Burns Basin Fires surge beyond 280,000 acres as firefighters fight to protect local communities and Highway 20
By Mindy McKerrall on Thursday, July 30th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
HARNEY AND MALHEUR COUNTY-Firefighters in Harney and Malheur counties are battling two rapidly growing wildfires in the Burns Basin area, where dry fuels, high temperatures, and challenging winds continue to create hazardous fire weather conditions. Together, the Coleman Creek Fire and the Second Flat Fire have charred over 280,000 acres since sparking from lightning strikes on July 25, 2026.
To keep residents informed, California Interagency Incident Management Team 4 (CAIIMT4) and local officials will hold a public community meeting on Friday, July 31, at 6:00 PM PST at the Harney County Community Center (478 N. Broadway Ave., Burns, OR). The briefing will also be streamed live on YouTube and shared via Facebook.
Coleman Creek Fire
- Size: 180,688 acres
- Containment: 0%
- Personnel: 121
Flames pushed east yesterday near Saddlehorse Creek, forcing a temporary safety closure of Highway 20. Fire crews are working intensively to keep the blaze south of the highway. Thanks to hard work along the northern perimeter, fire growth in that direction has been kept limited. Meanwhile, existing dozer lines along the western edge continue to hold.
As the fire moves further east into Malheur County, evacuation orders and warnings have been updated. Officials strongly advise residents and visitors to stay clear of the area to ensure emergency personnel can operate safely.
Second Flat Fire
- Size: 100,977 acres
- Containment: 18%
- Personnel: 208
Overnight efforts by hand crews, dozers, and engines kept the fire within existing containment lines, utilizing direct line construction along the eastern boundary. Aircraft were deployed to the southern edge of the fire to safeguard critical power transmission infrastructure servicing Burns and Hines.
Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Second Flat Fire on July 26. This allowed the Oregon State Fire Marshal (OSFM) to mobilize statewide mutual aid resources, deploying five structural task forces operating on day and night shifts to protect local structures.
Photo credit to Harney County Emergency Management
