Fire crews near Ukiah overnight Sunday to Monday, Aug 4 to 5, received a mixed bag of weather.
The Oregon Department of Forestry reported most of the Battle Mountain Complex of fires saw lightning with roughly 100 strikes within the fire’s temporary flight restriction zone and the team’s area of responsibility. Wind gusts close to 58 mph created low visibility when mixed with ash and dirt, and there was up to a quarter inch of rain on the middle and northern portions of the burn.
While the humidity helps moderate fire weather some, it’s not enough to cool the fire and is expected to drop throughout Aug. 5.
“Firefighters are on watch as the day heats and smoldering lightning strikes have a higher chance of smoking and revealing themselves,” according to ODF, “especially as the wind gusts dropped branches from trees and cast needles and other burnable materials.”
Helicopters carrying water buckets will begin flight operations earlier on aug. 5 to patrol for new starts and deliver water for initial attack. Firefighters will be ready to suppress new fires within the complex, especially with weather in the 90s and more chances of lightning and wind gusts.
Overnight, firefighters pushed containment to 36% as they continued to extinguish lingering hot spots and increasing mop-up depth. Crews also used handheld heat-sensing devices to identify and mark hotspots for dayshift crews.
Firefighters will continue work aug. 5 in the Potamus drainage to stop the fire from advancing and begin mop up. Elsewhere, crews will continue mop-up operations around the entire perimeter of the fire and suppression repair work along lines considered fully contained. Suppression repair work consists of burying fire lines and diverting runoff to minimize potential soil erosion and environmental impacts.
Residents should continue to expect to see smoke in the interior and the unburnt island within the fire perimeter as vegetation burns within the fire’s footprint. Crews will continue to patrol the fire perimeter throughout the summer to check fire behavior and ensure the fire doesn’t escape.
Heppner community meeting
The public can learn more about the efforts to curtail the Battle Mountain Complex of wildfires at a community meeting Aug. 5 in Heppner.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Heppner City Hall, at 111 N. Main St.
The Oregon Department of Forestry announced fire officials, public leaders and community partners will share information about operations and have time for breakout question and answer sessions.
According to ODF, a recording of the meeting will be available afterward.
For up-to-date evacuation information
Evacuation levels have decreased in many areas. Learn more about evacuation levels for each county:
Umatilla County — The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page or sign up for the Umatilla County Emergency Alert System.
Grant County — The Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s RAPTOR site or sign up for alerts here.
Morrow County — The Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s RAPTOR site.
Public land closures
The Bureau of Land Management has closed public lands along the John Day River from Kimberly to Dale, and from Kimberly to Service Creek. Find more information here.
