After 3 weeks, 294,265-acre Durkee Fire in Eastern Oregon is 95% contained; management returns to local crews

DURKEE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The massive, 3-week-old Durkee Fire in Eastern Oregon is nearing full containment and a management team from the Southern U.S. is handing the firefight back to local units Wednesday night, officials said.

DURKEE FIRE

Size: 294,265 acres

Containment: 95%

Location: 1 mile west of Durkee, OR

Start Date: July 17, 2024

Personnel: 337 Cause: Lightning

Current Situation

This will be the final update for the Durkee Fire unless the situation changes dramatically.

The Southern Area Gold Team will transition the Durkee Fire back to the local units at 8 p.m. PDT.

Incident Commander Paul Varnedoe would like to thank the Vale District of the Bureau of Land Management, Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the Malheur County Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon Department of Forestry, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

Today’s weather conditions continue to be ideal for new fire starts, especially outside of the Durkee Fire footprint; please remain vigilant in respecting closures and fire restrictions to help prevent human-caused wildfires.

Yesterday, firefighters increased containment to 95% using infrared data and an unmanned aircraft system (UAS or drone) to identify and extinguish hotspots. Fire crews continued to patrol and secure fire lines, with an emphasis on the north and northwestern portions of the fire. Crews worked in coordination with resource advisors to repair areas disturbed by wildfire suppression operations. Crews finished removing most surplus equipment for transport to a federal incident support cache for maintenance and repair before use on future incidents.

Today, crews will continue patrolling for any residual heat, supporting suppression repair, and mapping dozer and handlines for future repair. Firefighters and aircraft are available for initial attack if needed.

Weather and Fire Behavior

Today is a critical fire weather day. Fire weather and fire conditions are elevated due to today’s hot, dry weather and low relative humidity. This prolonged period of above average temperatures and dry conditions is expected to continue as well as the increase in fire danger. Relative humidity will be in the single digits today. The fire potential outside the fire footprint is higher than the potential inside the footprint.

Evacuations

• The Baker County Sheriff’s Office (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064434892363) has issued evacuation orders for multiple areas during the Durkee Fire.

• The Malheur County Sheriff’s Office (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069245917855) has lifted all evacuation orders for the Durkee Fire in Malheur County only. Please stay tuned to their Facebook pages for the latest information.

• Residents in Level 3 Evacuations “GO NOW” should leave immediately and not return to their property until evacuation levels are lowered. Carry enough supplies to support you and your family for multiple days. A real-

time map of fire evacuations is available on the State of Oregon Fire Dashboard (https://www.arcgis.com/apps/instant/portfolio/index.html...).

Closures:

• The Baker County Sheriff's Office has closed Burnt River Canyon Road to non-local, non-emergency traffic.

• I-84 and other highways: Please go to tripcheck.com for current road closures as the situation is subject to change.

• A burn ban is currently in effect for all of Malheur County (https://www.malheurco.org/category/public-notices), and all Bureau of Land Management lands in Malheur and Baker counties. The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest remains in public use restrictions and IFPL4.

• The temporary flight restriction has been rescinded over the Durkee Fire.

Additional Resources:

• For current air quality information, visit fire.airnow.gov.

• Weather and fire behavior could impact transportation, power transmission, cell service and other utilities. Monitor IdahoPower.com for information.

• Post-fire resources for eastern Oregon livestock and agricultural producers are available. For immediate assistance associated with livestock, forage, and crop losses contact your county’s USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office. Learn more about these and other disaster relief programs at www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/wildfire and contact your FSA Service Center.

• For technical expertise regarding livestock, post-fire rehabilitation and land management, call Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center at (541) 573-8900.

• Questions related to agriculture and natural resources, family and community health, and more may be directed to the OSU Extension Service office in your county (https://extension.oregonstate.edu/find-us).

• If you don’t have access to a computer and/or internet connection, Extension offices house Ag Disaster Relief Resource Computers, which are available to producers to access federal/state relief programs.

• Oregon Wildfire Response & Recovery website (wildfire.oregon.gov/recovery) provides guidance on topics including wildfire insurance, filing a homeowners claim after the fire, returning to a home that survived a fire, replacing lost or missing documents and next steps for people whose homes or businesses burned.

• For longer term management needs, contact the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) field office in your county to explore current funding/technical support available and inform future program offerings in your county. Go to http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/.../whats-available-in-my-county.