News releases articles

Follow updates for Battle Mountain Complex on Facebook or InciWeb. UKIAH, Ore. – Zone 2, the eastern half of the Battle Mountain Complex, now comprised of the 140,879 -acre Monkey Creek Fire and the 4,484 North Fork Owens Fire, continues to test fire lines. Cooler conditions and blue skies were a sight for sore firefighter eyes today as crews and aircraft began to see the slimmest light at the end of the tunnel. While the fire remains active on the south end of the Monkey Creek Fire, ground resources working in conjunction with helicopters kept things in check. On the...

541-612-0744 imt1.fireinfo@odf.oregon.gov Boneyard/Monkey Creek Facebook UKIAH, Ore. – Overnight, the Boneyard Fire merged into the Monkey Creek Fire, now only referred to as the Monkey Creek Fire. Fire officials zoned the Battle Mountain Complex into Zones I and II, with ODF Incident Management Team 1 managing the west portion of the complex and ODF Incident Management Team 3 managing the east. Zones are used for effective management and resource allocation. In Zone II, firefighters continued to see active fire behavior, slop overs and spot fires across the south of the...

A community meeting will be held tonight at the Long Creek School Gymnasium at 6 p.m. Follow updates for Battle Mountain Complex on Facebook or InciWeb. MONUMENT, Ore. – Yesterday, the Monkey Creek and Boneyard fires grew together. The fire will now be referred to as the Battle Mountain Complex. Zone I includes the western portion of the fire, previously known as the Boneyard Fire and the Courtrock Fire. Fire behavior moderated overnight with cooler temperatures and increased humidity. This weather is anticipated to continue through the morning, however as temperatures...

Microwave Fire Facebook InciWeb 541-903-2069, daily from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. 2024microwave@firenet.gov The Microwave Tower Fire is now at 14% containment. Further containment is expected as the south end of the fire moves into mop up. Because the area has difficult terrain, crews are leveraging local knowledge and experience to enhance the effectiveness of using the railroad tracks as a line tie-in feature for the west and east ends of the fire. When completed, this would remove fuels and reduce the risk of fire spread. The fire continues to show moderate activity with...

Microwave Fire Facebook InciWeb 541-903-2069, daily from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. 2024microwave@firenet.gov The Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 6, led by Incident Commander Mack McFarland, assumed command of the Microwave Tower Fire at 6:00 a.m. this morning, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The Complex Incident Management Team brings additional resources and management capabilities to implement a full suppression strategy for the Microwave Tower Fire. The fire has seen moderate activity with intermittent single tree torching, some flanking and smoldering creating a...

BONEYARD & COURTROCK FIRES 541-612-0744 imt1.fireinfo@odf.oregon.gov Boneyard Fire Facebook Community meeting: Thursday, July 25, 6 p.m., Long Creek High School Gym MONUMENT, Ore. – Firefighters were able to make good progress overnight, completing bulldozer and handline on the southern portion of the Boneyard Fire closest to the town of Monument, as well as bulldozer line around the majority of the Courtrock Fire. This work is extremely important ahead of Wednesday’s day shift, with conditions once again expected to work against firefighters. Overnight, the...

The Dalles, Ore. – Moderate fire behavior allowed for further progress on the Microwave Tower Fire today as crews worked to secure more of the fire’s east end with hand line, dozer line, and water drops from helicopters and other air resources. The fire continued to back down on a north facing ridge along I-84 just west of Mosier and will likely do so through tomorrow. Smoke can be observed along the highway. More accurate mapping has sized the fire at 704 acres. Tonight, crews will work towards hooking in line with hand crews and dozers along the eastern and...

THE DALLES, Ore. – Crews worked through the night on the Microwave Tower fire near Mosier, taking advantage of the cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Much of the progress was along the southern portion of the fire, while the northern portion continues to present challenges due to limited access and steep slopes. Air resources played a critical role in helping slow the fire’s spread in difficult terrain. The fire is currently being mapped, but early indications show that it is roughly 591 acres. Currently, the fire is backing down north facing slopes just west...

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...

Boneyard Fire Facebook MONUMENT, Ore. – The Boneyard Fire was active throughout the day on Monday July 22, growing along southwest flanks in Cupper Canyon and starting spot fires outside of Monument. Firefighters were able to suppress and stop the majority of the spot fires and are likely to stop the remaining spot fires this evening. Control lines along the northwestern flank of the fire are continuing to hold and the fire did not cross the North Fork John Day River west of Monument along highway 402. The fire is continuing to spread northeast into the Umatilla...

THE DALLES, Ore. – Residents west of the Columbia Gorge town of Mosier are being told to evacuate as the fast-moving Microwave Tower Fire burns eastward, driven by strong westerly winds of 30 to 35 miles per hour. LEVEL 3 - GO NOW! Evacuate immediately from Hwy 30 south the Proctor Rd., east to Huskey Rd and the border of the City of Mosier and west to the Hood River County line. LEVEL 2 - GET SET to evacuate from the city of Mosier and from Huskey Rd. east to Mosier Creek Rd., and south to Jasper Lane. A Red Cross shelter for evacuees has been set up at the Hood...

Boneyard Fire Facebook MONUMENT, Ore. – Erratic winds and thunderstorms increased fire behavior late Monday afternoon and overnight on the fire. The fire spotted across the line in the southeast area of the fire. Firefighters were able to complete line around approximately 50% of the spot which is estimated at 200 acres. Today firefighters will focus on securing the line constructed overnight and work to complete the remaining fireline. Critical weather conditions will continue today with the possibility of additional thunderstorms and gusty, erratic winds. Increased...

MONUMENT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Joe Hessel, took command of the Boneyard Fire at 6 p.m. Saturday.  At briefing Sunday morning he told firefighters, “Today we are going to hold what we’ve got and gain what we can, we are going to build off the work local resources have completed and look for opportunities to build lines that will hold”. Overnight the fire continued to grow but did not have significant runs.  Crews were able to continue to secure the southern and southeast portion of the fire.  In this area...

Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1 sent to Boneyard Fire MONUMENT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 1, Incident Commander Joe Hessel, received a briefing this afternoon from local resources as transfer of the fire begins. Incident Management Team 1 was recently deployed to the Salt Creek Fire, had mandatory rest, and is now assuming command of the Boneyard fire within 24 hours’ notice of the need. The Boneyard fire faces critical weather and fire behavior as hot temperatures and low relative humidity is forecast...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. –  This will be the last update from Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 for the Larch Creek Fire. Crews during the day continued mop-up to make the fire safe and reduce residual heat and smoke. Hose and pumps no longer needed along the fire’s footprint are being hauled back to the cache. Tonight, infrared imaging will be used to aid firefighters in finding and extinguishing hidden heat sources. Tomorrow morning, the Oregon Department of...

Follow updates for Battle Mountain Complex on Facebook or InciWeb. Location: West of Ukiah, OR

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Night shift pushed mop-up deeper into the fire and continued to remove lingering heat inside the perimeter. Infrared imaging is being used to aid firefighter’s efforts to find and cool hidden heat sources. Patrols continue along the fire’s edge in several areas, including Jordan and Tygh Creek. Crews are also backhauling hose and supplies that are no longer needed on the fireline. Tomorrow, the Oregon Department of Forestry Incident Management Team 2 will...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Day shift crews continued to mop up and secure lines on the Larch Creek Fire today. Fallers continue to remove snag trees in the fire area. Firefighters made excellent progress cooling the fire, which sets the night shift crew up for a night of opportunity to advance deeper into the fire. All shifts will begin backhauling hose and supplies that are no longer needed on the fireline. Preparations are underway for a planned transition of remaining fire...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – The containment on Larch Creek Fire’s perimeter is increasing as crews worked to grid the area last night, searching for any heat emerging around the fire’s edge. Fire crews are working around the clock to address hot spots. Last night, crews observed juniper tree torching, or the ignition of trees from bottom to top inside the perimeter. The weather forecast promises challenging conditions for firefighters today and throughout the coming week. Although...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Lighting strikes had minimal impact on mop-op efforts on the Larch Creek Fire today. Day crews continued to target hot spots that were detected using infrared (IR) flights overnight. Hot spots that were buried during suppression efforts and are not visible to fire crews are being identified with IR technology and extinguished. Incident Management Team 2 remains diligent and focused on the Larch Creek Fire despite multiple other fires popping up in the state....

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Scattered thunderstorms and gusty winds impacted Southeast Wasco County and other parts of the state early this morning and only minimally impacted the Larch Creek Fire area. Night crews improved containment and mop-up activities continue to expand. Fire personnel remain on stand-by to monitor for any starts caused by lightning strikes. Crews are focused on extinguishing hot spots that may arise from burning root systems as well as monitoring for smoldering...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch in the Larch Creek Fire area. Scattered thunderstorms are expected across Central Oregon beginning Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, July 17. The storm may bring outflow winds that could impact fire behavior. Improved weather conditions are anticipated by midmorning tomorrow. A heat advisory is in effect from noon today, July 16 through Wednesday night. Increased temperatures and decreased...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Although firefighters are mopping up around much of the fire, they are still working to hold the line on the southwest perimeter around the Tygh Creek, on the Southwestern edge, due to heavier fuels and hot spots. Several spot fires ignited outside the containment line but were quickly addressed and extinguished. Structural task forces are being demobilized from the Department of the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, July 16. Crews will...

Larch Creek Fire Facebook Incident contact information: Larchcreekfireinfo@gmail.com 541-316-8289 Dufur, Ore. – Fire activity remained stable overnight allowing firefighters to complete burn operations to secure the perimeter and expand mop-up activities. Decreased winds overnight coupled with higher relative humidities provided good conditions for the fire crews to make good progress. Today, firefighters will continue to focus on structure protection and reinforcing fire line around the entire perimeter. Additionally, air resources will continue to support the day crews...