Lightning-sparked Durkee Fire explodes to over 143,000 acres, Conflagration Act issued; Cow Valley Fire 78% contained
(Update: Sunday update on both fires)
IRONSIDE, Ore. (KTVZ) – While crews brought the 10-day-old 133,000-acre Cow Valley Fire to 78% containment, Gov. Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act to send more state resources to the 4-day-old Durkee Fire in Baker County, which exploded to over 143,000 acres by Sunday evening.
That and other updated info can be found on InciWeb at:
https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orvad-durkee-fire
Here's the report as of earlier Sunday and the state Conflagration Act announcement.
Daily Update, July 20, 2024: #DurkeeFire and #CowValleyFire
Durkee, Cow Valley, and Bonita Fires Update for Sunday, July 21, 2024
541-208-4371, staffed 7AM to 7PM PDT
DURKEE FIRE: Start date: July 17, 2024 | Location: 5 miles southwest of Durkee, OR | Personnel: 434 | Fire size: 116,431 acres | Cause: Lightning | Containment: 0%
Yesterday (Saturday) was an extremely active fire day. The Durkee Fire spread most to the southeast, with some growth in the north and west. About 24 aviation resources engaged in aerial firefighting operations over Durkee Fire yesterday, one of the largest aerial responses in the country! There was an intrusion into the restricted air space from a privately-owned drone. Thanks to the quick actions of fire personnel, aircraft did not have to be grounded and firefighting efforts were able to continue both on the ground and in the air.
Firefighters were able to conduct strategic firing operations on the southern tip of the fire up Dry Creek Road. This helped create a fire break to slow fire spread. Firefighters have been able hold the fire from Brogan south. The Durkee Fire did spread to Malheur Reservoir last night.
Today, extreme fire behavior is anticipated again. Fire fighters in partnership with local RFPAs (Rangeland Fire Protection Associations) will engage and make progress around the fire perimeter where safe to do so. They are working on building fireline from Malheur Reservoir to Amelia Butte. Firefighters are also working to slow fire spread where the fire crossed Burnt River. A weather shift is expected today.
COW VALLEY FIRE: Start date: July 11, 2024 | Location: 9 miles east of Ironside, OR | Personnel: 13 | Fire size: 133,490 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 78%
Firefighters working on the Cow Valley are patrolling to find any pockets of heat to extinguish. No fire spread is expected, and fire behavior is characterized as smoldering.
BONITA FIRE: Start date: July 11, 2024 | Location: 9 miles south east of Ironside, OR | Personnel: 0 | Fire size: 2,727 acres | Cause: Human caused |Containment: 90%
Minimal fire behavior has been observed due to suppression efforts, containment features and fuel consumption.
INVESTIGATION: Reward offered for information relating to wildfires in Malheur Reservoir area
VALE, Ore. – Fire investigators and law enforcement officials are requesting the public’s assistance in the investigation of the Cow Valley, Bonita and other small wildfires in the Malheur Reservoir area.
These fires all began in the early morning hours of July 11, between approximately 1 and 5 a.m. They are believed to be human caused and of a suspicious nature. A monetary reward is being offered for information leading to the identification of individual(s) responsible. Anyone with information about any of these incidents should call We Tip Anonymous at 1-800-47-ARSON, online at wetip.com
WEATHER AND SMOKE: There is a Red Flag warning for lightning today. Thunder is expected outside the fire area to the south. The thunderstorms will bring outflow winds tonight and could cause gusts up to 60 mph from any direction. For current smoke information, visit airfire.org
EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES: The Malheur County Sheriff’s has issued evacuations for the area around the Durkee Fire. Check for updates on the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuations for the area around the Durkee Fire. Visit the Baker County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for more information. Baker County Sheriff's Office has closed Burnt River Canyon Road to non-local, non-emergency traffic due to the Durkee Fire.
BURN BAN: A burn ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County, including all BLM lands. For more information, visit https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices/.
TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTION: There is a temporary flight restriction over the Durkee Fire, please remember, if you fly we can’t!
Cow Valley and Durkee Fire Facebook
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Conflagration invoked for Durkee Fire in Baker County
Oregon State Fire Marshal - 07/21/24 1:51 PM
SALEM, Ore. - On Saturday, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Durkee Fire in Baker County. The fire sparked Wednesday and continues to grow, threatening communities. The Baker and Malheur County sheriffs’ offices have levels 2 and 3 evacuation notices in place.
As of Sunday morning, the fire was estimated to be 116,431 acres and zero percent contained. This fire is managed by the teams assigned to the nearby Cow Valley Fire in Malheur County.
Oregon is expecting another round of lightning and gusty winds over the next 24 hours. Red Flag Warnings extend across much of the state through Sunday. Oregonians are asked to pay extremely close attention to this critical fire danger and take the necessary steps to avoid sparking a fire. As of Sunday morning, there were 81 active fires that burned 504,692 acres in Oregon.
"This latest round of weather is extremely concerning,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Our firefighters are doing everything thing they can to rise to this immense challenge, but they are taxed, and we need our fellow Oregonians’ help. Please take precautions to avoid sparking a human-caused fire, be familiar with evacuation levels, and have a go-kit ready in case you need to leave your home.”
The OSFM has resources assigned to the following:
- Lone Rock/Boneyard Fire (Gilliam, Morrow, Grant, and Wheeler counties)
- Falls Fire (Harney and Grant counties)
- Durkee Fire (Baker and Malheur counties)
- Battle Mountain Complex (Grant and Umatilla counties)
Evacuations are ordered through the local sheriff’s offices. For information about updates, please follow the respective agency on social media.
The OSFM is continually monitoring capacity within the Oregon Fire Mutual Aid System to be ready to respond to new fires if resources are needed. The conditions Oregon is seeing are dynamic, complex, and changing. The OSFM cannot thank the Oregon structural fire service enough for the tireless work these firefighters put in over the last two weeks.
While we remain in constant contact with the structural fire service, we are also working in lockstep with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Bureau of Land Management, tribal partners, and the U.S. Forest Service.
For updates on the fires the OSFM has resources mobilized, visit www.osfminfo.org.
Information Resources
- Lone Rock/Boneyard: InciWeb
- Falls Fire: Facebook, InciWeb
- Durkee Fire: Facebook, InciWeb
- Battle Mountain Complex: Facebook, InciWeb
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Earlier info:
Here's the full announcement from the BLM Vale District:
Reward offered for information relating to wildfires in Malheur Reservoir area
Fire investigators and law enforcement officials are requesting the public’s assistance in the investigation of the Cow Valley, Bonita and other small wildfires in the Malheur Reservoir area.
These fires all began in the early morning hours of July 11, between approximately 1 and 5 a.m. They are believed to be human caused and of a suspicious nature. A monetary reward is being offered for information leading to the identification of individual(s) responsible.
Anyone with information about any of these incidents should call We Tip Anonymous at 1-800-47-ARSON, online at wetip.com or at the QR code shown.
This is a multi-agency investigation by the Bureau of Land Management Vale District, Oregon State Fire Marshal, Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, and Oregon State Police.
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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.
