Badland Complex Fire update: July 31
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, July 31st, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER COUNTY — (Release from the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team) Today, at 4:30 p.m., at the Richland City Hall, Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team Two will be on the Richland City Council meeting agenda to present a fire update on the Badland Complex.
Current Situation:
• The Badland Complex is 54,615 acres and 69% contained with 296 personnel assigned. The decrease in acreage is due to an infrared flight, which provided more accurate mapping. Currently there are 75 miles of contained fire line and roughly 30 miles of uncontained line.
• The Thompson Fire is now 31,557 acres and 47% contained. Yesterday, crews gained more containment on the northern edge through a grassy area near Little Lookout Mountain, north of Durkee Creek and Lawrence Creek. Work will continue there for multiple operational periods. On the eastern side, the Gila hotshots and skidgines are working to check and strengthen roughly 12 miles of containment line through thick juniper and timber. With a period of expected high temperatures and possible windy conditions in the future, fire managers are eager to complete work. This work is expected to take multiple operational periods. On the southeastern perimeter, work continues between Lookout Mountain Road and Manning Creek Road.
• The Coyote Fire is now 22,184 acres and 96% contained. The primary focus on this fire is to secure the southern edge of rough country, moving toward the Snake River.
• The Powder, Chalk, Sheep Mountain, Daly, and Crandall Fires are all 100% contained.
• Beginning today, there is a significant weather shift to significantly hotter, dryer weather.
Weather & Smoke Information: Today may see a heavy inversion layer which will bring west/southwest winds on the ridges and up slope, up valley winds gusting up to 15 mph. Skies should be clearer, with less smoke and temperatures in the 90s in the lower elevations and 80s on the hilltops.
An air quality advisory is in effect for Baker County due to heavy concentrations of wildfire smoke. For current Oregon air quality conditions, please visit https://oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map.
Evacuations: Multiple areas have been reuced to a Level 2 (BE SET) or are no longer under any evacuations. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064434892363. Sign up for Baker County emergency alerts at https://public.alertsense.com/SignUp/publicUser.aspx?regionid=1357
Closures: Check for highway closures at https://www.tripcheck.com/DynamicReports/Report/RoadConditions. All BLM Vale District Recreation Sites along the Snake River between Oxbow and Huntington and on Lookout Mountain are closed. This includes Spring Recreation Site, Swedes Landing, and Bassar Diggins Campground.
Fire Restrictions: Fire Restrictions are in effect. Get details at https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2024-07/orwa fpo-val-071024.pdf.
Temporary Flight Restrictions: A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in effect over the fire area to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operations. View a map of the TFR and details at
https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_4_7614.html. Fire aviation response is halted or delayed if an unauthorized aircraft enters the TFR. Temporary flight restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems or drones. If you fly, we can’t! Learn more about how to use drones safely and responsibly at Home – Know Before You Fly.
Fire Info Phone: 541-362-1507 Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Email: 2024.badlandcomplex@firenet.gov . Facebook: Facebook Badland Complex Fires 2024 Media Line: 541-249-5894
Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orvad-badland-complex-2024
