Lone Rock Fire: Level 3, Go Now! evacuation for town of Spray

By on Friday, July 19th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

UPDATE 7/19 at 3:30 p.m. – (From the Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office)

Attention residents of Spray, Oregon:

Due to the ongoing emergency, all residents are ordered to EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY.

There is a designated emergency shelter located at Wheeler High School, 600 E B St, Fossil, Oregon.

Your safety is our top priority. Do not delay. Gather your essential belongings and pets, and leave your homes immediately.

Stay safe and follow all instructions from emergency personnel.

Wheeler County Sheriff’s Office

*****

PREVIOUS: Location: Lonerock, Oregon west to west of Hwy 207| Size: 83,922 acres | Containment: 40%

Cause: Under Investigation | Start Date: July 13, 2024 | Total Personnel: 739

InciWeb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orprd-lone-rock-fire

Fire Information Line: 541-208-4369

Lone Rock Fire Update – Friday, July 19, 2024

CONDON — The Lone Rock Fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy by the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Yesterday’s Activities: On Thursday morning, a spot fire crossed Highway 25. Crews worked throughout the day to wrap the spot fire with line; however, the persistent afternoon winds fueled fire behavior, blowing the spot fire further south. As the fire spread south it moved from heavier timber fuels to lighter grass and shrub fuels which are more responsive to wind shifts. Active fire behavior persisted through the night on the southeast area of the fire. OSFM task forces engaged heavily on the southern front of the fire. Working from the Campbell Ranch on the southwest side of the fire south all the way around to the Morrow County OHV Park on the southeast side of the fire. An additional task force arrived last night and immediately mobilized to access structures ahead of the fire, including the town of Spray. The Incident Management Team is closely monitoring this situation, especially with the weekend forecast predicting hotter temperatures and shifting winds.

On the southern area of the fire, firefighters worked directly along the perimeter of the fire and established contingency lines around using a combination of roads and dozer lines. The contingency line on the west side of stretches from Big Dutch Canyon south to Forest Service Road 21. The contingency line on the east side of the fire runs from Highway 207 to Forest Service Road 25. The north area of the fire shows minimal heat, allowing firefighters to focus on the southern perimeter.

A spike camp was set up in Heppner to locate firefighters closer to the active fire front and reduce their travel time, with night crews resting there during the day and day crews resting there at night.

Today’s Activities: Extreme fire behavior is expected as the weather heats up to the 90s, and relative humidity drops. Crews will continue to work on reinforcing lines in the southern area preparation for tomorrow’s weather which is forecasted to bring shifting winds that will test the lines in the responsive fuels to the south. OSFM will mobilize two more task forces bringing the total number of task forces to nine. Structural resources will continue to work with their wildland partners to engage with the southern flank of the fire and protect structures near the fire perimeter. Structural firefighters are currently working three shifts to ensure a robust amount of structural protection is provided all day and all night.

Tomorrow, there are plans for a community meeting. We are currently working to secure a location and time. Please check Facebook and InciWeb for updates. The community is encouraged to attend and receive firsthand updates from the unified command of the Northwest (NW) Team 2 and the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Red Team.

Evacuations:

  • Level-3 Evacuations – GO NOW! Level-3 Evacuate immediately for the following areas:
    • Gilliam County: residences South of Lonerock. An evacuation center is set up at memorial hall in Condon. For more information on evacuations, visit Gilliam County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page
    • Wheeler County: Township 6, Range 24. A temporary evacuation center has been set up at the Wheeler High School (600 E B Street, Fossil, Ore.). A large animal shelter is available at the County Fairgrounds (720 E 3rd Street in Fossil, Ore.).
    • Morrow County: from the West County Line along Buttermilk Canyon to HWY 207, Mile Post 10 South of Hardman to the South Morrow County line. The Red Cross will be setting up a temporary shelter at the Heppner Elementary School. For more information on evacuations, visit Morrow County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page
  • Level-2 Emergency Alert – GET SET! Level-2 Be set to evacuate at a moment’s notice for the following areas:
    • Gilliam County: residences North of Lonerock.
    • Wheeler County: community of Spray.

Weather: Hot, dry conditions are expected to increase over the weekend. Winds from the north are expected today shifting east northeast tomorrow.  The increase in temperatures and poor relative humidity recovery will contribute to significant fire behavior.

Smoke Information: Visit https://fire.airnow.gov/ for local air quality information.

Flight Restrictions: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place above the Lone Rock Fire area. If you fly, we can’t. Unauthorized drone flights (UAS) pose serious risks to firefighter and public safety and the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger.

Elkhorn Media Group