Harney County wildfires threaten highways; out-of-stage agenices, local crews and volunteers dig in
HARNEY COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Multiple major wildfires in Harney County are burning across rangeland and timber, sending smoke across eastern Oregon and threatening rural highways, ranches and small communities. Together, the fires have scorched well over 300,000 acres, and incident managers say hot, dry and windy conditions are keeping crews busy on several fronts.
Coleman Creek Fire
The largest blaze is the Coleman Creek Fire, burning in grass, brush and juniper about eight miles southwest of Warm Springs Reservoir, west of Riverside, in both Harney and Malheur counties. The fire started after a significant lightning storm moved through the area and has pushed north and east toward Highway 20 and the community of Juntura, as well as south and southeast around Warm Springs Reservoir toward Riverside. Steady winds, abundant vegetation and a continued shortage of firefighting resources have made containment difficult, so priorities remain holding lines around Juntura and Riverside and south of Highway 20, while more crews and equipment arrive under California Complex Incident Management Team 4.
Second Flat Fire
East of Burns, the Second Flat Fire is burning in dry grass and brush about six miles northeast of the Highway 20 and 395 junction. Firefighters working day and night shifts are focused on improving lines along the eastern and southern sides of the fire to protect nearby communities, including Hines and Burns, along with cattle allotments, homes and other structures. Operations Section Chief John Wallace said recent efforts on the ground are making a difference.
“We've got dozer lines up against that black edge of the fire,” Wallace said. “Engines have gone in there, sprayed water, wetted things down. It's all looking really good. The rest of this around through here is really cold. You're going to see the containment on this fire increase."
Bald Mtn Fire
Farther east, the Bald Mountain Fire is burning off Dry Creek–McBain Flat Road and east of Big Hill, near Diamond, in rugged terrain across Harney and Malheur counties. Firefighters there are providing point protection for cabins and structures along the Highway 78 corridor, including Riddle Road and ranches near Manns Lake. Wallace said plans call for a more direct attack on the fire’s western edge as more resources arrive.
“The plan is for seven bulldozers to start different locations around this western side, and really try to go direct and hammer out as much line as we can around this,” he said. “At the same time, we'll be working with crews on this eastern side, but the idea is to protect this highway infrastructure.”
Jackass Butte Fire
South of Malheur Lake, near Jack Mountain Road and Jackass Mountain, the Jackass Butte Fire remains a concern along Highway 205 and nearby refuge lands. Additional resources have been assigned there, and crews are focused on keeping the fire from crossing the highway while strengthening and expanding containment lines. Pilot cars are guiding vehicles along State Road 205 to keep traffic moving safely through smoky conditions. Wallace said aircraft have played a key role in slowing the fire in marshy areas.
“We had a little bit of fire that continued to move up through this marsh on the refuge,” Wallace said. “We used some large helicopters to knock that down, put it out, try to finish this up out in the marsh. Still some structure protection efforts that have to go into place out here. So we're still paying attention to it really closely.”
Dairy, Crater and Stubble fires: progress allows crews to shift
Not every blaze in the area is advancing. Forward progress has been stopped on the smaller Dairy, Crater and Stubble fires, and those incidents are holding largely within their current footprints. That has allowed many firefighters and aircraft to be reassigned from those fires to work on larger, more challenging incidents elsewhere in Harney County, where the need for crews, dozers and air support remains critical.
‘Just ranchers doing our best’: volunteers join the fight
Alongside federal and state teams, local volunteer firefighters are also on the lines, working through rural fire protection agencies and responding from the ranches where they live and work. Volunteer firefighter Mason Judson summed up their role this way: “We’re all just ranchers out here doing our best to help,” underscoring how deeply the firefight is tied to the local community.
Fire managers say they expect hot, dry and windy conditions to continue, and even small changes in wind or weather could quickly shift the direction and intensity of these fires. They’re urging residents of Harney County and travelers on Highways 20, 78 and 205 to stay informed about changing evacuation levels and road conditions and to avoid any activity that could spark new fires in already stressed terrain.
