 acres. Crews on all shifts had success strengthening primary firelines. Aviation worked to support ground resources with water and fire-retardant drops as weather allowed. Firefighters walked the entire northern edge checking for heat. The Unstaffed Aerial System (UAS) was equipped with an infrared (IR) camera to detect lingering heat signatures on the line, none were found.
Today, resources on the western edge of the fire are looking for more opportunities to go direct. The eastern and southern edges continue to hold, and crews will work to improve the line. A structure group is in place, ready to defend critical infrastructure.
A community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 17 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Vale Senior Center (100 Longfellow St. S, Vale, OR). The meeting is open to the public. Come to hear about fire updates and connect with resources who can help you recover from fire impacts. The meeting will be recorded and posted to Facebook.
BONITA FIRE: The Bonita Fire is 2,727 acres and 80% contained. Firefighters reduced heat around the entirety of the fire’s edge by mixing the hot ashes with soil and water to cool them. This tactic is known as ‘mop up’. No smoke is visible. The area will be monitored for additional fire activity.
WEATHER AND SMOKE: Today, temperatures will increase with a forecasted high of 101(F) and lower humidity levels. Extreme fire behavior is still possible based on fuel and weather conditions. Winds will be moving east at 3-8 mph, with gusts up to 14 mph. There is a 20% chance of thunderstorms tonight through tomorrow morning, which could bring stronger wind gusts from the west.
Winds will move southeast in the morning and northwest in the afternoon, which could lead to higher concentrations of smoke in the area. For the current smoke information and the air quality index, visit airnow.gov.
EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES:
The Malheur County Sheriff's Office issued updated evacuation orders on July 14. Check below for details or visit the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
Level 1 – Be Ready – Green
None at this time.
Level 1, or “Get Ready”, evacuation means residents should prepare to evacuate and start packing essentials for themselves, pets, and livestock.
Level 2 – Be Set – Yellow
Residents in the Westfall area (including Bonita, Indian Valley, Clover Creek areas).
Level 2, or “Get Set”, evacuation means that there is high danger in the area and residents should prepare to leave at a moment's notice. If you or your family require additional time to evacuate, now is the time to do so.
Level 3 – GO NOW – Red
None at this time.
Level 3, or “Go Now”, evacuation means that there is immediate danger. Leave without delay and do not return until officials announce that the area is safe.
BURN BAN: A burn ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County. For more information, visit https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices/.
TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION: A temporary flight restriction is in place for the safety of the public and firefighting aviation resources. If you fly, we can’t; if a drone or other aircraft enters the air space, all firefighting aviation equipment will be grounded.
Cow Valley Fire Incident Website: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incide.../orvad-cow-valley-fire
Start date: July 11, 2024
Location: 9 miles east of Ironside, OR
Fire size: 133,408 acres
Containment: 16%
Total personnel: 337
Cause: Human caused, under investigation
Cow Valley Fire Phone Number: 541-208-4371 (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
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For the most up-to-date evacuation information, please visit the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069245917855
For additional information and updates on the Cow Valley Fire, visit https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562017027302
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Governor Kotek invokes Emergency Conflagration Act in response to Cow Valley Fire
Cow Valley Fire burning in Malheur County, northwest of Vale
Salem, OR — Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act on the morning of July 12, 2024, in response to a wildfire in Malheur County: the Cow Valley Fire. The resources necessary for protecting life and property from the Cow Valley Fire are beyond local capabilities. Assistance with life, safety, and structural fire protection was requested by the Malheur County Fire Defense Board and the state fire marshal concurred with that request.
“Wildfire season is in full swing, with fires active across Oregon and concerning weather conditions for this upcoming weekend,” Governor Kotek said. “I am authorizing an emergency conflagration to allow additional resources to fight the Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County. The majority of our state’s wildfires are human-caused. I urge all Oregonians to take extreme precautions, particularly with lightning in the forecast for this weekend. It is incumbent on all of us to keep Oregon green and protect our communities.”
A link to Executive Order 24-12 can be found here.
Following ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek determined that a threat to life, safety, and property exists due to the fire, and the threat exceeds the firefighting capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment. The governor’s declaration cleared the way for the state fire marshal to mobilize resources through the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to support local fire service agencies on scene. This conflagration is declared only for the Cow Valley Fire threatening structures in Malheur County.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Red Incident Management Team was mobilized. Along with the federal partners, our rangeland fire protective associations and local responding agencies, two structural task forces were mobilized Thursday night through the agency’s Immediate Response tool. Two more task forces from Lane and Marion counties were mobilized. The Red Incident Management Team will be in unified command with Northwest Team 6, a federal complex incident management team.
For the latest on evacuations, please follow the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office.
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Here's the Friday morning release on the fire by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office:
Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County declared a conflagration, OSFM sending additional resources
Oregon State Fire Marshal - 07/12/24 10:12 AM
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon State Fire Marshal is mobilizing several task forces and its Red Incident Management Team to the Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County to protect people and property. Overnight Thursday, the agency sent two task forces from Umatilla and Multnomah counties through Immediate Response. These task forces will be joined by two others from Lane and Marion counties.
“The weather conditions we are seeing across Oregon are extremely concerning. The forecast over the weekend for much of Eastern Oregon will not be doing us any favors,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “The state has seen numerous human-caused wildfires over the last few weeks, and I am asking everyone to be careful and aware of the extreme fire conditions, especially with lightning in the forecast.”
According to the Vale Bureau of Land Management District, the fire is being pushed by gusty winds, triple-digit temperatures, and low humidity, causing substantial fire growth in the last 12 hours. An infrared flight is happening this morning to get an accurate size of the fire. That information will be shared once it is available. Weather for this fire is expected to be challenging over the next few days with a Fire Weather Watch in place by the National Weather Service for abundant lightning and wind this weekend.
The OSFM’s Red Incident Management Team will be in unified command with Northwest Team 6, a federal complex incident management team.
Malheur County Emergency Management and the Red Cross have a shelter in Girvin Hall at the Malheur County Fairgrounds. Those who have questions about the shelter should call 208-519-6675.
Evacuation notices will be issued by the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office. A Facebook page is set up to share Cow Valley Fire information.
On Friday morning, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the fire which allows the state fire marshal to mobilize state resources to protect life and property.
Following ORS 476.510-476.610, Governor Kotek determined that threats to life, safety, and property exist because of the fire, and the threats exceed the capabilities of local firefighting personnel and equipment.
ODOT shared photos on TripCheck of the Cow Valley Fire on its TripCheck page and said the highway was expected to remain closed through the night. Crews will assess the situation and provide an update in the morning.
KTVB in Boise reported 30-50 homes in Brogan are threatened, and power needed to be shut off to some due to the fire’s proximity to power lines.
The Malheur County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook the Cow Valley Fire had changed direction and was growing quickly to the east, toward the town of Brogan, population of about 90. It was burning on both sides of the highway.
It was one of three large new blazes in the area, according to Watch Duty, the others being the day-old, 4,504-acre Huntington Mutual Aid Fire in Baker County, prompting evacuations and alerts in the Huntington area and Farewell Bend State Park, and the 1,867-acre Bonita Road Fire, also in Malheur County, reported early Thursday morning.
