Six new fires burning in Baker County, evacuations issued near Durkee
By Joe Hathaway on Monday, July 22nd, 2024 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
BAKER COUNTY – UPDATE – 8:40PM: The Thompson Fire is now burning an estimated 4,000 acres, according to the Vale BLM. The nearby Crandall Fire is 80% lined
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UPDATE – 6:45PM: A sixth new fire has been confirmed. The Vale BLM says the Timber Canyon Fire is burning 40-50 acres southwest of Richland.
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UPDATE – 5:40PM: From the Baker County Sheriff’s Office – Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received several reports of lightning strikes and visible smoke in the Durkee area late this afternoon. Resources from Vale BLM, Keating Rural Fire Protection District, Powder River Rural Fire Department, Baker Rural Fire Rescue, Burnt River RFPA, Baker County Road Department, Baker County Emergency Management and Baker County Sheriff’s Office responded. Three new fire starts were located.
Deputies performed Level 3 (GO NOW) evacuation notifications to residents in the area of Plano, Vandecar and Manning Creek Roads. Multiple structures are threatened at this time.
Within minutes of the first lightning strikes in Durkee, reports then came in of visible flames in Timber Canyon near Eagle Valley. Lookout-Glasgow RFPA, Pine Valley Rural Fire District, and Eagle Valley Rural Fire Protection District responded.
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UPDATE – 5:15PM: Vale BLM has confirmed a fourth and fifth fire, which makes up the Thompson Fire, is two fires burning close together north of Durkee, near Durkee and Trail Creeks. That is burning 50 acres and active structure protection is going on.
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BAKER COUNTY – Multiple crews are responding to multiple lightning-started wildfires burning in Baker County.
The Vale BLM and Baker County Sheriff’s Office confirms at least three new fire starts after a thunderstorm passed over the county this afternoon.
The Crandall Fire is burning near Durkee between Plano and Manning Creek. That is currently 5-10 acres on private land with BLM engines on scene and multiple agencies responding,
The Vale BLM also confirms the Daly Fire is burning near Little Lookout Mountain. That is 1-5 acres with a Type 1 helicopter attacking it.
Another one called the Chalk Fire was burning 1/2 acre near Richland but has been halted.
We’ll bring you the latest updates as we receive them.
