The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office the evening of Thursday, July 18, reported firefighting crews in the Pilot Rock/Juniper Canyon fire completed burnouts around the fire to secure homes, infrastructure and agriculture.
The fire was 19,000 acres, according to the newest size estimate from the sheriff’s office, and comes with a cost of $272,350. While agencies have reported lighting caused the fire, the sheriff’s office reported the cause is under investigation.
A total of 83 personnel are working to suppress the blaze using 26 fire engines and more.
A “Go now” evacuation level remains in effect for the area south of Coombs Canyon Road and north of Carney Butte between the county line on the west and just west of East Birch Creek.
The sheriff’s office also reported the town of Ukiah in southern Umatilla County is under a “be ready” evacuation notice.
The Battle Mountain Fire Complex is burning near the town, according to the Umatilla National Forest.
The complex as of the evening of July 18 was approximately 2,000 acres, with one fire burning 6 miles northwest of Ukiah and another 6 miles southwest of the town. The Umatilla National Forest also reported the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 3 has been deployed to suppress the fire.
Crews were using dozers, engines and retardant to control the fire. The complex had reached the Ukiah Ranger District on the southeast edge of the Snake Fire.
The Oregon Department of Transportation on tripcheck.com reported Highway 395 is closed north and south between mileposts 50 and 90 due to the wildfires.
