Multi-agency collaboration achieves 100 percent containment of wildfire

Pendleton Fire & Ambulance Chief Jim Critchley said the fire was at 10 acres when it was called into dispatch by a farmer. It was started by sparks from a mower. When it was contained, it was estimated at 300 acres. No structures were lost and no one was injured.

A resident in that area stated that the fire goes from Tutuilla Road at McKay Drive for about a mile and it burned out the Tutuilla Creek bed for a considerable distance. The blaze was about four miles south of Grecian Heights in Pendleton.

News release from Umatilla County Emergency Management:

Pendleton Fire Department, in coordination with several other agencies, has announced the successful containment of the wildfire near Tutuilla Road/McKay Drive. The containment has been confirmed at 100%, and no structures are currently threatened.

The collaborative effort included the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Echo Fire, Pendleton Fire, Fire District One, Umatilla Tribal Fire Department, Pilot Rock Fire, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Search and Rescue and a contribution from a local farmer who supplied a disc that was instrumental in the containment process.

A spokesperson for Pendleton Fire stated, “This operation illustrates the effectiveness of a coordinated response. The emphasis is now on the continued safety of the area through extended mopping activities and the removal of a specific grove of cottonwood trees.”

The area near Tutuilla Road/McKay Drive will remain closed as these additional measures are taken. 

The incident highlights the preparedness and collaboration of the various responding agencies, reflecting a well-executed strategy to protect both the community and the environment.

We continue to ask the public to stay out of the area during the temporary closures, both for the safety of the crews mopping up and the safety of the public.

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Elkhorn Media Group

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