365 Fire update
By Mindy Gould on Friday, September 2nd, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
Ontario, Or-
Vale Bureau of Land Management is working on suppressing the 365 fire, a range fire that started yesterday, September 1st around 11:45am.
The 365 fire is located to the west of Interstate 84 near Mile Marker 365, ten and a half miles northwest of Ontario, Or. This is an active incident, and at the time of this report the fire is estimated to be around 600 acres in size. The fire is burning in grass and brush, and has spread quickly due to critically dry fuels and gusty afternoon winds. Firefighters are on scene, while aerial resources such as Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) and Large Air Tankers (LATs), are using retardant to help slow the flame front from the air, in an effort to assist ground resources in their efforts to extinguish the fire.
Management of the fire is a collaborative effort with members of the Vale Rangeland Fire Protection Association (RFPA), Oregon Department of Transportation, and the Oregon State Police. At the time of this report, the eastbound side of Interestate-84 is closed. For updated information regarding road closures, please visit: Road & Weather Conditions Map | TripCheck – Oregon Traveler Information. Damages are being assessed by firefighters, which may include power poles and guard rails, but no structures are threatened at this time. No injuries have been reported.
The cause of this incident was a vehicle fire on the eastbound side of Interstate 84. As folks look forward to Labor Day weekend, we would like to remind everyone that these hot and dry conditions that we are experiencing today are expected to persist through the weekend. If travel is on your itinerary, we want to remind everyone to practice vehicle safety by ensuring their vehicles are up-to-date on maintenance checks, and ensure when pulling a trailer that all chains are secure and clear of the ground.
Fire restrictions are in effect for all Vale District BLM-protected lands, which includes Bureau of Reclamation lands around the Owyhee Dam. More information on fire restrictions can be found at www.blm.gov/orwafire or by calling 541-473-3144.
