New wildfire ignites near Jackass Mountain southwest of active Stubble Fire

HARNEY COUNTY-Fire crews in Eastern Oregon are battling a fresh wildfire breakout southwest of the active Stubble Fire on Jackass Mountain.

Officials confirmed the new ignition after smoke became visible in the area, with the plume of the nearby Stubble Fire clearly visible in the background from initial observation points.

Firefighting agencies are scrambling to reallocate regional resources to suppress the new start while maintaining containment lines on existing incidents across the zone.

The late afternoon and early evening hours—frequently referred to by fire managers as the critical “witching hours” due to peaking temperatures, dropping humidity levels, and volatile gusty winds—have significantly heightened erratic fire behavior across eastern regional terrain.

“We’re working hard to allocate resources across the zone,” fire managers noted in an update, emphasizing the severe operational strain caused by multiple active starts during prime evening burning conditions. Officials urged local communities and residents to remain vigilant and practice extreme caution as dry, fire-prone conditions persist across the area.

Location: Jackass Mountain, southwest of the Stubble Fire (Harney County, Oregon)

Operational Status: Active initial attack; crews evaluating resource deployment across the zone

Fire Environment: High late-day temperatures, dry fuels, and unpredictable evening wind patterns (“witching hour” conditions)

Official Advice: Monitor local fire updates, follow local emergency management alerts, and avoid travel near active fire zones to clear routes for emergency personnel.

Fire management officials indicated that additional updates on acreage, cause, and containment efforts will be released as soon as ground crews and aerial reconnaissance provide further operational data.

---

---

• 
• 
• 
• 

---

---

Elkhorn Media Group