Durkee Fire tops 173,000 acres, closes long stretch of I-84 in E. Oregon; overnight closure planned for 3-5 nights
(Update: Eastbound closure extends west to La Grande freeway to shut overnight for 3-5 nights)
BAKER CITY, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The nearly 174,000-acre Durkee Fire in Eastern Oregon prompted closure Monday evening of a 100-mile stretch of Interstate 84 between Baker City and Ontario, ODOT said. An even longer-distance closure, to Pendleton, is planned overnight for 3-5 nights of fuel break work.
The closure visible on TripCheck was between mileposts 374 and 302 and “will extend through the night,” according to ODOT, which urged travelers to “delay if possible, or use an alternate route by staying on main highways." The eastbound closure later extended west to La Grande.
“Do not follow GPS directions or detour on county or forest roads, as these are not suitable for interstate traffic and may have ongoing fire activity,” ODOT said.
ODOT announced a short time later that "I-84 between Pendleton and Ontario will close for the next three to five nights to manage the Durkee Fire currently burning west of the interstate."
"The closures will begin at 7 p.m. with all lanes open again by 5 a.m. the following day. If other highways need to be closed in the area, they will be closed during the same time.
"A full closure will allow fire crews to safely conduct large-scale fuel reduction burnouts.
"Travelers are encouraged to delay their trip during these closures until roads are safe. If you must travel, consult Tripcheck.com and check conditions for your route. Plan an alternate route by staying on main highways. Do not follow GPS directions or detour on county or forest roads" as these are not suitable for interstate traffic and may have ongoing fire activity."
The lightning-sparked fire pushed east Sunday between Rye Valley and Lockett Road toward the freeway, causing more evacuations.
The Baker County Sheriff’s Office reported more lightning strikes in the Durkee area late Monday afternoon and three new starts were located, prompting additional evacuations as they threatened several structures.
