BONEYARD & COURTROCK FIRES
541-612-0744
imt1.fireinfo@odf.oregon.gov
Boneyard Fire Facebook
InciWeb
MONUMENT, Ore. – Today’s hot, dry weather forecast with low relative humidity and high ignition potential will challenge day operations on the Boneyard fire. With assistance from three task forces from the Oregon State Fire Marshal, structural protection will continue.
Last night, crews had success building dozer line outside the town of Monument with coordinated assistance from landowners. Structural task forces and fire crews contained several spot fires overnight, reducing impacts to homes and communities. Work continues to minimize growth on the southwest portion of the fire.
The northwest quadrant of the fire was held in check overnight with extended day shift resources and night crews. Control lines held near the North Fork of the John Day River in the southeast portion of the fire.
Atmospheric inversion will lift mid-day, significantly increasing fire behavior and potential for rapid fire growth. Strategic firing operations are planned to remove fuel from the fire’s edge to meet indirect fireline.
There is a high potential for the Boneyard Fire to merge with the Monkey Creek fire in the next operational period. ODF Team 1 and ODF Team 3 will jointly manage the combined incidents.
With rapidly changing weather and fire behavior, safety of firefighters, community members and values at risk is a key area of focus. Heavy smoke will contribute to rapidly changing road closures and evacuations.
As conditions change, crews, equipment, and resources will continue to be reassigned as necessary between the Boneyard Fire and Courtrock Fire based on priority need to minimize the fire footprint and impacts to the community on both fires.
The Boneyard Fire is currently 39,646 acres and was started by lightning on July 17.
Crews from the Boneyard Fire will continue aggressive extended attack on the Courtrock Fire south of Monument. This fire burned uphill on Hamilton Mountain yesterday, and efforts continue to reduce growth. Strategic firing operations are planned to establish control lines and minimize fire growth. The Courtrock fire is estimated to be 2,500 acres in size.
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. More information here: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions.
The Umatilla National Forest has implemented a closure for public lands within the Heppner Ranger District. More information here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/umatilla/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1194462.
Evacuations: Level 2 (Be Set) and Level 3 (Go Now) evacuations are in effect. For updated evacuation information:
- Grant County Emergency Management Office’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068819321423, or sign up for the Grant County Emergency Alert System at https://member.everbridge.net/825462649520134/login.
- Morrow County Evacuation information can be found at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/de78333b0d2544f7a320142174aa20ae
Shelters: An evacuation center has been set up at Grant Union High School (911 S Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845).
FIRE AT A GLANCE
Estimated Size: 49,716 acres
Containment: 3%
Cause: Lightning