Firefighters continue to battle the heat and extreme fire conditions on the Battle Mountain Complex near Ukiah, successfully catching and lining a spot fire west of the North Fork Ownes fire.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office also reported crews during the night of July 19-20 will continue to construct and try to tie key portions of lines together with roads and features.
Firefighters had success keeping the North Fork Owens and Snake Fires away from structures, but risks remain. Firefighters from a structure task force are building defensible spaces around homes to mitigate risks.
Nearly 200 total personnel are involved in fighting the fires, according to the sherif’s office, along with numerous fire engines, helicopters and more.
The Battle Mountain Complex consists of the 2,000-acre North Fork Owens fire and the 1,750-acre Snake fire. The fires were among the 17 fires in Northeastern Oregon that started in the late afternoon and evening of July 17 as a result of the recent lightning event.
Closure: U.S. Forest Service officials temporarily closed some of the lands, trails and roads in the North Fork John Day Ranger District to ensure safety for the public and firefighters engaged in operations to suppress the Battle Mountain Complex, Upper Winom, Double Snag, Big Creek, and Monkey Creek fires.
Road closures: A closure remains in effect for Highway 395 between mileposts 50 through 90, beginning 35 miles south of Pilot Rock.
Evacuations: Level 1 (be ready), Level 2 (be set) and Level 3 (go now) evacuations are in effect.
Level 1 areas
• South of Carney Butte, east of Highway 395 South (at milepost 44) to the Umatilla County line, including Albee, Camas Creek, Hideaway Springs, Dixie Ranch and Lehman Springs
• Residences immediately north of Highway 204 and north to Couse Creek, including portions of Lincton Mountain Road, from Little Dry Creek south to the Umatilla River along the Umatilla Indian Reservation boundary down to the south fork of the Umatilla River and east to Buck Mountain to Langdon Lake and north of Langdon Lake to McIntyre.
Level 2 areas
• City of Ukiah and Soap Hill south of Ukiah, east side of Highway 395 for 5 miles and down to Forest Service Road 54 and and entire southeast corner of Umatilla County, including the area of Double Snag and Upper Winom areas.
Level 3 areas
• Entire area south of Highway 395 at Copper Creek, between Highway 395 South to the county lines on the west and south side. And then entire area south of Forest Service Road 52, 5 miles east of Highway 395 South down to the county line.
• 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.
For updated evacuation information, visit the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page or sign up for the Umatilla County Emergency Alert System.
Evacuation maps also are available at oregon-oem-geo.hub.arcgis.com.
For fire restrictions, go to www.bmidc.org or call the Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention line at 541-975-3027.
For fire information, go to bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com, or visit the Facebook page of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Northeast Oregon District.
